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.
At Apex Mountain Resort—a place I’ve never before skied—I suddenly find myself standing atop a hidden little bowl filled with untracked snow. How can this be? It’s the Sunday afternoon of a long weekend at the height of winter. At home in Whistler, weekends like this are rocking, particularly when either powder or sunshine are involved. Here at Apex, the day is both powdery and sunny—yet the only other people in sight are my husband and our ski buddy.
Moments ago the three of us were bounding, hearts pumping, down a long, steep chute. Then we slithered through a cluster of trees and popped onto this unexpectedly untracked scene. The bowl’s expanse of virgin snow fans away from the tips of our skis, an open invitation. I dive right in. The fresh powder is knee deep and feather light, like something in a ski dream. We all whoop with glee.
As a British Columbian, making this fun dream a reality requires just two key steps: Pack the car and open your mind to discovering new adventures in BC on snowboard or skis. There’s never been a better winter to do it (and we’ve got essential tips on how to successfully plan your on-snow adventures during this very different year.)
For this story, five other writers and I tried this snowy two-step. Each of us has a BC mountain that’s our go-to place to ski or board—the mountain where we live, have a season pass, or simply feel most at home. And each of us adventured somewhere new in our BC backyard—from Apex, Big White, and Kimberley to Mt. Washington, SilverStar, and Sun Peaks—to experience fresh ski destinations within ready reach of home. Here is what we found.
Note: This story was originally written in 2019 and updated in October 2021, specifically for the unique travel circumstances of 2021. Information is accurate at the time of publication; we recommend you contact businesses directly to confirm availability and familiarize yourself with their COVID policies.