Big White Ski Resort, Canada

Big White Ski Resort, Canada

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Guide To Big White Ski Resort

The Big White Ski Resort is one of the most popular snow playgrounds in British Columbia, Canada. It has the third largest skiable area in the province and features some of the highest, high-quality powder falls in BC.

Thanks to the famous Okanagan Champagne Powder, it is a popular winter destination for families, individuals, and groups. The multi-season resort sits a short 45-minute drive from Kelowna City, which is the closest. 

The Big White Ski Resort offers extensive terrain for endless fun with short lift lines and world-class accommodation facilities. The terrain has fun opportunities for skiers and snowboarders of all abilities and levels. It also has the most ski-in/ski-out accommodations in all of Canada. 

If you’re looking to escape from the city’s hustle and bustle, you can enjoy a true alpine experience at the Big White resort. For parents who’d like to explore more challenging pistes, they can leave their kids at the resort’s award-winning daycare facility. There are also plenty of activities for those non-skiers from tubing, biking, and sight-seeing adventures.

What Big White Ski Resort  has to offer section 

Services

Mountain Features

Resort Features

BIG WHITE SKI RESORT OPEN DATES AND TIMES

Big White Ski Field is estimated to be open

Between the dates of November 24 2022 and estimated to close on April 10, 2023, for the 2022 season.

Ski life Services at Big White Ski Resort open as early as 8:15 AM and last to close is at 5:00 PM.

Mountain Map/ Info

Big White Ski Resort Trail Map

The Big White Ski Resort Terrain

The Big White Ski Resort features an expansive 2,665 acres of skiable terrain. It is the third largest ski area in BC and has 105 kilometers of marked runs with 118 clearly designated trails according to rider ability and level.

The sizeable terrain has something for every ability or level of skiers and snowboarders. The slopes range from gentle and mellow beginner and intermediate slopes to advanced double black diamonds that expert and advanced riders love.

The resort’s official terrain stats stand at:

  • 18% beginner, 
  • 54% intermediate, 
  • 22% advanced 
  • 6% expert

32% of the slopes are well-maintained and groomed to the delight of intermediates and beginners. However, there’s sufficient off-piste and backcountry terrain complete with bumps, glades, and tight trees for daring expert and advanced riders.

Big White’s Beginner Terrain

At the Happy Valley, there is a great beginner area with magic carpets and tow lifts. Novice skiers and snowboarders get to learn at their own pace without being scared by pro riders schussing by. Aside from the Happy Valley, there are also gentle runs off the Plaza Chair which are also frequented by beginners.

Confident beginners can explore more challenging green runs elsewhere in the resort. For example, steeper beginner runs can be found around Millie’s Mile, the Mega Ogo Slow run, and pistes off the Gem Lake chair. However, these runs can be somehow intimidating to inexperienced riders, although they serve as great transition terrain to becoming intermediates.

Big White’s Intermediate Terrain

With 54% of the slopes designated as blue runs, intermediates enjoy the largest proportion of the resort’s pistes. The intermediate slopes are graced with steep well-groomed runs, well-spaced glades, and lots of cruisers. The terrain caters to every level of intermediates, from low-end to strong riders. 

Big White’s Pipe and Terrain Park

The resort has a large terrain park with various-sized jumps, boxes, and rails for different rider skills. There’s also a standard half pipe which, in turn, is contingent on the amount of snow. The Big White resort’s terrain park also has a thrilling cross course for skiers and snowboarders.

Big White’s Advanced Terrain

The advanced terrain is a haven for advanced riders and has tons of features including off-piste nooks and crannies and tight tree skiing. The terrain also has numerous ungroomed black pistes nicknamed “Shaky Knees” that further down transform into steep moguls.

The best of the advanced terrain is near Gem Lake chair which also has lots of powder. Advanced riders also love the great powder at the Sun Rype bowl when the weather is right and there is great visibility after a snow dump. The Black Bear chairlift has great tree skiing opportunities which dip below the Falcon Chair and leads down to the Gem Lake Express high-speed quad.

Expert Terrain and Skiing at Big White

Although the resort has limited expert terrain, expert riders can access the alpine bowl via the Cliff chairlift. Snow conditions generally dictate the level of snow sports activity, but these areas are not for the faint of heart. 

The alpine bowl is closely monitored by the resort’s snow patrol because it is steep and avalanche prone. To ski here, you need the appropriate safety gear and even so, you’re pretty much on your own.

Lifts at Big White Ski Resort

The resort has an expansive network of conveniently placed lifts that allow thrill-seekers to access every part of the terrain. And some of the lifts are placed right next to lodges so you can exit your accommodation and get on to them.

The resort has the following named lifts:

  • Lara’s Gondola – this is an 8-person gondola that scales an 89-meter vertical and covers a length of 600 meters in about 2 minutes.
  • The Snow Ghost Express – This high-speed six-pack takes 9 minutes to scale a 450-meter vertical and travel a length of 1,868 meters.
  • Gem Lake Express – this is a high-speed quad that travels the longest distance (2,445 meters). It takes 9 minutes to scale a 711-meter vertical
  • Ridge Rocket Express – This high-speed quad covers a length of 1,814 meters and climbs a 441-meter vertical in 6.5 minutes
  • Black Forest Express – This is also a high-speed quad that covers a length of 1,458 meters and climbs a 317-meter vertical in 6.5 minutes.
  • Bullet Express – This high-speed quad is about 1,770 meters long and takes 6.5 minutes to cover the distance and scale a 403-meter vertical.
  • Powder Chair – This is a high-speed quad that climbs a 305-meter vertical and covers a length of 896 meters in 6.5 minutes
  • The Plaza Chair – This is a high-speed quad that runs a 592-meter length and climbs a 105-meter vertical in 4.5 minutes.
  • 3 Fixed grip doubles – These include the Telus Park Chair (592 meters), Falcon Chair (795 meters), and Cliff Chair (651 meters).
  • 1 T-bar, the alpine T-bar – this lift runs 1,276 meters and climbs a 333-meter elevation in 12 minutes
  • 3 Magic carpets – These include the Kids Carpet and the Big White Tube Park.

How To Get A Ski Pass To the Big White Ski Resort

The resort has tickets for different access levels which are fairly inexpensive. To get your desired tickets, you can purchase them from the resort’s website. Keep in mind, though, that you will still need to get a physical pass when you get to the resort.

Ticket prices vary due to various reasons. If you purchase your tickets in advance, you could enjoy early access discounts and sales and save money. In addition, the more the number of days you load on your ticket, the larger the discount. Tickets are generally cheaper before the season starts but get pricier way into the season, with the most expensive times being during the season’s peak and the holidays.

You may access the following ticket types:

  • Single/Multi-Day tickets
  • Season passes 

Big White Ski Resort Snowcam  

Curious to know what the snow is like today at Big White Ski Resort?

The following is a live webcam feed of the slopes at the Big White Ski Resort. We’ve curated the best views to show you the current snow conditions around the resort.  

Ski Resort Weather

The resort has a great snow track record with impressive seasonal averages in excess of 7.5 meters of the fluffy Okanagan champagne powder. In praise of the ample snowfall, the resort even adopted the motto “It’s the Snow.” The snowfall creates an intriguing phenomenon known as snow ghosts, which are snow-blasted trees that assume various interesting shapes.

Riders swear by the resort’s motto and love the drier, and higher quality snow than that in Whistler. Although interesting, the snow ghosts may be indicative of more moist windy weather conditions. So it may be best to check out the prevailing weather conditions before you plan your skiing and snowboarding trip.

BIG WHITE SKI RESORT SNOW REPORT

In the following live graphic, you can see the currently estimated snow depth for the Big White Ski Resort.

BIG WHITE SKI RESORT WEATHER FORECAST

Knowing the projected weather conditions at and around the resort can help you plan your trip better. The following graphic shows an updated forecast for the Big White Ski Resort’s weather.

Big White Weather Forcast

BOOK NEARBY HOTELS

BIG WHITE SKI RESORT ACCOMMODATION AND WHERE TO STAY WHEN VISITING THE SKI RESORT.

The Big White Ski Resort is famed for its splendid ski-in/ski-out accommodation. The car-free mid-mountain village has lodges and restaurants built right onto the slopes. This means that thrill seekers can hit the slopes or access the lifts right from their living quarters. The on-mountain facilities also include shops, bars, and other ski life amenities. 

The resort also has great family-friendly facilities which are ideal for people visiting with kids. It has lots of family-friendly activities that the entire family can enjoy. The ski field is also easy to get around which is an added advantage. In addition, The Big White Ski Resort also has an award-winning children’s center.

Aside from the on-mountain accommodation, you can find more variety and options at Kelowna City. Here, there are lots of parking, lodging, bars, and numerous restaurants. It has a more vibrant nightlife and apres-ski and great facilities for people traveling as a group or with their families.

Popular places to dine and stay include:

The resort also has the following facilities:

BIG WHITE SKI RESORT ACCOMMODATION AND WHERE TO STAY WHEN VISITING THE SKI RESORT.

The Big White Ski Resort is famed for its splendid ski-in/ski-out accommodation. The car-free mid-mountain village has lodges and restaurants built right onto the slopes. This means that thrill seekers can hit the slopes or access the lifts right from their living quarters. The on-mountain facilities also include shops, bars, and other ski life amenities. 

The resort also has great family-friendly facilities which are ideal for people visiting with kids. It has lots of family-friendly activities that the entire family can enjoy. The ski field is also easy to get around which is an added advantage. In addition, The Big White Ski Resort also has an award-winning children’s center.

Aside from the on-mountain accommodation, you can find more variety and options at Kelowna City. Here, there are lots of parking, lodging, bars, and numerous restaurants. It has a more vibrant nightlife and apres-ski and great facilities for people traveling as a group or with their families.

Popular places to dine and stay include:

The resort also has the following facilities:

Getting To The Resort

How To Get to Big White Ski Resort

The Big White Ski Resort is located in Canada’s British Columbia province. It is situated on the similarly named mountain summit (the highest summit in the Okanagan), on the edge of the Monashee Mountains. The ski field is about 56 kilometers away from Kelowna, which is the largest city in the Okanagan Valley.

It takes about 5.5 hours to get to the resort from Vancouver, which is 450 kilometers away. Big White can also be accessed from Calgary, which is 650 kilometers away.

Accessing the Big White Ski Resort by air

The most popular way to get to the resort is by flying into the Kelowna International Airport. From this airport, there are many flight options from major Canadian, US, and international cities. There are also connecting regional flights from other airports in Canada such as Vancouver and Calgary, as well as other regional airfields and airports.

The airport is 14 kilometers from central Kelowna and has various transfer options to the city and the resort. From Kelowna, it takes a one-hour drive to get to the resort via a rental car or shuttle ride.

Getting to Big White by Road

You’ll find many regular shuttles from Kelowna City which you can also book as part of the resort’s ski packages. If you don’t mind, you can pay a little more for a private limo transfer. This affords you the luxury and convenience of picking you up at the airport and dropping you at your chosen quarters. Some hotels also arrange these private transfers.

If you wish to drive yourself, you can rent a vehicle right from the airport or the city. A rental car affords you the flexibility of being able to visit many places within the snow domain. The most convenient access roads to the resort are Highways 97 and 33 which connect to the Big White Road.  

You’ll also find ample parking at the Happy Valley, Ridge Day Lodge, and the Black Forest Express. Advanced riders tend to park near the Gem Lake lift. Be sure to check out the Big White Ski Resort’s website for more concise information on where to park.

Ski Resort FAQ

WHERE IS BIG WHITE SKI RESORT?

The Big White Ski Resort is located in southern British Columbia, Canada, on the Big White Mountain about 56 kilometers southeast of Kelowna.

HOW MUCH SNOW IS AT BIG WHITE SKI RESORT?

The resort receives an average of 7.5 meters of the famous Okanagan champagne powder.

HOW BIG IS BIG WHITE SKI RESORT

The resort features 2,665 acres of skiable terrain, with 105 kilometers of trails marked according to rider ability and level.

IS THERE PARKING AT BIG WHITE SKI RESORT

Yes, there is ample parking at the resort, specifically at Happy Valley, Ridge Day Lodge, and the Black Forest Express. 

IS BIG WHITE SKI RESORT BEGINNER FRIENDLY

Yes, the resort has well-maintained beginner slopes with magic carpets and a tow lift for easy access. It also has a ski school where novices can learn to ski and equipment rental, sale, and repair shop.

DOES BIG WHITE SKI RESORT NEED SNOW CHAINS

Snow chains are generally not required. However, you need a good set of snow tires for a safe driving experience up BC’s alpine areas.