BC’s Best Ski Hills

BC’s rugged terrain affords us some of the best skiing in the world

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort has Canada’s second highest vertical drop

BC has over 30 ski hills, from quaint and quiet to internationally renowned resorts.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect powder, gnarliest vertical drops, most spectacular panoramic views or the perfect place for a little après ski sustenance, BC’s super natural mountains have got what you need.

Big White Ski Resort

Big White Ski Resort is the province’s second largest ski resort with mountainside accommodations, set on 7,355 acres. Big White, who were awarded Ski Canada Magazine’s “Best Powder” in 2008, pride themselves on their “champagne powder” and receive an annual average of about 25 feet of the light, dry snow.

There’s something for everyone at Big White, with extreme runs for the hardcore skier and daily “slow zones” for beginners and young families, as well as over 115 designated trails and BC’s largest resort night skiing area.

Fernie Alpine Resort

Fernie Alpine Resort boasts an average annual snowfall of over 29 feet, the most alpine bowls of any ski hill in North America (there are five of them), and Fernie’s Griz Bar has been voted “best après” by Ski Canada Magazine.

Fernie has a range of places to lay your head after day of exploring their network of over 110 runs (with a 30-40-30 ratio of novice to intermediate to advanced) on over 2,500 acres of skiable terrain, with everything from low-cost to luxury accommodations.

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

Over 2,750 acres of wicked terrain await the advanced skier at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, with three big alpine bowls, steep couloirs, and two double-black chutes named Truth and Dare to test your skills. But with over 120 runs, there are also dozens of choices for the beginner and intermediate skier as well.

Board the Golden Eagle gondola as you travel to Eagle’s Eye, Canada’s highest elevation restaurant at 7,705 feet, and even stay overnight in the Eagle’s Eye Suites where you’ll be treated to first tracks the next morning.

Whistler Blackcomb

Whistler Blackcomb. Need we say more? Consistently named one of the best ski resorts on the continent, Whistler Blackcomb got to show the world its goods during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

The two mountains (connected by the Peak2Peak Gondola’s 4.4 kilometre span) have over 8,000 acres of skiable terrain, over 200 runs, 37 lifts and an average annual snowfall of 34 feet – plus the only glacier skiing in North America.

When you’ve come down from your high, there are so many different things to do, from fine dining to beer slinging, you won’t lack for entertainment.

Whitewater Ski Resort

Powder, powder and more powder are what you’ll find at Whitewater Ski Resort, which gets a whopping 40 feet of dry, fluffy white stuff on average per year.

The new Glory Ridge Chair has added an extra 2,000 vertical feet, and epic backcountry and sidecountry skiing awaits those diehards who need more than the over 70 marked trails on nearly 1,200 acres.

Fuel up at Whitewater’s Fresh Tracks Café (of Whitewater Cooks fame) with classics like the whiskey-smoked salmon chowder or the Ymir curry bowl.