British Columbia, Canada
Big White
1,147 hectares, 119 runs near Kelowna. Family-owned since 1985, ski-in ski-out village, Okanagan snow.
Season 2025 - 2026
Opens
28 Nov 2025
Closes
5 Apr 2026
Days open
128
Annual snow
8m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Big White's summit reaches 2,319 metres, dropping 811 vertical metres to a base at 1,508 metres across 119 runs spread over roughly 1,147 hectares near Kelowna, British Columbia. Terrain splits 54 per cent intermediate, 22 per cent advanced, 18 per cent beginner and 6 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 7.5 metres. Fifteen lifts, including seven quad chairs and one six-person chair, serve the mountain alongside one double chair, two triple chairs, one gondola and three surface lifts.
Big White holds a genuinely distinctive place among British Columbia resorts as a family-owned, ski-in and ski-out village resort in the Okanagan Valley, known for its consistently light, dry snow. Its intermediate-weighted terrain and considerable on-mountain village have built Big White's reputation as one of the more family-oriented major resorts in the province.
Big White opened in 1963, developed to bring lift-served skiing to the Okanagan Valley above Kelowna. Ownership changed hands in 1985 when the Schumann family purchased the resort, and the family has continued to own and operate Big White ever since, a genuinely unusual arrangement given the scale of the province's larger, corporately owned resorts.
Big White's exact current pass affiliation is not confirmed in available resort information, though the resort has offered its own multi-day POWder Card products directly. Adult daily tickets run from 77 to 95 Canadian dollars.
811m
Vertical
119
Runs
2,834 acres
Skiable
8m
Annual snow
The Terrain
119 runs across 2,834 acres skiable
Big White spreads 119 runs across 2,834 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 54%, with 21 beginner runs to find your feet and 33 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
119
runs
119 runs across 4 grades
Beginner21 runs · 18%
Intermediate64 runs · 54%
Advanced26 runs · 22%
Expert7 runs · 6%
Time it right
When to visit Big White
The 2025-26 season at Big White ran from 28 November 2025 to 5 April 2026, a roughly eighteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 7.5 metres. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather in the Okanagan Valley.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent, light and dry conditions to Big White's intermediate-weighted terrain. As a family-owned resort, Big White draws considerable family visitation from across the Okanagan and Western Canada, alongside destination travellers seeking its ski-in and ski-out village.
Big White's substantial on-mountain village and family-friendly terrain continue to support strong visitation throughout the season, particularly during school holiday periods. The resort's snow school and varied terrain across all ability levels draw a genuinely broad family visitor base.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since the Schumann family took ownership in 1985, Big White has continued building on six decades of history since its 1963 founding. The resort's family ownership and considerable village scale remain central to its enduring popularity in the Okanagan.
Season 2025 - 2026
28 Nov 2025
Opens
5 Apr 2026
Closes
128
Days open
8 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Big White, and where to stay
Big White sits near Kelowna, British Columbia, in the Okanagan Valley, with a base elevation of 1,508 metres and a summit at 2,319 metres across an 811-metre vertical drop over roughly 1,147 hectares. This setting places Big White within a comparatively short drive of Kelowna, a considerably larger city than most Canadian ski towns.
Kelowna, the Okanagan's largest city, offers extensive lodging, dining and services within a manageable drive of the resort, while Big White's own substantial on-mountain village provides considerable ski-in and ski-out accommodation directly at the base.
British Columbia Highway 33 provides direct access to the resort from Kelowna. Winter driving conditions on this route can include snow and ice, though the well-travelled road is regularly maintained given the resort's status as a major Okanagan destination.
Kelowna International Airport, roughly a one-hour drive away, is the primary gateway for visitors flying into the region, with Big White's considerable proximity to a well-served regional airport supporting substantial visitation from across Western Canada.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Big White, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Spain Moves to Ban Smoking at Ski Resorts Under New Tobacco Law
Spain's government has approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking across a wide range of outdoor spaces, including sports venues - a category Spanish winter sports media expect to cover ski resorts, potentially extending to slopes and lifts themselves. The rules would also apply to e-cigarettes and vaping devices, even nicotine-free ones. The bill still has to clear the Spanish parliament before any ban, signage, or fines can take effect.
22 July 2026
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22 July 2026
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21 July 2026
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21 July 2026
The Remarkables Adds Scarpa Bowl to Its Inbounds Terrain
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21 July 2026
Ski Portillo Cut Off After Storm Dumps More Than 4.5 Metres of Snow
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21 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Lotte Arai - Japan's Corporate Ski Anomaly With 22 Metres of Annual Snowfall
Lotte Arai receives 22 metres of annual snowfall - exceptional even by Japanese standards - but its corporate ownership model and limited terrain create an unusual cost-benefit equation. Here's what the numbers actually mean on the ground.
19 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Banff Sunshine Village - Nine Metres of Snow and a Season That Runs Until May
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18 July 2026
Lift system
Big White runs fifteen lifts: one double chair, seven quad chairs, one six-person chair, two triple chairs and one gondola, serving 119 runs across roughly 1,147 hectares, alongside three surface lifts. This substantial network has developed under continuous Schumann family ownership since 1985.
The lift network has grown considerably since Big White's 1963 opening, with the family investing steadily in quad and six-person chairs to serve the resort's intermediate-weighted terrain across the decades of family ownership that followed.
The seven quad chairs and gondola now distribute skiers efficiently across Big White's substantial ski-in and ski-out village, supporting the resort's reputation as one of the more accessible major family destinations in the Okanagan.
Under ongoing Schumann family ownership, continued investment has supported this fifteen-lift network according to the family's own priorities. Specific recent individual lift replacement projects are not confirmed in available resort information. Big White's extensive lift network remains well matched to its considerable scale and family-oriented village layout.
15lifts across 6 types
1
Gondola
1
6-Person Chair
7
Quad Chairs
2
Triple Chairs
1
Double Chair
3
Surface Lifts
Big White lift system
Big White is served by 15 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.
More Big White intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.