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Elevation
1,512m–2,271m
Ski area
105 km
Lifts
12
Nearest airport
Kelowna International Airport (YLW)
Schools
2 listed
Overview
Big White at a glance
Common questions
- Beginners will find gentle, wide slopes at village level in the Plaza Chair and Hummingbird areas. These are conveniently located steps from accommodation, making it easy for first-timers to take breaks.
- Access is straightforward via Kelowna Airport (YLW), located just an hour away from the resort. The airport offers direct flights from major Canadian cities, including Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto.
- Big White is famous for its 'snow ghosts' – trees coated in rime ice that create a surreal landscape on every run. You can experience these unique formations on guided 'snow ghost tours'.
- Yes, it is very family-friendly, particularly as all accommodation is ski-in/ski-out, removing the need for car trips. Happy Valley offers tubing, sleigh rides, and ice skating, plus multi-day kids' camps are available.
- Every building at Big White offers ski-in/ski-out access, a standout feature of the resort. This means you can park your car for the entire week and enjoy direct slope access from your accommodation.
The mountain
Ski area details
Key stats
Summit2,271m
Base1,512m
Vertical drop (resort)759m
Total Lifts12
Total Slopes105 km
The mountain
Ratings
Editorial suitability scores from the Find a Ski School team on a 1–5 scale. These are not visitor reviews.
Skiing
Beginners
Intermediate
Advanced
Off-piste
Snowboarding
Snow guarantee
Resort
Family friendly
Après ski
Conditions
Live webcams
The mountain
Ski area map
Explore the ski runs and pistes around Big White. Toggle the ski piste overlay using the layer control.
Ski piste data from OpenSnowMap.org (CC-BY-SA)
Lesson providers
Ski schools at Big White
Explore by activity:Group Ski Lesson in Big WhiteKids Ski School in Big WhitePrivate Ski Lesson in Big WhitePrivate Snowboard Lesson in Big WhiteSkiing in Big WhiteSnowboarding in Big White
0 schools
About the resort
About Big White
Big White is an outdoor ski area in British Columbia, Canada. The available data lists terrain from 1512 m to 2271 m elevation, 105 km of recorded slopes and 12 lifts.
About the resort
Key facts about Big White
The lifts run between 1,512m and 2,271m, a vertical drop of 759m. 105 km of marked pistes are served by 12 lifts. The nearest airport is Kelowna International Airport (YLW).
Who teaches here
Ski schools and instructors in Big White
2 ski schools are listed at Big White.
- Big White Ski & Board School — Ski school.
- Big White Ski School — Ski school. Teaches skiing, snowboarding, private ski lesson, kids ski school, group ski lesson, and private snowboard lesson. Lessons in English.
Lessons by activity
Activities you can learn in Big White
Lessons at Big White are offered in group ski lesson, kids ski school, private ski lesson, private snowboard lesson, skiing, and snowboarding.
- Group Ski Lesson lessons in Big White — One listed school teaches group ski lesson.
- Kids Ski School lessons in Big White — One listed school teaches kids ski school.
- Private Ski Lesson lessons in Big White — One listed school teaches private ski lesson.
- Private Snowboard Lesson lessons in Big White — One listed school teaches private snowboard lesson.
- Skiing lessons in Big White — One listed school teaches skiing.
- Snowboarding lessons in Big White — One listed school teaches snowboarding.
Resort guide
Big White resort guide
Every building at Big White is ski-in/ski-out, allowing guests to click into their bindings directly from their accommodation. The resort is famous for its 'snow ghosts' – trees coated in rime ice that create a surreal, fantasy landscape on every run. Big White benefits from dry interior snow, providing excellent conditions. The resort is particularly popular with Australian visitors, boasting a strong connection with the country.
Access to Big White is convenient via Kelowna Airport (YLW), which is just an hour away. The airport offers direct flights from major Canadian cities including Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto.
Big White offers a diverse range of terrain, characterised by its signature snow-ghost trees that provide shelter from the wind. Intermediate skiers will enjoy long cruisers accessed by the Ridge Rocket Express and Black Forest Express.
- Snow ghost tours: Experience a unique, guided run through the resort's stunning frozen trees, perfect for memorable photos.
Beginners have access to gentle, wide slopes at village level in the Plaza Chair and Hummingbird areas. These areas are just steps from accommodation, making it easy for first-timers to practise and take breaks as needed throughout the day.
Big White excels as a family-friendly resort, with its ski-in/ski-out accommodation eliminating the need for car trips. There are plenty of activities to keep children entertained off the slopes.
- Happy Valley: This dedicated area offers tubing, sleigh rides, and ice skating.
- Kids' programmes are available for children from 18 months old.
- Multi-day kids' camps: These week-long programmes are a speciality, designed to help children progress by learning with the same group throughout their stay.
Advanced skiers can find challenging terrain in the Cliff area and Gem Lake Bowl. These zones feature steep, ungroomed slopes with chutes and tight trees. The dry interior snow conditions help to preserve powder longer than at many coastal resorts.
One of Big White's standout features is that all accommodation is ski-in/ski-out. This means guests can park their car for the entire week and enjoy direct slope access from their front door.
The famous snow ghosts are at their most dramatic and otherworldly between January and February, offering spectacular photographic opportunities.
Big White is an independently owned resort. Guests should purchase their lift tickets directly from the resort.
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Nearby
Discover more ski resorts in Canada
Listed ski areas nearby include Crystal Mountain – West Kelowna (permanently closed) (58 km), Keefer Lake Lodge (60 km), Baldy Mountain Resort (68 km), SilverStar (70 km), Phoenix Mountain (74 km), and Apex Mountain Resort (81 km).