Big White sits at 1755 metres in the BC Interior, where rime-frosted spruces called snow ghosts stand sentry over a village of 6,500 ski-in/ski-out beds, the most on any Canadian mountain. Champagne powder falls deep and dry, and Kelowna airport is just an hour down the road.
Big White is a ski-in/ski-out resort (most of the village is genuinely on the snow) in Canada, in the BC Interior. The village sits at 1508 m and the lifts top out at 2319 m, with 185 km of pistes and 16 lifts. Its BestSnowHotels snow score is 91/100, and the season usually runs Nov 28 β Apr 6.
Run counts and piste kilometres are indicative. Green runs only exist in France, Spain, Andorra, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Japan, the United States, Morocco, Algeria, Lesotho, South Africa, Egypt, Canada, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Chile; Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Germany start at blue. Indicative average snow depth near the top of the resort, in cm.
Where to stay
A handful of well-rated hotels in and around the resort. Pick one, then compare live prices across Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.
4.75.1k reviews
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β Top pick
Big White Ski Resort
Excellent Β· 5.1k reviews
πWhy we like it
One of the highest-rated places to stay in Big White, with guests singling out the service and comfort.
Guests rate this hotel as excellent (4.7/5 from 5,053 reviews). It sits about 850 m from the slopes. A upper-scale option for Big White, with live nightly rates shown for your exact dates so you always see the best price.
Ratings from Google, prices indicative per night. Live availability and rates via our booking partners.
Ski-in/ski-out
Big White really is the ski-in/ski-out capital of Canada, with 6,500 beds scattered along the lift lines. Walk out the door, click in, ride up. The village is compact, snow-cat groomed at night and genuinely doorstep-to-piste from almost every property.
Get to know the resort
Big White is the snowiest interior BC resort thanks to its 1755-metre base, the highest of any major Canadian mountain. The dryness produces light, deep powder that piles up on 118 runs served by 16 lifts spread across 1,127 hectares. The layout looks gentle at first glance, with rolling blue cruisers ideal for families, but the mountain hides serious tree skiing in the Cliff, Sun-Rype Bowl and Powder Chair zones, plus advanced terrain on the back side. The snow ghosts, those rime-encased spruces sculpted by wind and freezing fog, give Big White an eerie, otherworldly feel comparable to Zao in Japan or Whitefish in Montana. The village is the largest fully ski-in/ski-out community in Canada, with 6,500 beds tucked among the trees at altitude. British families fly in for the half-term holidays, drawn by the easy logistics from Kelowna airport, just sixty kilometres west, and by snow that is consistently more reliable than anything in the Alps. It suits powder hounds who like to hunt their lines without lift queues, families who want everything within walking distance and skiers chasing a relaxed, all-Canadian mountain culture.
Good to know
The terrain is well balanced: 23 green, 56 blue, 36 red and 33 black runs, which suits a mixed group skiing together at different levels.
With a base at 1508 m climbing to 2319 m, snow reliability is among the best on our index (score 91/100).
At 185 km of piste on 16 lifts, it is a substantial mountain that earns a multi-day stay.
The lifts typically turn for about 18 weeks a season, planning around late January to late February tends to land the most reliable cover.
Hotels in Big White
Hotels and apartments around the lifts. Compare prices on Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.
Big White offers 185 km of pistes across 16 lifts, from 1508 m to 2319 m. Whether it suits beginners depends on the dedicated learner zones at the base of the slopes, so check the local ski-school options for green and blue run access.
When is the best time to ski Big White?+
The season runs from Nov 28 to Apr 6, with a snow score of 91/100. The best conditions are usually from late January through February, while spring skiing in March and April brings longer days and softer afternoons.
Where should I stay for true ski-in/ski-out?+
Big White really is the ski-in/ski-out capital of Canada, with 6,500 beds scattered along the lift lines. Walk out the door, click in, ride up. The village is compact, snow-cat groomed at night and genuinely doorstep-to-piste from almost every property.
How big is the Big White ski area?+
Big White has 185 km of marked pistes served by 16 lifts, between 1508 m and 2319 m of altitude.
Is Big White more for beginners or experts?+
Big White counts about 148 marked runs in total. The colour breakdown above shows how they split by difficulty, a good guide to whether the resort fits your level.
Ski resorts near Big White
The closest alternatives, an easy switch if dates or hotels are tight.