January 27, 2006 | Tips from Us >
Vernon, Skiing & Snowboarding
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Just got back from
Big White &
Silver Star, and the skiing was phenomenal! Both the resorts have an impressive base and as a bonus we woke up to fresh powder every day. In fact, one morning at Silver Star there was a dump of a foot and a half overnight - we were in snow heaven!! One of the locals suggested getting to the lifts 10-15 minutes before they open in the morning to get ‘first tracks’. They start lining up early after a dump like that – it was fantastic!
Some other fun things we did were tubing and skating at Big White. I especially enjoyed the tubing (the fast side). It’s fun to get some friends together and hold on to each other and spin. The outdoor skating rink is enormous!
Another highlight of the trip was having a gun barrel coffee upstairs at Snowshoe Sams (Big White) where they actually pour flaming liquid (coffee and liqueurs) down the barrel of a gun into a glass. Also the snow-cat dinner tour to Paradise Camp at Silver Star was really fabulous. The trip to and from was fun and the cuisine, service and wines were first-class.
For dining recommendations at Big White I suggest the Kettle Valley Steakhouse in Happy Valley (lower area) and the Soup Stone Café which has a wonderful selection of soups, homemade daily (near main village). For Silver Star, I’d recommend Clementine’s Restaurant for fine dining, Long John’s Pub for delicious pub fare (and a fun atmosphere), and Francucinnos for yummy croissants and cinnamon buns.
It’s an ideal time to visit right now so get up while the snow lasts!atmosphere), and Francucinnos for yummy croissants and cinnamon buns. It's an ideal time to visit right now so get up while the snow lasts!