BC's best SKI ESCAPES

by Bianca Bujan

READY FOR SOME WINTER FUN?

We may not be able to travel QUITE yet, but our adventurous spirit awaits. When travel returns, ediscover the snowy slopes and untrodden trails of beautiful BC. With 13 ski resorts found across 10 mountain ranges, winter fun awaits, and it can all be found in your own backyard.

Skiing in BC promises wide-open spaces, room to move, exhilaration, fresh air (and even fresher powder), and a chance to connect with people in your bubble. To help you prepare for an epic ski season, we’re sharing our personal favourite snowy escapes, all located within hours (by car) from Downtown Vancouver.

Note: be sure to check each mountain resort’s website for current COVID-19 protocols and updates

1. Manning Park Resort

Distance from Vancouver by car: 2h 40m

Manning Park Resort

For a truly rustic mountain retreat, head to Manning Park - a family-friendly resort found in the Cascade Mountains. With 64kms of nordic trails, plus snowshoeing, an outdoor ice rink, a swimming pool, a variety of accommodations, and a restaurant and pub for apres, this is a great one-stop-shop for family fun.

2. Apex Mountain Resort

Distance from Vancouver by car: 4h 50m

Apex Mountain Resort

One of BC’s best winter hidden treasures, Apex offers terrific snow and varied terrain fit for every level. Found in the

South Okanagan region, this mountain boasts an impressive six metres (19 feet) of champagne powder a year. Take a spin around the one-kilometre (0.6-mile) ice-skating loop or glide along one of 56 cross-country skiing trails. There’s plenty to do in and around this quaint ski-in/ski-out village.

3. Sun Peaks Resort

Distance from Vancouver by car: 4h 40m

Sun Peaks

Sun Peaks’ slopeside pedestrian-only village is surrounded by a trio of mountains - Tod, Sundance, and Morrisey, and its location - in BC’s interior - means a bounty of bluebird days to enjoy. There’s no shortage of choice, with 137 runs, long cruisers, deep steeps, incredible tree skiing, and an enormous top-to-bottom terrain park. Check out the immaculately groomed Nordic trail network, head out with a team of Alaskan huskies on a dogsledding tour, or enjoy an on-mountain evening fondue.

4. Big White Ski Resort

Distance from Vancouver by car: 5h 30m

Big White

As Canada’s largest totally ski-in/ski-out resort village, Big White is a winter wonderland for families. Offering 16 lifts, 119 runs, and 1,354 hectares (3,345 acres) of skiable terrain for powderhounds of all ages and abilities, plus the unparalleled “champagne powder”, this spot is a skier’s dream. Plus, families can add tubing, dogsledding, snowmobiling, ice-climbing, horse drawn sleigh rides, and skating to their winter holiday.

5. Silverstar Mountain Resort

Distance from Vancouver by car: 5h 40m

Silverstar Mountain Resort

This is a big mountain with a small town feel. Offering Canada’s first all-inclusive lift ticket, visitors can enjoy full access to numerous activities—including 55 kilometres (34 miles) of stellar Nordic trails—for one price. With four distinct mountain faces and 132 runs, SilverStar’s progressive terrain is ideal for learning. For the more adventurous, the back side of the mountain offers an uncrowded paradise of over 760 hectares (1,900 acres) of steep and deep, black and double-black runs.