Big White - and that''s just what it is, BIG
Written by Valerie a Skier from King Creek, NSW, Australia
26/3/2012
My ski partner (aka husband) and I have just returned from a fantastic ski trip to Big White – and that’s just what it is, BIG, with fantastic powder snow. Big White certainly lived up to the expectation of having heaps of fresh powder snow.
The ski runs cover a semi-circle of the mountain, so no matter from which direction any bad weather or wind may come from there is always a reasonably sheltered area to ski.
There are 16 lifts giving access to 118 marked ski runs ranging from green through double blacks, half of which are designated intermediate. The longest run being 7.2km. The total area is 2765 acres, which includes the back bowls.
The slopes are well groomed and even at weekends it is never really crowded. We happened to be there when they were having the best snow of the season for any of the northern American resorts plus it was President’s Day week and it still was never overcrowded. There were days when we could look up or down a slope and be the only skiers there.
For those wanting something more and to stretch their abilities there is the TELUS terrain park for all ages. If you haven’t had enough of the slopes during the day there is night skiing and snowboarding on several evenings.
There are fantastic views from the top of the ski runs over the Okanagan Valley and Monashee Mountains, as well as gazing at the eerie ‘snow ghosts’, the stunted fir trees frozen in ice.
Big White is a ski-in, ski out resort giving quick and easy access to the slopes. We stayed at Grizzly Lodge which was terrifc. The rooms were spacious and well maintained. A hot tub on the verandah looking over the snow clad mountains and valley was a fantastic end to a hard day''s skiing. There is a lovely communal lounge to relax in or have a game of pool or darts. No carrying skis or snowboards upstairs to the room, there is private locked storage in the undercover garage.
Don’t be put off by Big White being advertised as a great family ski resort if you do not have children. The slopes are not overrun by grommets, but there was great entertainment for them in the Village Centre many afternoons. There is also the Alpine Park situated in Happy Valley at the base of the resort with adventure activities such as ice skating and ice hockey on the two ice rinks, ice climbing on the 60 foot ice tower, tubing at the Mega Snow Coaster, not limited to use by only kids. Each Saturday evening there is a great fireworks display which lights up the whole village.
Other attractions offered at Big White include snowmobiling, sleigh rides, dog sledding and snowshoeing.
Lift tickets for Big White also cover Silver Star, another great resort which one can make a day trip to.
Definitely one of the best ski resorts in the world.