Okanagan snow forecast

Skiing in Okanagan

The Okanagan area covers two of the big interior British Columbia resorts above the Okanagan Valley, plus Revelstoke, the nearest large mountain to the north east and a regular alternative for Okanagan skiers. All three sit in the interior ranges of British Columbia and rely mainly on generous natural snowfall.

In the Okanagan Valley section, Big White, about 56 km south east of Kelowna, has a car-free, ski-in ski-out village at around 1,755 m and tops out at 2,319 m. It averages roughly 750 cm of snow a year, has mostly intermediate terrain with some expert lines, and runs western Canada's largest resort night skiing area. The upper mountain is known for its snow ghosts, trees coated in rime ice. Silver Star, about 22 km north east of Vernon in the Monashee Mountains, has around 760 m of vertical, 132 marked trails and a larger share of advanced and expert terrain. It averages around 700 cm of snow and, unusually, has no snowmaking at all, relying entirely on natural snow. Its season usually runs from late November to mid-April.

In the Revelstoke section, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, on Mount Mackenzie above the town, has the greatest vertical of any ski resort in North America, around 1,710 m. A gondola starts close to town, and the resort receives about 10.5 m of snow a year. Its terrain is steep and big-mountain in character, and it has hosted Freeskiing World Tour competitions, so it suits confident skiers best.

Because the resorts sit on different ranges, conditions can vary between them on the same day, which is why comparing them is useful.