A Guide to the Must-Do Ski Trips in BC

Travelling in BC this winter? Due to recent storm damage, the Province of BC has extended non-essential road travel restrictions along severely affected highways. Learn about these latest updates, along with current border info, local health orders & recommendations, winter driving, and more at hellobc.com/know-before-you-go.

It’s early season and the snow is piling up in the mountains. Ski resorts are opening, and my idle thoughts are turning to skiing. Empty runs and open spaces, exploring a new resort with friends, throwing snowballs with my daughter, the adrenaline of a nice turn—or better, untracked terrain, and the way cold air and snow energizes me. But mostly, I dream about where I’ll ski this winter.

As the technical editor at Ski Canada Magazine and a contributor to other adventure sport publications, I could plan a trip just about anywhere. My skis have flown from Colorado to Japan, Utah to Italy. But my priority is always planning a trip close to home—in British Columbia.

I’m not the only person who feels this way. Many professional skiers and snowboarders choose to live in BC, even when their passports are from the U.S., France, or New Zealand. And while other regions might have bigger lift systems or more alpine terrain, Mike Douglas, a long-time sponsored skier and filmmaker, says nowhere matches BC.

“The number one reason: It’s the most consistent place when it comes to snow,” he says. “But that wouldn’t matter if it wasn’t for number two: How vast and diverse the mountains and terrain are.”

But, coming to BC on a ski holiday and only ever going to Whistler is like travelling to America and only visiting New York City. You can’t go wrong, but it’s worth exploring a little further and staying a little longer.

And this is a great year to come. The exchange rate favours American travellers and meteorologists are forecasting a La Niña weather pattern, which tends to dump snow in BC.

The upper slopes of Big White, further north, are famous for snow ghosts, trees so cloaked in snow they become cartoon characters. Beyond the dry powder, the sprawling resort is also known for the variety of ways to have fun, with everything from skating to dog sledding, fat biking to snowmobiling; while just an hour’s drive from the city of Kelowna, you’ll find little reason to leave Canada’s largest ski-in, ski-out village.

SilverStar’s colourful village, to the north, sits at the middle of the mountain. It’s almost possible to ski into the shops—like Bugaboos Bakery for homemade soup—leaving more time for exploring. Warm up on the frontside groomers and mellow tree runs, then slide over to the backside to explore the steeps and empty pitches of Putnam Creek.

Finally, as you journey northwest, there’s aptly named Sun Peaks. It’s an oxymoron, in a good way, thanks to the resort’s consistent snowfall. With four mountains to choose from, it’s the second-largest resort by area in Canada, but everything feels close at hand. There’s Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, and horse-drawn sleigh rides right from the village. And the bustling pedestrian village, with its grand hotels, is not only ski-in, but also ski through.

Rossland and RED Mountain Resort are just an hour’s drive southwest. Ski bums pilgrimage here to test themselves on the mountain’s legendary steeps—a quarter of the terrain is double black diamond—and immerse themselves in one of Canada’s oldest ski towns, where its historic roots blend with funky businesses and welcoming locals. RED is also a great place to try snowcat skiing: It’s only $10 to catch a ride to a neighbouring peak. And if you love that, Big Red Cats operates day trips right next to the resort.

But don’t be intimidated by the big-mountain stats. Deep snow and long vertical also mean soft and fun groomed runs. Plus, the towns near their bases have a rustic charm that’s heading towards mountain hip, with an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants.

Scratching the surface: remote but accessible

Though they’re all deep in the mountains, most of the resorts are less than a two-hour drive from an airport, and none are more than three. Kelowna International Airport is the most central and best choice for Revelstoke, the Kootenay, and Okanagan resorts. The Kamloops Airport is about an hour away from Sun Peaks, and Kicking Horse is just over two hours from the Canadian Rockies International Airport in Cranbrook, further south.

And that’s just scratching the surface. There are countless ways to connect multiple ski areas into one trip as you meander across the province from the Pacific to the Rocky Mountains. There are more than 20 other, smaller ski hills, and they may not all be big, but they all add to the province’s stature as one of the world’s great ski destinations.

“When I’m travelling and I tell someone I’m from BC, they always say it’s their fantasy to ski here,” says Mike Douglas. “I can’t argue with them.”