Snowsure: 4.4
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Big White is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Big White Ski Resort
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(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
January 10, 2013
Elizabeth
Elizabeth
Big White is an awesome mountain! And it is true, the snow is 'float in the air' powder, something you do not get on the coast at Whistler or back east (which is mostly ice). There are never any lineups. I have been skiing this mt. for 6 years and other than El Niño the snow conditions have been great.
Big White has tons of activities for those who don't ski as well. There is a world class ice climbing wall for beginner, intermediate and expert climbers, snowshoe and cross country trails, skating, tubing, mushing ( dogsled ding) horse drawn slay rides, snowmobiling, swimming and plenty of restaurants and bars and it's 1/2 the price of Whistler. There are plenty of intermediate to expert runs as it is a huge mt but most tourists just ski the center of the mt and don't go exploring to find the hidden gems that we locals know about.
Big White has free Snow Hosts that will guide you around the mt based on your skiing level so you just have to ask. There is a great snow school with well priced lessons for families or just the kids; Live music after 4:00 in the happy Valley lodge and lots of planed activities for families après-ski .
Don't know why there are any negative comments on this resort as I have skied all over the US and Canada and feel very blessed to have this mt in my back yard :))
February 01, 2012
chris stannard from
United Kingdom
chris stannard from
United Kingdom
I note that the ratings for Big White are in some cases low. For example there is only one snow blower, on the boarding park, because Big White gets enough powder on its runs not to need artificial snow. Some complain about the lack of black runs; but a lot of the locals, and others in the know, ski the glades and that can be very challenging particularly for European skiers who are used to skiing above the tree line.
Big White does have its faults but no more than any other resort and is a great place to ski.
January 27, 2012
Chris Stannard from
United Kingdom
Chris Stannard from
United Kingdom
If people do not like Big White they could go to Apex, Silver Star or Mount Baldy to name but a few alternatives.
We have been coming here for 12 years after spending hours in ill mannered lift queues in Europe, where the runs are almost all above the trees and wide open. Okay, Big White is not the most challenging resort but you can always run up to Revelstoke for a couple of days if you want a serious challenge. I also think that the ski school organisation is not good, five days lessons five different instructors. Apart from that it costs us to get here and we keep coming back so Big White must have something going for it.
As the lady from Eastern Canada, who we met on the lift this morning, said "You complain about the snow, in Eastern Canada we would think this was heaven."
January 04, 2012
Scott
Scott
November 23, 2011
Anne Franklin
Anne Franklin
My husband and I have been skiing at Big White since 2002. Prior to this we skied various resorts in Colorado for over 10 years. After our first trip to Big White we fell in love with the place. The main reason for this change was the fact that the altitude at Big White was quite a bit lower than most resorts in Colorado thus we no longer suffered breathlessness. Other reasons for the change of venue were the quality and quantity of the snow, the ski-in ski-out accommodation and the lack of crowds during the week.
After reading the reviews posted, it appears to me that the reviewers have not accepted the fact that the resort is “family oriented”. Its runs are mostly Blue and Green and wide open. If someone wants to really rip down a run or be challenged by the steeps, maybe they should choose another resort whose runs are made for that type of challenge. If one wants a comfortable place for their children to learn how to ski or if one just wants to enjoy the experience of carving on well groomed runs than Big White is the place. I have taught both children and adults to ski and have found the snow and runs at Big White more than adequate for newbies and experienced alike. Not everyone who wants to ski wants the challenge of black and double black runs. There are plenty of resorts that provide that experience.
Much has been said about the fog at Big White and yes it can be an inconvenience if you are only there for a few days. However, having skied more than 50 consecutive days in the last few years and having caught the first chair on most of those days, we have only been forced to quit early a couple of days each year. I will agree, and have made numerous comments to management, that the various boards around the resort indicating open lifts and groomed runs do not match, something that should be rather easy to maintain in this electronic world of ours.
Skiing at Big White one feels they are the only person on the mountain and believe me, that is a glorious feeling.
April 17, 2011
witkid1
witkid1
I want to apologize to another reviewer, I was trying to sum the hill up from my two years of experience at BigWhiteout. My facts were plenty straight even according to you. I said in my "PROS&CONs" section: "PRO -Nook and cranny hill! Love this type of mountain because although it's mostly intermediate level terrain the good stuff isn't too easily accessed (only difficult enough to deter the lazy) and is quite hidden." Also, I mentioned the " +'s Easter chutes almost everything off Black Forest chair, East Peak, Gem, Powder chair: fun, fun, fun."
So being Canadian and having rode:
Martock , NS
Poley, NB
Restigouche, Quebec
Pin rouge, Quebec
Amqui, Quebec
Comi, Quebec
Tremblant, Quebec
St. Sauvard, Quebec
Blue mountain, Ontario
Fortress, Alb (closed)
Castle, alb
Sunshine (600+ days)
Lake Louise(100+ days)
WinterGreen, Alb (closed)
Kicking Horse, Bc
Fernie, Bc
Revelstoke, Bc
Big White,(100Days)09/10,10/11 Bc
+ Sunday River, Sugarloaf, Attitache, Jay Peak, Stowe, Killington US, I will still have to come to the conclusion from my experience : "Great family hill! " but for travelers: don't take the chance on a week of fog. At least Silverstar is an option on your lift tix (slightly better fog situation and nicer hill but less amenities, boohooooo). For traveling Aussies and anyone else looking to spend the season, intermediate riding ability at best, good place for you to grow: Black Forest is short and sweet and fully loaded quite often especially with a bit of wind loading, which means you can drop bombs of cliffs until lunch.
So having met many wonderful youngsters and adults alike, co-workers of yours (maybe even you), BC snowboard development boys and girls, Olympic development riders, and locals alike; they have all been kind enough to share their thoughts and opinions with me, helping me build mine. Most of the people I have rode with and met and talked to enough about the ski industry have led me to believe they all take their vacations elsewhere, enough said.
Big White: family hill . Real riders will spend the doh to ride real mountains, ones where when you can't see it 'cuz it's snowing.
[Editor's note : some editing done for the purpose of relevance: Resort Review postings]
March 29, 2011
Big White 5th season Ski School employee
Big White 5th season Ski School employee
1st up, to all the negative reviews and to the mountain being so flat. If you did your research before you came you would have looked at a trail map to notice that it is a blue run haven. However, there are still lots of black runs and a few double blacks to choose from. Trees are plentiful and vary in how tight they are, so wItkId1 get your facts straight. Head to Black Forest, Ridge and Bullet for wide open trees and the rest of the mountain is ready to explore with tight trees. If you get bored book me and I could have shown you more of the mountain and guaranteed you would have enjoyed the terrain available. The fog, ah yes that is bad. However, this year has been particularly bad. You can't blame that on Big White, blame that on mother nature. Snow - the snow is great, dry and fluffy enough that it you can float but not so dry that you sink and ride the crusty base, like Japan/Banff.
Management here is pretty good by my standards, I have worked for a number of ski schools and this is a family run operation with a family feel to it. When I go to work I know I don't work for a corporation but for a big family.
Staff do get paid to care, that is why we are there. We want to make sure you, the guest, have an awesome experience. We are not here for the money, we are here because we have a passion for what we do and enjoy it. I want to share that passion with my guests.
For the people that think this is a rich person's haven, how wrong you are, you need to go to Jackson Hole, Beaver Creek, Vale, Whistler, Aspen etc. This is a very reasonably priced resort. Lift tix $67/day and full day private lesson $409. That is pretty good if you ask me. Compare that to what you pay in other resorts.
If you want complete ski in / ski out, good snow (100% mother nature), great atmosphere, mild temps, good terrain, great accommodations, world class ski school, family atmosphere and a holiday then Big White is for you!
March 25, 2011
wItkId1
wItkId1
Big White pros & cons (I'm not a fan of the hill so lets start with Cons)
FOG ...omfg (that's the only way I can say it here. I could rant for days on end why not to bother coming ever just because of the fog)
Dead Fall - Can't really go top to bottom anywhere without bailing onto a run because the trees get to thick. tib fib destruction everywhere.
Flat - yeah sh**s not that steep be careful of flat landings and even uphill ones. Lots of compressions..
Park - is fun. 6/10 overall.... the Jumps are weak but can be good, depends on who pushes and how frequently.
Kelowna is hurting as a ski town, lots of awesome people but the spoiled kids: the fairweather type with the "I ski all the time" attitude ...which means "I sit in the hot tub at the condo. Instead of skiing all the time because I live at home and don't work or hard at least"..... As for the racers and kids trying to make it happen; all great kids, but they all need to leave to succeed. Have fun in Whistler! Basically I'm choked when I hear the majority of people who think they do more than just enjoy skiing/riding being happy with 30some odd days. Don't call it a ski town...(don't gimme the job and or I have kids stuff either I'll fight you.)skiing & boarding are only 4th to food, shelter and water. Beer, cable, junk food and all the holidays except stat winter ones come after skiing. ((22months is the youngest kid I've seen on skis. If it can stand it can slide ))
Kelowna's just a city near a hill.
The hype... yeah, not even close to the lightest snow around... if you want light go to eastern BC/ Alberta.
A few days a year it's light, but still sets up if there's humidity and/or no dry wind to pull the moisture out of the snow (this year has been good).
People employed by the mountain clearly don't care about much of anything, but they aren't paid to. So as for management: welcome to BC lowest min.wage, highest avg.$/pH - fact.
Pros:
Great family hill! Now for the skiers...
Nook and cranny hill! Love this type of mountain because although it's mostly intermediate level terrain the good stuff isn't too easily accessed (only difficult enough to deter the lazy) and is quite hidden. (see bottom of the page for exception).
The snow is better than it is in Ontario. Maybe? It's been so long... jk it is.
The people are sweet.
Park, lift access! ... Lap the park like a billion times and stare down the features on the way up. The way to do it. No adventure every time you lap top to bottom in the park and back up. More like Quebec and the States.
Lots of places to eat and de-fog.
Aussie and Kiwi heaven! (inside joke)
+'s Easter chutes almost everything off Blackforest chair, East Peak, Gem, Powder chair: fun, fun, fun.
Blurbbb:
Seriously, for a hill with so many rich people you would think that they would use less paper towel and more blow dryers! It's one thing you don't truly appreciate till' they're gone! Especially with all the fog.
The trail under the cliff ... yeah, everybody is entitled to fresh snow and good lines but some lines are meant for the big boys and girls. If you can't drop from the top, please don't leave a trail of death for me to land on. If you've ever skied the cliff (hiked up and picked a line from the top) you'll know what I mean about that donkey trail,(it spans the entire width of the cliff) when it gets hard that thing can kick you good.
March 15, 2011
Marc Rene de Cotret
Marc Rene de Cotret
Stayed in Kelowna the night before to be at Big White early morning (Weds March 9). Checked their website before leaving, last update on lifts and trail status was from the morning the day before !!?? Got there at 8:30am. Ticket counter lady informed me that all lifts were open. Mentioned to her that on the electronic board across the same room, Gem Lakes express is closed! Oups, sorry about that sir. ( Gem Lakes Express is the area to ski for Advanced intermediate, my choice), in fact the only big area at the resort. 9:00am: wind speed is about 10km/hr at the top. Forecast 20km/hr in the afternoon (from snowforecast.com). It took until 10:00am to get an answer like "it is on hold, wind is strong at the top, strong being10 km/hr". Their lift status screen, at various locations inside the Happy Valley Lodge, showed conflicting information such as Gem Lakes express chair on standby, open, closed !!!! My bet was that, in fact, there were very few skiers here that morning. But, in fact, we skiers are here to ski, isn't it. Very frusratating, especially when we had planned carefully this trip in advance!! Checked their website again this morning: Thursday March 10, at 8:30am, lift status update is from yesterday at 3:45pm. Leaving Kelowna now without having skied Big White with 8cm of fresh snow this morning and 7cm, yesterday. Will never go back and recommend Big White to anybody. To Big White management, you would need to contact Mt. Bachelor (Oregon) management to get to know the very high ski management standards that they have established over there .My wife and I have skied 20 ski resorts in the last 2 months ( Colorado, Utah, Tahoe, Oregon, BC ). Thanks
[Editor's note: do you mean snow-forecast.com?]
March 03, 2011
Eric Santiago
Eric Santiago
My first real ski resort. Sure it's easy to say it was the best considering where I'm from (Manitoba prairies) but add the great service, people, facility, Sante, runs and of course experience, it would take a lot more than lack of snow and bad weather to keep me from coming back.
As a matter of fact I'll be doing Big White every year and hopefully have little ones to expose them to a great great place :)
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