Travel to Big White with ski insurance from Essential Travel

The prepared pistes attract mainly intermediate level skiers, while the impressive deep powder provides plenty of challenge and excitement for expert skiers and snowboarders off-piste.

Big White’s resort village has a laid-back, unpretentious and friendly atmosphere. This modern alpine village gives the skier superb facilities and full ski-in/ski-out access to the slopes. Surprisingly, even though it is the second largest in the province, the resort does not get as much attention as the neighbouring resorts of Whistler and Blackcomb.

The majority of the 112 pistes at Big White ski resort are tailored to intermediate skiers. Powder lovers will enjoy the challenging off-piste terrain. Thirteen lifts have an uplift capacity of 25,400 skiers an hour.

Alternative skiing is 45 minutes away at the Westridge Area, which features the Gem Lake Express. Additionally, the more famous ski resort of Whistler-Blackcomb is also nearby.

Big White ski resort has a longer than average winter season from mid-November to mid-April. The most convenient route to Big White is to fly to Vancouver, and then take a connecting flight to Kelowna, a 45-minute drive from the resort.

Skiing in Big White

The resort village at Big White looks over the Monashee Mountains in British Columbia. With a reputation for great powder and friendly service, the resort also boasts the largest night skiing area in western Canada. The slopes cover a large area and the bowl skiing is some of the best around.

The skiing at Big White takes place on 112 prepared pistes; the longest run is 7.2kms. The slopes are divided into 18 per cent for beginners, 56 per cent intermediate and 26 per cent for expert skiers. With a capacity for 25,400 people an hour, the 13 lifts (one gondola, one quad, one triple, three doubles and three surface lifts) service a skiable area of 1,115 hectares.

For snowboarders, there are five terrain parks are situated at Big White, including the impressive Telus Terrain Park. This brand new facility is lit at night and boasts an Olympic-sized super-pipe.

A recent big investment plan at Big White has improved the runs, lifts and facilities at the resort. These improvements benefit the resort by adding class to the impressive scenery, long season, and award-winning family atmosphere.

The most practical route to Big White ski resort is to fly into Vancouver or Calgary, and then take a local flight to Kelowna (55kms). The ski season at the resort starts in November and runs to April.

Après-ski in Big White

Big White resort offers plenty of accommodation options, with a capacity for 15,000 people in hotels, condominiums, private chalets and hostels. Other resort facilities include: a clinic, supermarket, seven bars, 14 restaurants, a swimming pool and an ice-skating rink.

The excellent childcare and award-winning Kids’ Center make this resort enticing to families. For après-ski, live entertainment is on offer in bars and lounges, and there are also open-air fire pits and a torch light parade with fireworks.

Other activities available at Big White include: tours (mountain, snowmobile and helicopter), ice-skating, snowshoeing, dog-sledding and the largest tube park in North America (Mega Snow Coaster in Happy Valley). Cross-country skiers have 25kms of marked trails. The village nightspots are located centrally, and for those who prefer a larger, livelier après ski scene, Kelowna is a 45-minute drive away.

Transportation to Big White

Big White ski resort is located in the heart of the Okanagan Valley, only 55kms southeast of the town of Kelowna. Options for travel to the resort by car or bus from the major Canadian airports are quite lengthy. To cut down on travel time, take the internal flight to Kelowna.

By car from Vancouver, take highway 1 (southwest) through Chilliwak; then at the city of Hope, take highway 3 (east) travelling through Princeton. From Princeton, turn left on to highway 97 (north) for Kelowna. From Kelowna, travel east on highway 33 and Big White road to the resort (440kms; five hours).

From Calgary, take Trans Canada Highway 1 (west) through Banff to Sicamous and turn left on to highway 97A (south), which takes you through Vernon and on to Kelowna; from here, take highway 33 (south) to Big White road (657kms; eight hours).

The nearest international airport to Big White resort is in Vancouver. From Vancouver Airport, you can transfer to Kelowna by air or by bus. From Kelowna, transfers to the resort are available on the ski bus (55kms; 45 minutes). Car hire from Vancouver Airport is also an option.

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