Dream of being a snow bum? British Columbia's Sun Peaks Resort has the gig

October 21, 4:04 PMSeattle Travel ExaminerSue Frause

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British Columbia's Sun Peaks Resort is an all-seasons resort. Photo by Sue Frause.

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Queensland in Australia had The Best Job in the World competition on Hamilton Island. Now it's Canada's turn for a tourism promotion with Sun Peaks Resort's I want to be the Ski Bum. The contest is open to the world, and the winner will be awarded a three-month stay on the slopes of British Columbia's Sun Peaks. Not a bad winter gig. Since its launch on Oct.1, 2009, nearly 8,000 winter enthusiasts from more than 68 countries have visited the SnowBumCanada.com website. Snow fans from  Australia, Germany, Russia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Sweden, France and Brazil have logged on to learn more about the grand prize and to check out the entries already submitted.

Highlights include a blooper reel at the end of British entrant Jem’s video; Ian from Ontario jumping into a freezing cold lake; and a catchy tune by longtime Ottawa-native Horus. Social media has been key in spreading the word. On the launch day alone, 22,000 people heard about the competition simply through re-tweets on Twitter.

The lucky Snow Bum wins a prize valued at $35,000 (CDN). It includes round-trip airfare, a season’s pass, accommodations, equipment, outerwear, food and more. In return for all the perks, the winner will keep the world up-to-date on his/her Sun Peaks adventures through Facebook, Twitter and the official Snow Bum blog.

To enter, submit a 60-second home video and application to www.snowbumcanada.com by Nov. 15, 2009. Twenty finalists will be announced on Nov. 19, 2009 and each will undergo an interview and written essay assessment. The winner will be announced Dec. 1, 2009 and begin his/her three-month "assignment" on Jan. 4, 2010. Contestants must be at least 19 years or older and have the required visa if they live outside Canada. Contest rules are on the website.