Can’t wait for winter at Big White? We can’t either. As we get closer, the temperatures drop and the snowflakes start to fall, we’re thinking about our favourite terrain on the mountain.

Here are some of our top tips for where to explore when you’re on your skis or a snowboard – thanks to the locals who have shared some of their little secrets! (Shhh, don’t tell anyone.)

Planning on visiting Big White for the first time? Be sure to give yourself enough time to explore the vast terrain, or plan ahead if you’d like to book any lessons or activities.

Photo Credit: Contributed.

Beginners

Just learning how to ski or snowboard? Book in with the Ski School for a Discover Package. They’ll take you down to the magic carpet in Happy Valley and get you comfortable with sliding, stopping and even turning. After that, you can move on to the Plaza Chair for beginner laps on Hummingbird and Woodcutter to get used to the chairlift and longer runs.

Photo Credit: Contributed.

Intermediates

Intermediate skiers and riders, get comfortable on Serwa’s or Highway 33 before trying more green and blue runs across the mountain. Black Forest is a favourite area for intermediate skiers, with a variety of fun green and blue runs, plus a great mix of terrain and some of the best introductory tree runs on the mountain! Or head up the brand new Powder Chair to try the natural halfpipe on Sleepy Hollow or the fun pitches on Rollercoaster. A local’s favourite is Blue Sapphire – the perfect blue groomer with big sweeping turns and fun rollers with multiple breakovers.

Photo Credit: Contributed.

Advanced

Looking for a challenge? Head to The Cliff, our double black diamond ski area. Or ski over to Gem Lake, where you’ll find a variety of challenging terrain, including ungroomed black runs and some incredible tree runs.

Paradise, accessible via the Ridge Rocket or Snow ghost Chair, is a ski school favourite for warming up the legs on the first run of the day, and Powder Keg and Powder Gulch are also local favourites for fun carving down to the Powder Chair – or try the old Powder Chair lift line now that the chair is in a new location.

The glades, of course, are a huge favourite among locals. Some of the best are the Thunder Glades or Black & Blue Glades from Gem, or the glades to the right of Serwa’s that lead to Sleepy Hollow.

Photo Credit: Contributed.

Keep an eye out for…

–          The views! From the top of the mountain, check out the surrounding mountain ranges, such as the Monashees to the north (including Blanket Glacier and the Pinnacles), the Midway Range to the south-east, the Valhalla and Goat Ranges to the east, and the Joffre group to the west.

–          Our signature snow ghosts. Keep an eye out for these frosty, snow-caked trees, which are unique in the way they’re covered in rime ice and bent into some incredible shapes. Head to the top of the T-Bar or Gem Lake to see the best ones, along with some of our most spectacular mountain backdrops – just be sure to take your camera!

–          Wildlife. Some of the animals spotted at Big White in the winter include bobcats, lynx, porcupines, pine martens, squirrels and even the occasional moose!

Photo Credit: Contributed.

For more information on all things to do with the mountain, check out bigwhite.com. Don’t forget, there’s less than two weeks left to buy your Season Pass at Early Bird pricing!

The cut-off is October 14, so don’t wait to take advantage of the best deal in British Columbia.