Skiing and winter sports > Articles > Ski BC

Long johns, check; sweat pants, check; ski shirt, check; fleece, check; gloves, check; beanie, check; neck warmer, check; pants and jacket, check; reason to go out in the cold, absent.

I hate the cold, always have. I'm a summer boy, a beach bum, a waxhead (surfer) and the cold is not for me. Ironically, I love the snow. To enjoy the snow I must endure the cold, which is why I'm always fully prepared. Dressed to the eyeballs; no bare skin.

The search for snow had led me to Canada. After hearing so many stories of drunken Australian misadventures at Whistler, I'd heard the odd snippet about British Columbia's other ski hills; hidden delights of untouched powder and no lift lines. But the stories were told reluctantly, as if the storyteller had found a piece of heaven to call their own and didn't want anyone else to know about it.

They never gave directions and said only that the snow was the light, pristine, champagne powder weekend warriors dream of. I decided to find my own way, with much success.

It was at the backyard local’s hill of Whitewater near the funky little town of Nelson that I done got me religion. The previous night it had snowed and snowed and snowed in town. At Whitewater it was dumping; an invasion of snow drifting to the ground like thousands of small parachutes.

To the hill I go, early, with everyone else in town. The road to Whitewater is a wagon convoy heading east to the promised land. One thing about the locals: they know their snow. When it dumps like this, everyone is in bed before 9pm and up at 6am to fight their best friend for that glorious first run.

"45cm overnight," says the snow phone, and that was recorded at 5am. When I got there at 9am, it was still snowing, and at 5cm an hour. These are the days that make enduring the cold worthwhile. Run after glorious run of fresh, untracked powder down steep cliffs, headwalls and gladed areas full of tight trees and branches waiting to snatch at your beanie.

I go all day, never stopping to rest or eat or talk to anyone. I catch the last lift before it closes, hooking up with my friend Chris, whose snowboard I had taken without him knowing that morning, for one last magical run.

"Wow, what a great day," Chris shouts, his eyes almost popping out of his orange goggles. I just nod in agreement. I'm speechless; too cold to talk. My nose is frozen and my brain is numb.

The rickety old double chair sways and creaks its way to the summit, and we watch the last of the skiers and boarders shush their way down the hill to take our minds off the cold. I watch the telemarkers, all covered in snow, so graceful in the powder, like they're dancing down the run.

Off the lift, we pause at the summit, waiting for everyone to go; we want to be last. Nature calls for Chris and he trudges to a nearby tree. I survey the runs. There are fresh powder runs everywhere; the snow has covered up all the tracks. I want to take the longest run, and milk the powder for all it's worth.

Chris returns, munching on a handful of pure white snow, with a grin from ear to ear and a bit of rugged Canadian wisdom.

"Whatever you do, never eat yellow snow." Good advice.

Over the side of the cliff we go. Weightlessness. The powder is so deep, it's like flying. You feel nothing except the snow undulating and moving beneath you. It's magical.

I turn sharply at the end of the run, coming to a complete stop and then spread eagle backwards into the snow. It goes into the air as if I've fallen into a pile of feathers. Snow falls on my face and I open my mouth and taste a few flakes. I look up at the grey skies above and say, "take me now, Lord, I'm ready."

It was a remarkable day, but I had many days like it, and not just at Whitewater. The skiing in BC may well be the best in the world. Why? It's the snow. Just ask the locals; the old guys on pre war telemark skis with beards down to their knees and ski pants covered in duct tape. They know it's the best. And there are ski hills everywhere. An apt slogan would be: "BC; more than just Whistler."

The Snowdown

Whistler/Blackcomb

With seven years as the number one ski resort in North America, Whistler offers a blend of cosmopolitan fair and backwards naivete; big wild mountains and world class sushi. At the peak, check your bindings and your email. This is tourist central. The Disneyland of ski hills. It's so big (8,100 skiable acres, 59,007 skiers per/hour lift capacity) it's intimidating. There's almost too much to see and do.

But if you get past the consuming tourists, neon jumpsuits, fur lined boots, goggle tan lines, whining kids, and snowboarders who wear blinders, the skiing is excellent. Both mountains have great bowl, cliff, and gladed skiing for those who like to push it, and long, cruiser runs that give you a chance to enjoy the view.

The snow is wetter and not as light as the interior because it's so close to the coast, but there's plenty of it and enough clear, sunny days for those who like to ski in t shirts and sunglasses. Whistler should be seen solely for the experience. See what all the fuss is about.

Season: Late Nov to late April Annual Snowfall: 914 cm Lifts: 33 including 13 high speed quads, the most of any single resort in North America Trails: 200+ Elevation: Whistler base 2140ft, top 7160ft, vertical 5020ft Blackcomb base 2214ft, top 7494ft, vertical 5280ft Prices (all prices in Canadian Dollars): Ad $73, youth/sen. $63, child $39, 6 & under free Services: Ski/snowboard school, 10 rental shops, snow hosts (guides), freeride team, night skiing Wed Sat, 17 on mountain restaurants, 115 condos, hotels and B&B's Activities: 3 half pipes, 2 terrain parks, 30km cross country skiing, heli skiing, sleigh rides, snowmobiling Location: 115km north of Vancouver. Whistler is a town in itself. Information: www.whistler blackcomb.com

Sun Peaks Resort

With 2000 hours of sunshine a year and award winning trail design, Sun Peaks is popular with tourists and locals alike. Awarded Best Grooming and Best Weather by Ski Canada, it's a skiers paradise. Though it can get a little icy if there's no new snow.

But when it snows, it dumps, a dry, light snow that comes from the mountains of the interior. A light dusting of snow on the well groomed runs equals "hero snow" and if you can't make a turn in Sun Peaks' hero snow, then you shouldn't be skiing.

One problem with Sun Peaks is that it's a little flat. Apart from the cliffs and headwalls at the peak, the mountain requires a lot of straight skiing to maintain speed. This, with the hero snow, makes it great for families and intermediate skiers. The extremists spend all day on the peak which gives families and beginners the freedom to ski without having to looks out for speedsters.

Season: Late Nov to mid April Snowfall: 559cm Lifts: 11 Trails: 117 Elevation: base 4117ft, top 6824ft, vertical 2891ft Prices: Ad $57, sen. $40, youth $49, child $30, 6 & under free Services: Rental shop, ski/snowboard school, snow hosts, small village, excellent staff Activities: Snowboard park, skating rink, sleigh rides, snowmobiling, 40km cross country skiing Location: 50km north of Kamloops, a pleasant industrial town. Information: www.sunpeaksresort.com

Silver Star Mountain

One of BC's secret hills, overshadowed by Big White just 1 hour south and bypassed by a lot of tourists. Silver Star offers quality skiing minus the fur lined boots and the lift lines. Even on a Saturday, you won’t have to wait longer than five minutes.

The hill has two faces: Putnam Creek, and Vance Creek. Putnam has a steeper face, definitely for advanced skiers. The Vance face has longer, easier runs. All the skiers are happy. Those who want the challenge to see how close to death they can get, head for Putnam; those who want to cruise and work on their form, stay on Vance, and nobody gets in anyone's way.

While the mountain is excellent, Silver Star is known for its cross country skiing. Named by Snow Country Magazine as "One of North America's top cross country ski resorts," Silver Star boasts 85km of groomed trails, and they come from all over for the races and the touring.

The village is colourful with a western theme, with ski in/ski out accommodation. Silver Star is worth a season stay, the dry snow falling almost on a daily basis.

Season: Mid Nov to early April Snowfall: 700cm Lifts: 7 Trails: 112 Elevation: base 3780ft, top 6280ft, vertical 2500ft Prices: Ad $64, youth $55, sen. $55, child $32, 5 & under/70 & over free Services: Rental shop, ski/snowboard school, snow hosts, on mountain accommodation, night skiing Wed Sat Activities: half pipe, terrain park, tube rides, skating rink, dogsled rides, snowmobile tours, 60km cross country skiing, Valhalla adventure skiing Location: 20km from Vernon, by no means a ski town Information: www.silverstarmtn.com

Big White Ski Resort

The sun was out, the t bar open. The cliff awaited. It was the hairiest t bar ride of my life. A 15 minute hike to the peak, a personal pep talk (a reminder there's no other way down) and then over. It's vertical to start; a slow slide dodging rocks and keeping your edge. Then you let go, barreling down the cliff face into a bowl of powder. Big, long cut-out turns at incredible speed sprays the snow everywhere. The bowl flattens, you stop, look around and see the beautiful S's of your carving. A 20 minute hike to the trail and then back to the lift so you can do it all again.

Big White is home to more pass holders that any ski resort in North America. It breeds fierce loyalty from its local skiers. Rated by the London Daily Mail as the best ski resort in Canada, Big White is a major stop for tourists and ski bums alike. But there's enough terrain (2075 acres) to spread them all out.

It's a little flat in parts, but the snow is excellent and the runs off the powder chair mid mountain are a hidden treasure. There's also plenty of quality gladed skiing for the tree huggers. Definitely worth a stop, if only for the cliff.

Season: Late Nov to mid April Snowfall: 750cm Lifts: 15 Trails: 118 Elevation: base 4950ft, top 7606 ft, vertical 2550ft Prices: Ad $64, child $32, youth $55, sen. $55, 6 & under free Services: Rental shop, ski/snowboard school, snow hosts, self contained village, ski in/ski out accommodation, kids centre, night skiing Activities: 3 snowboard parks, 2 half pipes, cross country trails, lots of activities for kids Location: 45mins drive from Kelowna, a large town full of shopping malls and car yards Information: www.bigwhite.com

Apex Mountain Resort

Ski Canada rates Apex as Canada's best kept secret. This would be true if there was one more lift that prevented a long, flat ski back from the far side of the mountain. But there's no denying the great snow and terrain, with some of BC's best fall line slopes and headwalls. All the runs can be accessed from the high speed quad.

The grooming is excellent and the village quaint. There are runs for everyone from cruising beginners to extreme fall lines. The best thing about Apex, though, is the lack of a ski crowd. There are tourists, but they're usually die hards who know the hill. This is a local’s playground. The fog on the summit keeps the hordes away, so that the dedicated skiers can play.

At the end of the day, retire to the award winning Gunbarrel Saloon for a quiet beer and some big talk. And don't let the fog scare you. What you can't see can't hurt you. Endure the fog; Apex is a very rewarding hill.

Season: Late Nov to mid April Snowfall: 600cm Lifts: 2 Trails: 56 Elevation: base 5197ft, top 7187ft, vertical 2000ft Prices: Ad $53, teen $43, jun $32, sen $43, 7 & under free Services: Rental shop, ski/snowboard school, night skiing, ski in/ski out accommodation, snow hosts Activities: Terrain park, half pipe, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, sledding, snowshoeing Location: 37km from Penticton, a quaint town on Okanagan Lake Information: www.apexresort.com

Red Mountain Resort

‘Powder to the knees without the deep freeze.’ Red is fast becoming one of the most popular hills in BC for extreme skiers. Word got out in Australia about how great the hill is and now you can’t ride a lift without someone saying ‘G’day’ to you.

It’s reputation for challenging off trail tree skiing holds firm with long runs comparable to heli and cat skiing. Opportunities abound all over the mountain for untouched powder runs through tight trees which can be negotiated with the right amount of skill and insanity.

The snow that falls is the famous Kootenay powder, for which the area is famous, and it’s so dry, it brushes right off your jacket. It sticks to nothing, and it’s the reason they come to Red.

At the peak, the 360 degree view of the surrounding valley is breathtaking on a clear day. Take the ‘long run’ from the peak to the base. It wraps around the mountain, 7km long.

And to give you an idea of how extreme the skiing is at Red, more Red Mountain Racers, including Olympic gold medallists Kerrin Lee Gartner and Nancy Greene, have graduated to the national team than any other ski resort in North America.

Get some health insurance, pin the ears back, and go for it at Red.

Season: Mid Dec to April Snowfall: 760cm Lifts: 6 Trails: 83 Elevation: base 3888ft, top 6800ft, vertical 2900ft Prices: Ad $52, teen $42, jun $28, sen $34, 6 & under/75 & over free Services: Rental shop, ski/snowboard school, night skiing, on mountain accommodation, 3 restaurants including 1 mid mountain, snow hosts Activities: terrain park, cross country skiing at nearby Blackjack trails, back country skiing at Nancy Greene Lake, sleigh rides Location: 3km from Rossland, a quaint mining town of 4000 Information: www.ski red.com

Whitewater Ski and Winter Resort

‘If you took everything that mattered and put it into one little area, you’d have Whitewater.’ Powder Magazine.

That pretty much sums it up. I’m reluctant to say too much about Whitewater because I don’t want to go there next season and find the carpark full, the lines long, and all the food eaten, but this is truly a gem of a hill.

The snow, a whopping 1200cm annually, is easily the best I’ve seen. It’s worth enduring the cold and the icy winds just for the powder. Everyone who skis here knows it’s the best in Canada. But try to keep it a secret.

There are two peaks, and two shaky old double chairs. There’s not a lot of terrain, and if it isn’t snowing, it gets skied out early. So, you won’t see many people without their avalanche beacons and shovels because once the terrain’s skied out, everyone heads for the back country.

The back country skiing here is amazing, and very dangerous. Tree wells, sometimes over six feet deep are waiting to swallow you, not to be found until the spring thaw. So be prepared and don’t go alone.

The resort only has a day lodge, so visitors stay in the nearby town of Nelson, named as the best ski town by Ski Canada Magazine. It’s a bizarre mix of ski bums, transients, small businesses, families, settled hippies, hippy wannabes, and red necks, but everyone seems to get along. And the town itself is beautiful. The movie ‘Roxanne’ was filmed there.

For selfish reasons, I advise you to skip Whitewater, but it may well be the best ski hill in BC. It would be silly for you miss it just because this old hand telemarker doesn’t want to stand in line.

Season: Early Dec to early April Snowfall: 1200cm Lifts: 2 Trails: 38 Elevation: base 5400ft, top 6700ft, vertical 1300ft Prices: Ad $44, youth/sen $34, jun $28, 6 & under free Services: Rental shop, ski/snowboard school, 2 restaurants Activities: cross country centre at base of mountain, back country tours, tobogganing, heli skiing, snowshoeing Location: 20km from Nelson, the heritage city Information: www.skiwhitewater.com

Kimberley Alpine Resort

With trails cut by Scandinavian miners in the 1930s, Kimberley Alpine Resort is steeped in history. The original t bar was built using the trees the miners cleared. From the comfort of the high speed quad, you can imagine them shushing down the few cleared runs, giant planks strapped to their feet, screaming for joy (fear?).

With lots of different terrain, ranging from groomed cruisers to world class moguls to powder runs in the trees, there’s something for everyone. The Easter run was ranked by Ski Canada Magazine as one of the finest in the land.

The big plus here is the lack of lift lines. Literally no wait, even on weekends. The hill is worth a stop simply for the relaxed, peaceful skiing it offers, while still accommodating the extremists.

Season: Dec to mid April Snowfall: 400cm Lifts: 8 Trails: 63 Elevation: base 4035ft, top 6500ft, vertical 2495ft Prices: Ad $49, youth $34, sen $39, jun $15, under 6 free Services: Rental shop, ski/snowboard school, snow hosts, night skiing Tues - Sat, 4 restaurants including 1 mid mountain, on mountain accommodation Activities: Half pipe, 2 terrain parks, 26km cross country skiing, heli skiing, cat skiing, snowmobile tours, back country skiing Location: 3.5km from Kimberley, the Bavarian town of the Rockies Information: www.skikimberley.com

Fernie Alpine Resort

With five bowls inside the ski area boundary, Fernie gives a skier a lot of vertical and a lot to explore. Each bowl is different and needs to be given its due. After a major expansion, the skiable terrain has doubled and word has spread. Fernie is destined to become the next big resort in Canada, with its great terrain and snow and proximity to the Calgary and American markets.

There’s always a lot of snow, and it’s more of the famous Kootenay powder. Fernie is part of the ‘Powder Triangle’ with Red and Whitewater and has risen in tourist status accordingly. Ski bums live in tents, carparks, bus stations, dog houses, whatever shelter than can find that can keep them skiing Fernie every day.

It can seem a little off the beaten track (read: in the middle of nowhere) but the rewards are there if you make the journey.

Season: Late Nov to early April Snowfall: 875cm Lifts: 10 Trails: 107 Elevation: base 3500ft, top 6316ft, vertical 2816ft Prices: Ad $64, youth $45, sen $51, jun $20, under 6 free Services: Rental shop, ski/snowboard school, snow hosts, on mountain accommodation and restaurants Activities: Half pipe, snowboard park, 15km cross country trails, cat skiing, snowshoeing, sleigh rides, back country skiing Location: 5km from Fernie, a town surrounded by mountains Information: www.skifernie.com

Start Waxing Those Skis

There are many more ski hills in BC. Almost every town, big or small, has some kind of ski hill. Vancouver, one the wettest cities in the world, has three fine ski hills within the city limits. Go figure.

The main ski hills and resorts all offer some kind of ski/stay package where your lift ticket is included in your accommodation price. Shop around for the best value, and there’s always a youth hostel nearby.

And for my last bit advice, and this may sound strange, wear sunscreen and dress warm.

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