Big White

The winter resort on Big White Mountain has come a long way since the first T-bar opened the slopes up for business in 1963. It has grown to be the third-largest ski resort in British Columbia and ranks high on Canadian's list of best ski resorts in the nation.

Vacationers traveling the Trans-Canada Highway 1 can exit at the town of Salmon Arm, heading south on British Columbia Highway 97 to Kelowna. The ski resort sits roughly 15 miles east of town. Kelowna International Airport is the best spot for guests to land if they are flying into the region.

Off and On the Slopes

Lodging is a requirement for many visitors on a ski or riding trip, and the Big White Ski Resort has several options available. Rooms are available in condos, White Crystal Inn, the Chateau, Sundance Resort, and others. These range in budget and party size, providing flexibility (there are even pet-friendly options). With 18 establishments offering beverages and food, visitors will not go hungry. There is also access to groceries at the Mountain Market or online.

The Big White Ski Resort has retail establishments also, offering everything from clothing to the latest equipment. A service shop provides the repairs and tune-ups your gear needs, and the rental shop rents out access to skis, boards, Nordic gear, snowshoes, and clothing (park rats can take advantage of the resort's yearly rental packages).

Guest find access to banking, medical services, fitness/wellness center, kid's center, and Tot Town Daycare are a great way to keep the whole family happy and safe at Big White. A lesson helps improve downhill performance on ski or snowboard, and the instructors divide classes into kids, teens, and adults. Nordic classes, adaptive ski programs, and level 1 CSIA instructor courses provide learning opportunities for everyone in the family.

An Avalanche of Activities

The Big White Ski Resort is popular with families thanks to its variety of winter activities. Horse-drawn sleigh rides have grown in popularity, and the mountain hosts the highest outdoor skating rink in Canada. There are free mountain tours that show guests the best spots at the venue, with snowshoeing, snowmobile, and dog sled tours rounding out the sight-seeing opportunities.

Big White has a fat bike trail for guests that can not step away from their bicycles during the winter, while a five-lane snow tube park offers fun for kids of all ages. Cross-country skiers and snowshoers will find a groomed trail system that challenges all Nordic skill levels.

Most visitors to the Big White Ski Resort come for the downhill skiing and riding, though. There is a 2,550-foot vertical to play with here, sandwiched between the base elevation of 4,950 feet and a summit height of 7,606 feet. It has 905 groomed acres covered by 119 designated runs. These include green/beginner (18-percent), blue/intermediate (54-percent), black diamond/advanced (22-percent), and double diamond/expert (6-percent). The longest run here is about 4.5-miles in length.

Big White receives about 295 inches of snow annually, with snowmaking possibilities in future seasons. Some runs have lights on 38 acres, making it Canada's largest nighttime skiing/riding venue.