Sunshine Village is known for many things. Breathtaking scenery, lots of natural snow, good food, friendly people and the odd celebrity. And Delirium Dive.

Delirium Dive offers some of the craziest, sickest in bounds terrain of any resort on North America: 2000 vertical feet, 700 skiable acres and slopes averaging 40 to 60º. Avalanche gear is a must (even though the area is actively patrolled by Sunshine Village's own Avi. staff), and riders are encouraged to map out the hill on the first few runs, just to be safe.

Since the 1960s and 70s, locals would hike up the north side of Lookout Mountain in search of the basin and its even then legendary powder. The area was managed by Parks Canada Ski Patrol until 1990, when Sunshine Village took the basin, and its growing legion of loyal riders, under its protective wing.

Better gear, and a growing interest in more exciting, extreme riding led Sunshine management to make Delirium Dive more accessible. Strict guidelines were developed for the safety and survival of its visitors. Riders must have:

• a partner
• an avalanche transceiver
• a shovel
• probes and helmets are also advised

Make no mistake, Sunshine's "Adventure Terrain Area" is steep, and challenging. The coveted powder falls on chutes of all sizes, huge drops, and stretches of cold, hard rock 750 million years old. Add to that the potential for erratic weather--who hasn't been on a mountain when the bright sun, mist or cloud obscure the view? Friends of Delirium must be versatile, with a strong short term memory (and healing factor).

Ride the Continental Divide high speed quad chair to the top of Lookout Mountain and you can't miss the large yellow gate. ATTENTION, it screams as it lists the rules, and states very clearly whether the Dive is open or closed. Transceivers must be on and set to "send" at this point, or hopefuls can go no further. The gate itself is locked with a beacon based system that picks up the signal from a transceiver held closely to it. If there is no signal, the lock stays shut and the gate won't open.

Sunshine has even been insightful enough to save riders legs by adding a walkway covering the 50 metre hike up to the summit, where visitors face an immediate slope of 50º. And truly awe inspiring views. After the scouting runs, the fun begins.

For those who aren't sure if they are ready for the Dive challenge, spend some time on Goat's Eye Mountain. Here there are many trails (like Fireside) that act as stepping stones to greater adventures.