Big White

Just above the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada’s Big White is about as under the radar as a large North American ski resort can get these days. Most Americans have never heard of this resort—it’s not affiliated with any mega pass—but it boasts a footprint comparable to many fly-to destinations in the U.S. Rockies, as well as a convenient on-site village. The resort may not be for everyone, but it hits a sweet spot for families and groups of differing abilities that’s tough to replicate.

Big White receives the high-quality snow that the Rocky Mountains are known for, but it doesn’t see quite the same quantity as some Canadian Rockies mountains further inland. Snow typically comes in small, constant doses, allowing for very consistent conditions, although true powder days are rare. Snowmaking is non-existent outside the TELUS Terrain Park, but terrain is typically still well-maintained throughout the core season, with strong grooming.

The resort generally sees impressive early-season snowfall, allowing for most of the mountain to open relatively quickly. However, snowfall has been lower in the past two seasons, and some upper mountain areas, such as Falcon and the Cliff hike-tos, take several weeks to open after the season starts.

Unlike most North American resorts, Big White primarily faces south. The incessant precipitation and overcast skies allow for better snow preservation than one might expect from its aspect, but in the event of a clear day followed by a break in snowfall, the mountain can become variable. Big White is a big mountain, and conditions can vary quite a bit depending on the area; certain zones may see light, dry powder while others face icy or windswept slopes at the same time. The Gem Lake pod, which faces east, generally sees the best conditions.

One of the best parts about Big White is the lack of serious lift lines. Even peak weekends see manageable crowds, and the few crowded areas that do exist are managed very well. Guests arriving from the primary Happy Valley parking lot might wait in long lines for the gondola to the main resort, but it’s typically smooth sailing after that. Most guests will filter directly down to the Ridge zone after getting off the gondola, but the combo of two parallel lifts—the high-speed Snow Ghost six-pack and Ridge Rocket high-speed quad—help shuffle guests up very efficiently. Crowds tend to disperse around the mountain, and few other areas can be considered chokepoints.

Big White is a large, wide mountain with a considerable variety of terrain. The resort seems to have some flavor of everything, from mellow meadows to steep chutes and below-treeline trails to high-alpine environments, although some types of terrain are more abundant than others. At 2,656 feet, Big White’s vertical drop is impressive but not class-leading; visitors should head to the furthest west Gem Lake lift, which services almost the entire resort vert, for the best endurance runs.

Big White is a great family mountain, with some of the most unique beginner and intermediate terrain we’ve tried. Greens can be found off every lift, and they’re actually worth doing in most cases—though a few are token catwalks, while others have some brief modest pitches. Blue runs are even more abundant—the mountain hosts what seems like a never-ending array of them—and can keep intermediate visitors busy for days. Blue trails do vary somewhat in difficulty; all should be within reach for a typical intermediate, but some of them are a bit steep or ungroomed and might be considered blacks at other resorts. Some blue trails are surprisingly gladed, and may vary in difficulty depending on the conditions.

Big White’s beginner and intermediate offerings extend into high-alpine areas, making for unique terrain that less-experienced guests can access when conditions allow. Some runs start in Big White’s signature high-alpine glades, while others are fully above treeline. A few trails have glades right next to a groomed run, making for great practice tree terrain. This is a major competitive advantage against other Canadian Rockies mountains, where offerings for these abilities are often confined to below-treeline slopes.

For those looking for a challenge, Big White features an array of steep glades and trees, chiefly in upper-mountain areas. And for those looking for an endurance test, some really long, mogully black runs at Gem Lake fit that bill.

Big White is not exactly a world-class mountain for experts. Until you get above mid-mountain, nearly everything to skiers’ left of Gem Lake is too mellow for advanced and expert visitors. And in most zones, there really isn’t anything that would qualify as true expert caliber. But if you’re looking for a true challenge, don’t write off Big White just yet—the resort’s small but expert-oriented Cliff zone delivers, with tantalizingly steep pitches and a hikable ridge that boasts truly insane, extremely-high-consequence chutes and glades. Some gnarly terrain also exists off the Falcon chair, including high-consequence lines and cliff drops. Difficulty can vary on Big White’s toughest slopes, and the technicality sways a lot based on exposed rocks and ice.

While Big White’s freestyle offerings are more limited than some competitors, its TELUS Terrain Park offers a surprisingly impressive setup. The park hosts a series of boxes, rails, and jumps ranging from small to large as well as a popular ski-cross course. The resort also offers a halfpipe in select winters, contingent on seasonal snow quality.

Perhaps the defining feature of Big White is its tree topography. Especially in mid- and upper-mountain areas, trees are thin and widely spaced, making for easy glades and panoramic views of the valley below. The trees get smaller and more distinctive the higher up you get, and during the dead of winter, they’re often fully coated with a thick sheet of snow, making for especially striking facades. If you get there in a good season, these snow ghosts are truly magical. Some glades tend to catch windswept snow and can hold powder for days, but some are too susceptible to sun exposure and experience more variable conditions.

Big White’s village is also a key distinguisher. While the complex is very built up and located above the base of the mountain, it feels more charismatic than overly commercial thanks to tasteful architecture and minimal roads where guests will see them. The village is clearly designed with walking in mind, and fancy lamp posts in lower mountain areas are also a nice touch.

Otherwise, Big White doesn’t quite carry the same aura of magnificence as some Canadian Rockies competitors. The resort is often cloud covered, shrouding the views of the valley below and peaks up top. The typically-gray cloud formations regularly make for ominous vibes. Big White is not a very intimidating-looking mountain from the bottom, with mellow terrain in lower-mountain areas exacerbating the effect.

Big White’s terrain also makes for profound wind exposure issues. It can get really windy at the top, with the extremely exposed footprint resulting in severe gusts. That being said, upper-mountain chairlifts are sheltered enough to prevent regular wind holds in the most affected areas.

When it comes to the lifts themselves, Big White features a relatively modern setup but still retains some slow chairs. The biggest annoyance is the lack of cohesion between the popular Gem Lake side and the Village side; it’s impossible to get back to the village from Gem Lake without taking the slow, fixed-grip Powder quad chair or Falcon double. Aggravatingly, the Powder chair was fully replaced a few years ago, but they kept it as a slow chairlift. To add insult to injury, the green run from Gem Lake to the Powder chair is called Village Way, even though it doesn’t go down to the village.

Guests may run into a couple of other minor issues when skiing or riding around Big White. It’s a little bit of a pain to ski out from the bottom of the Cliff chair, as the trail is somewhat flat and a little bit long-winded. It can also take careful planning to get to the Big White village—if coming from any mid- or upper-mountain area to skiers right of the village, guests will need to make sure to keep left on Highway 33 trail to avoid a detour via the slow, fixed-grip Plaza Chair. But while the mountain’s layout can be somewhat confusing, getting around is made a lot easier by clear, detailed signage with multi-step lift and trail directions.

For those hoping to get a reprieve from the cold, Big White offers a number of day lodges to stop in for a break. The lodges are scattered around lower-mountain areas, but outside the out-of-the-way Happy Valley Lodge near the parking lot, they’re on the smaller side, and seating is not always readily available during peak times. In addition, upper-mountain areas lack lodges entirely, meaning there’s no easy shelter—not even warming huts—for a quick escape from the most wind-exposed areas.

After a brief hiatus, Big White is resuming night skiing operations for the 2022-23 season. The night skiing footprint is extremely limited, only extending to a few trails off the Bullet, Plaza, and TELUS Park chairs, but it’s better than nothing and provides a useful option for those looking to hit the slopes later in the day.

Getting There

With no traffic, Big White is approximately one hour from the Kelowna airport, and 45 minutes from the closest Kelowna suburbs. The Big White access road quickly ascends into the mountains, and road conditions can suddenly shift from clear to tricky as one approaches the resort. Big White offers shuttle services to and from the Kelowna airport, although they must be booked at least five days in advance for a guaranteed pickup.

Kelowna is not an easy airport to fly into from the United States, with expensive flights that require one or more connections being the only option from most U.S. metropolitan areas. The resort is drivable from larger Pacific Northwest cities such as Vancouver and Seattle, but with tricky five-and-a-half and seven-hour drives required respectively, it’s a long trek from both areas.

Lodging

Big White offers one of the best ski-in/ski-out setups of any Rockies ski resort, with plenty of slopeside condos and a couple of hotels right in the heart of the village. Most offerings are on the upscale side, with many featuring amenities such as pools and hot tubs.

If you’re looking for true budget options or don’t care about ski-in/ski-out accommodations, the town of Kelowna hosts an extensive array of hotels and inns 45 minutes to an hour away.

Aprés-ski

Despite its on-site village, Big White is not a party town. The village boasts an okay bar scene, but it’s more family-oriented than anything else. There’s live local music at times at the Happy Valley Lodge, along with the occasional fairs and fireworks, but those looking for club vibes will want to look elsewhere.

Verdict

Big White may not be as tough or striking as the best in the Canadian Rockies, but it still has a whole lot to offer. The resort is a bit too impractical to reach for many in North America—and it’s no Whistler—but its family-friendly slopes, lack of lift lines, and convenient village make it a strong choice for Canadian residents and particularly adventurous Americans.