Winter adventure doesn’t stop at the U.S./Canada border; in fact, opportunities to ski and ride, wander, and explore hip mountain towns only get bigger, better, and less crowded once you cross the 49^th parallel. Out There’s 2^nd annual B.C. Ski & Winter Travel Guide comes at a time when the exchange rate still favors American visitors to Canada, with savings on everything in the 25-30% range. And with ski and stay and other travel deals in abundance, it’s time to get your border-crossing ID in order and head north! 

SKI & SNOWBOARD RESORTS 

Apex Mountain Resort 

• Location: Penticton, B.C. 
• Summit: 7,175 ft. 
• Lifts: 2 chairs, T-bar, & magic carpet 
• Runs: 79 marked; 40+ unmarked 
• Vertical: 2,000 + ft. 
• Annual Snowfall: Nearly 20 ft. 
• From Spokane: 5 hours 
• Why Go: Dry, light powder; 5,000 hectares of backcountry/slackcountry terrain; close to amazing Okanagan Valley wineries. 

Baldy Mountain Ski Resort 

• Location: Oliver, B.C. 
• Summit: 9^th highest ski resort in Canada (7,580 ft.) 
• Lifts: 2 + magic carpet 
• Terrain: 35 alpine runs, 360 acres of trails, and 240 acres of glades  
• Annual Snowfall: 25 ft. 
• From Spokane: 4.5 hours 
• Why Go: Dry Okanagan powder; no crowds; 80% beginner and intermediate terrain. 

Big White Ski Resort 

• Location: Kelowna, B.C. 
• Summit: 7,606 ft. 
• Lifts: 15 
• Patrolled area: 2,765 acres 
• Vertical: 2,550 ft. 
• From Spokane: 4.5 hours 
• Why Go: The 2^nd largest ski resort lift system in Canada with real Champagne powder (and no lift lines); 100% ski-in ski-out accommodations; huge, vibrant village with over 20 restaurants & bars and plenty of off-the-slopes fun; super family friendly with new magic carpet and plenty to do for all ages and abilities (even for non-skiers). 

Fernie Alpine Resort 

• Location: Fernie, B.C. 
• Summit: 7,000 ft. 
• Lifts: 10 
• Skiable acres: 2,500 
• Vertical: 3,550 ft. 
• Snowfall: 30 ft. 
• From Spokane: 5 hours 
• Why Go: Fernie is an action-packed, real-deal ski town with seemingly endless resort and backcountry skiing and snowboarding; the views of jagged Rocky Mountain peaks above town will blow your mind. 

Kicking Horse 

• Location: Golden, B.C. 
• Summit: 8,218 ft. 
• Lifts: 5 
• Skiable acres: 3,486 
• Vertical: 4,314 ft. 
• Snowfall: 24 ft. 
• Inbounds chutes: 85+ 
• From Spokane: 6.5 hours 
• Why Go: New terrain was added in 2018; 60% advanced & expert terrain including 85+ inbounds chutes; and the 5^th biggest vertical in North America! 

Kimberley Alpine Resort 

• Location: Kimberley, B.C. 
• Summit: 6,500 ft. 
• Lifts: 5 
• Resort acres: 1,800+ 
• Vertical: 2,465 ft. 
• Snowfall: 13 ft. 
• From Spokane: 4.5 hours 
• Why Go: Some of the sunniest skiing and riding in the Kootenays; over 40% of the terrain is intermediate; friendly, laid-back atmosphere. 

Panorama Mountain Resort 

• Location: Invermere, B.C. 
• Summit: 8,038 ft. 
• Lifts: 10 
• Resort terrain: 2,975 acres 
• Vertical: 4,265 ft. 
• Annual Snowfall: 16+ ft. 
• From Spokane: 5.5 hours 
• Why Go: Top 10 vertical in North America; 75% of the runs are suitable for beginners and intermediates. 

Phoenix Ski Area 

• Location: Grand Forks, B.C. 
• Lifts: 2 (T-bar and rope tow) 
• Terrain: 15 runs 
• Vertical: 800 ft. 
• From Spokane: 3.25 hours 
• Why Go: Great place for families to ski together and beginners of any age to learn; super unique community ski hill vibe. 

RED Mountain Resort 

• Location: Rossland, B.C. 
• Summit: 6,807 ft. 
• Longest Run: 4.3 miles  
• Lifts: 8 
• Skiable Acres: 3,850 
• Vertical: 2,919 ft. 
• Annual Snowfall: 300 inches 
• From Spokane: 3 hours 
• Why Go: New Topping lift and terrain that will ease occasional Motherlode Chair traffic jams; $10/run in-bounds cat-skiing; epic tree-skiing and in-bounds steeps; nearly 82% of the terrain is intermediate to advanced; new on-mountain lodging options. 

Revelstoke Mountain Resort 

• Location: Revelstoke, B.C. 
• Lift-top Elevation: 7,300 ft. 
• Skiable Acres: 3,121 
• Longest Run: 9.5 miles 
• Vertical: 5,620 ft. 
• Annual Snowfall: 30-45 ft. 
• From Spokane: 6 hours 
• Why Go: Biggest vertical in North America; incredible in-bounds expert terrain; 45% intermediate terrain; new lift and beginner terrain for 2019/20. 

Salmo Ski Hill 

• Location: Salmo, B.C. 
• Annual Snowfall: Plenty 
• From Spokane: 3 hours 
• Why Go: Fully-lit night skiing; great family-friendly terrain with a rowdy t-bar; old-school community ski hill on the way to Nelson. 

SilverStar Mountain Resort 

• Location: Vernon, B.C. 
• Summit: 6,280 ft. 
• Lifts: 11 
• Runs: 132  
• Skiable Acres: 3,282  
• Vertical: 2,500 ft. 
• Annual Snowfall: 275 inches 
• From Spokane: 6 hours 
• Why Go: Colorful, ski-in, ski-out mid-mountain village; all-inclusive lift ticket includes access to alpine slopes, Nordic trails, tubing, ice skating, and fat bike and snowshoe trails; B.C.’s 3^rd largest resort; Canada’s largest daily-groomed cross-country trail network. 

Sun Peaks Resort 

• Location: Kamloops, B.C. 
• Summit: 7,060 ft. 
• Lifts: 13 
• Patrolled area: 4,270 acres 
• Vertical: 2,893 ft. 
• Annual Snowfall: 19+ ft. 
• From Spokane: 8 hours 
• Why Go: True to its name, Canada’s 2^nd largest ski area soaks up over 2,000 hours of sunshine per year on average. 

Whitewater Ski Resort 

• Location: Nelson, B.C. 
• Summit: 6,700 ft. 
• Lifts: 3 (and one handle tow)  
• Skiable Acres: 2,367 
• Vertical: 2,044 ft. 
• Annual Snowfall: 40 ft. 
• From Spokane: 3 hours 
• Why Go: 40 feet of Kootenay pow fall here annually (on average); 55% advanced in-bounds terrain and incredible lift-accessed backcountry; friendly vibe, legendary food, and proximity to Nelson, B.C.’s one-of-a-kind mountain town amenities; and home of the Coldsmoke Powder Festival each February.   

HOT SPRINGS 

Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort 

When you plan a trip to Whitewater Ski Resort or Nelson, B.C., don’t miss the rewards of the short drive north to Ainsworth. The natural hot springs were first visited by the Ktunaxa First Nations peoples for healing and rejuvenation, and today the resort is fittingly owned by Yaqan Nukiy, the Lower Kootenay Band of Creston, B.C. The hot springs includes warm, mineral-rich waters in a pool and a natural cave without the sulfur odor associated with some natural hot springs. There’s also a cold plunge pool and stunning views of Kootenay Lake and the Purcell Mountains.   

• Amenities: Newly renovated hotel rooms (hot springs passes included with your room) and the new, family-friendly Ktunaxa Grill restaurant with an impressive menu and views of the lake. 4 hours from Spokane. 

Fairmont Hot Springs Resort 

Canada’s largest natural mineral hot springs with views of the Canadian Rockies. Resort includes a hot pool, large warm swimming pool, and dive pool. 

• Amenities: A variety of lodging and dining options at the resort and an on-site, family-friendly ski hill. 5 hours from Spokane. 

Halcyon Hot Springs 

This remote and beautiful resort along Upper Arrow Lake 20 miles north of Nakusp, B.C., and on the way to Revelstoke offers mineral-rich natural hot spring pools and majestic lake-side views of the Monashee Mountains. The name “Halcyon” is a reference to a Greek myth and is a term used throughout history as a reference to times of peace and calm, which the resort serves up in abundance. The hot springs also has a spray park for kids. 

• Amenities: Multiple on-site lodging options and the Kingfisher Restaurant featuring healthy gourmet cuisine with many ingredients. 5.5 hours from Spokane. 

Nakusp Hot Springs 

This community-owned hot springs in the Selkirk Mountains near the village of Nakusp consists of two pools (one warm, one hot) fed by nearby natural springs.  

• Amenities: Rental chalets and camping, snack shop, and kids’ playground. More lodging and dining options are available in the village of Nakusp. Nearby trails offer excellent snowshoeing or hiking options. 5.25 hours from Spokane. 

Radium Hot Springs 

Two large pools (one hot, one warm) provide soaking in natural mineral water within Kootenay National Park near the communities of Radium and Invermere. 5.5 hours from Spokane. 

FAT BIKING 

You can find fat biking trails, shared Nordic trails, and rentals at many of the ski resorts listed in this guide, but some of the best singletrack winter bike trails are being groomed in and around Rossland, Cranbrook, and Fernie, B.C.  

Rossland, B.C. 

Ride over 12K of machine-groomed trails around Rossland including loops pieced together from the Centennial Trailhead, Red Mountain Resort, or in town from Revolution Cycles. Stop by Revolution Cycles for a copy of a new fat biking trail map and for bike rental or gear needs. The Redstone Golf Course in Rossland also has another 7k of groomed fat biking trails. There are typically ridable sections of trail (depending on conditions) on both sides of the highway at the Seven Summits Trail trailhead too. 

Fernie, B.C. 

Beginner, intermediate, and expert riders will find a variety of groomed and user-packed trails for fat biking right out of downtown Fernie and another 11k of groomed multi-use trails at Fernie Alpine Resort. Book a ‘learn to fatbike’ session at Fernie Alpine Resort and spend a few hours with an experienced guide. Visit Tourismfernie.com for updated trail and grooming info and a winter recreation map or stop by one of the local bike shops for recommendations. 

Cranbrook, B.C. 

Cranbrook has valley terrain that is similar to Spokane and North Idaho, with plenty of flats and rolling hills that make for a great groomed fat bike trails system. This winter, grooming will include terrain in the South Star Cross Country Ski Area and the Cranbrook Community Forest. The total trail network for the season will be between 60-70K of singletrack, with options for all levels of riders. If you don’t have a fatty, no worries; you can rent one from Bootleg Bike Co. or Kimberley Alpine Resort. 

Check out Trailforks to explore your riding options in and around Cranbrook. And find trail grooming reports on the Wildhorse Cycling Club or Cranbrook Community Forest Society Facebook pages. 

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING  

British Columbia has over 50 Nordic skiing areas across the province, with many of them located within an hour or two from the U.S. border. Most alpine ski and snowboard resorts have groomed cross-country trails, and many communities have additional cross-country trail systems that are regularly groomed with excellent facilities and nearby amenities. 

SilverStar Resort/Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre 

Canada’s largest network of daily-groomed cross-country ski trails begin at the SilverStar Mountain Resort near Vernon, B.C. Connected to SilverStar’s 55K of world-class trails is another 50K of groomed Nordic trails at Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre (duel mountain passes available). 

Nelson Nordic Trails 

Located 10 minutes south of Nelson on Highway 6 at the Whitewater Ski Area turnoff, the Nelson Nordic Ski Club maintains 30K of groomed trails (classic and skating tracks) for all levels. The trail system includes a day lodge, two warming huts, and 1.5K of lit trails for night skiing.   

Black Jack Ski Club Trails 

Five minutes north of Rossland, the 40K Black Jack cross-country trail system is one of the premier Nordic areas in western Canada and the closest B.C. trail system to Spokane. In addition to the groomed classic and skate skiing trails, there is a 2.5K lit night-skiing loop. 

Kimberley Nordic Club Trails 

The Kimberley Nordic Club hosts a 33K first-class groomed trail network including double track, single track, and a center skating lane. The trail system on the edge of Kimberley includes a 3.3K lit loop for night skiing, a lodge with bathrooms, and a warming hut. 

Fernie Nordic Trails 

There are over 50K of groomed cross-country trails around Fernie, from beginner circuits to advanced trails. You can explore one of these different trail systems in the spectacular wilds of the Canadian Rockies each day of your trip: Fernie Alpine Resort, Fernie Golf Club, Island Lake Lodge, Montane, and the Elk Valley Nordic Centre.  

BACKCOUNTRY 

Scoring untracked backcountry powder on skis or a splitboard in the Kootenay-Rockies region of B.C. can take on many forms, from earning your turns while camped out in the front seat of a Subaru at a mountain pass to fully-catered hut trips and vertical-maximizing cat ski or heli ski tours. Don’t venture into these B.C. backcountry hotspots or any other backcountry terrain, however, without the necessary safety gear and avy/backcountry training. 

Kootenay Pass: Just north of the border near Salmo and Creston, this popular backcountry area can get crowded on weekends. Excellent terrain, reliable snow, and avalanche risks abound on both sides of the highway. 

Whitewater Ski Resort: Whitewater’s spectacular in-bounds riding is just the beginning of what this gateway to backcountry terrain has to offer those equipped to access the powder fields and steeps you can’t see from the lodge. 

Rossland/Red Mountain Resort: There are plenty of backcountry ski tours in the Rossland Range as well as lift-accessed touring possibilities from the resort. Check RED’s backcountry page for any updates to their touring policy and visit Backcountry Skiing Canada’s Rossland page for more info. 

Fernie: The long season and jagged Rocky Mountain peaks around Fernie make for dramatic ski touring and splitboarding out of the resort and other nearby alpine areas. Two local cat skiing operations make for a great guided option to explore the backcountry. 

Rogers Pass: This legendary backcountry destination between Revelstoke and Golden demands respect and a keen awareness of avalanche dangers. The big mountain terrain has gained a reputation that attracts skiers from around the world. 

Backcountryskiingcanada.com: This treasure trove of backcountry ski and splitboarding route recommendations, forums, and other valuable information and resources will help you explore B.C.’s wide range of backcountry options wisely. 

OTHER WINTER ADVENTURES 

Cody Caves 

Open for winter caving tours by email appointment only, Cody Cave Tours offers guided tours of a fragile underground world sculpted by glacier-fed waters above Ainsworth Hot Springs north of Nelson. The winter tour requires a heli-shuttle and/or strenuous snowshoe hike in. 

Go Snowmobiling at Big White 

Experience the backcountry surrounding Big White Ski Resort on your own snowmobile as part of a tour or self-guided trip. Choose from groomed trails and more advanced powder riding routes.    

Snowshoe around Fernie 

Find packed trails and untracked snowshoe wandering at several snowshoeing areas around the vibrant mountain town of Fernie. Or learn about Fernie’s rich history and the mountain environment on a Mountain Heritage Snowshoe Tour interpretive outing or book a snowcat ride, lunch, and snowshoe tour deep in the mountains at Island Lake Lodge. //

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Welcome to Cranbrook, the best ski town you’ve never heard about. 

Set within a broad valley in the rainshadow of the Kootenay Rockies, at the halfway point between Spokane and Calgary, the city of 20,000 has long served as a transportation hub for trains, planes, fur traders and fruit growers. Today, Cranbrook has transitioned from way station to destination. Taking advantage of its central location on the Powder Highway, and its status as the sunshine capitol of British Columbia, Cranbrook is an inviting home base for a long, multi-resort ski weekend. From a Cranbrook home base, skiers and snowboarders can choose from two nearby ski areas: Kimberley and Fernie Alpine Resorts. 

Kimberley Alpine Resort, 30 minutes north of Cranbrook, will strike stateside skiers as the Powder Highway resort most like its south-of-the-border counterparts. Steep, fall-line blacks and long, cruiser blues make the most out of nearly 2,500 feet of vertical. But it’s the trees where Kimberley excels; expertly spaced and nicely graded glades comprise roughly a third of the resort’s 1,800 acres—the largest gladed terrain in North America. From the fixed-grip Easter Triple, drop into the Black Forest for top-to-bottom tree skiing. 

But that’s not to say there aren’t big-mountain views. The Columbia Valley, above which Kimberley sits, boasts the most sunny days of anywhere in the province, and Fisher Peak and its Rocky Mountain siblings to the east frequently make an appearance. 

It’s also a casual, family-friendly resort, where live music drifts out of the Stemwinder Bar & Grill and kids flit about the outdoor ice-skating rink.  

Kimberley shines after the sun goes down too. The resort offers weekend night skiing on the longest lit run in North America. And in town, the pedestrian-only Platzl, its Bavarian-styled storefronts strung with lights, invites après-ski strolling (stop in at Pedal and Tap for hip pub fare and a large beer and wine menu). 

An hour’s drive east of Cranbrook, Fernie Alpine Resort features the kind of big-mountain terrain for which the Powder Highway is famed: five steep bowls funneling into 3,500 feet of vertical, all subject to the famed “Fernie Factor”: the mountain’s unique tendency to get surprise dumps of deep snowfall.  

Back in town, Cranbrook boasts all the ski-town essentials—cozy hotels, craft beer, and locally sourced cuisine. And at only 3.5 hours from Spokane, it’s perfectly suited to a long ski weekend where you get to check reports and choose between two resorts. Perhaps it’s time to add Cranbrook to the pantheon of powder towns. // 

Originally published as “Make Cranbrook Your Next Ski Trip Basecamp” in the December 2019 issue’s BC Ski & Winter Travel Guide.

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Sam boots up a little run-in, yells out “Dropping!”, achieves escape velocity on the cat track, and then proceeds to huck a huge backflip a solid 50 feet off the edge of the run into steep, skied-out chunder. Back at the base lodge, I breathlessly replay the story. The locals smile gamely, as if to say “A backflip, huh? Must be Saturday.”  

It’s no coincidence that the athletes and talent showcased in contemporary ski films are often grown in B.C. (Kuch himself stars in two new releases, Matchstick Productions’ “Return to Send’er” and Blank Collective’s “Seven Stages of Blank.”) 

Forget Texas: Everything is bigger north of the border. I call it the “Canadian curve.” It generally works like this: a ski run that is rated a blue in B.C. would be a black stateside. A black diamond would likely be a double black, and so on. Think of it as the inverse to the exchange rate, although I suppose in both cases your money is going a bit further—and faster, and steeper. 

Part of this has to do with the terrain. The sub-ranges of the Rockies—the Selkirks, Purcells, Columbia Mountains and so forth—seem to come untethered from the Earth once they cross the border, stretching from rolling ridgelines into 9,000-foot pyramidal giants. 

Part of it also has to do with the culture. The small mountain towns of the Kootenays and elsewhere seem to foster free-range parenting, which leads to free-ride skill down the road. The 6-year-olds sliding down a steep ice luge onto pavement next to the public library at the Rossland Winter Carnival are destined to compete in the very much BYOB (build-your-own-bobsled and otherwise) bobsled race down Spokane Street a few years hence. Both of these activities would have personal-injury lawyers in the States salivating. 

This is not to fetishize Canada or overhype the extreme at the expense of everything else. There is certainly something for everyone on the Powder Highway; Big White and Kimberley Alpine Resorts, among others, offer some of the best family skiing and accommodations in the region. Hot spring resorts like Ainsworth north of Nelson provide relaxing soaks for anyone with a pair of trunks and love of steamy mineral-rich water. And there are more miles of cross-country ski and snowshoe trails in southeast B.C. than you could explore in a lifetime. 

Don’t be surprised, however, if you get passed by a class of kids doing perfect powder-8s down a blue run. (That’s a “Canadian blue,” for those keeping score.) //

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SKI & SNOWBOARD RESORTS

Apex Mountain Resort

Location: Penticton, B.C.

Summit: 7,175 ft.

Lifts: 2 chairs, T-bar, & magic carpet

Runs: 79 marked; 40+ unmarked

Vertical: 2,000 + ft.

Annual Snowfall: Nearly 20 ft.

From Spokane: 5 hours

Why Go: Dry, light powder; 5,000 hectares of backcountry terrain; close to amazing Okanagan Valley wineries.

Baldy Mountain Ski Resort

Location: Oliver, B.C.

Summit: 9^th highest ski resort in Canada (7,580 ft.)

Lifts: 2 + magic carpet

Terrain: 35 alpine runs, 360 acres of trails, and 240 acres of glades

Annual Snowfall: 25 ft.

From Spokane: 4.5 hours

Why Go: Dry Okanagan powder; no crowds; 80% beginner and intermediate terrain.

Big White Ski Resort

Location: Kelowna, B.C.

Summit: 7,606 ft.

Lifts: 15

Patrolled area: 2,765 acres

Vertical: 2,550 ft.

From Spokane: 4.5 hours

Why Go: The 2^nd largest ski resort lift system in Canada with real Champagne powder (and no lift lines); 100% ski-in ski-out accommodations; huge, vibrant village with over 20 restaurants & bars and plenty of off-the-slopes fun to be had; super family friendly with plenty to do for all ages and abilities (even for non-skiers).

Fernie Alpine Resort

Location: Fernie, B.C.

Summit: 7,000 ft.

Lifts: 10

Skiable acres: 2,500

Vertical: 3,550 ft.

Snowfall: 30 ft.

From Spokane: 5 hours

Why Go: Fernie is an action-packed, real-deal ski town (check out the film “Ascent to Powder” to get a feel for the place); seemingly endless resort and backcountry skiing and snowboarding; the views of jagged Rocky Mountain peaks above town (when it’s not snowing) are an incredible sight to wake up to.

Kicking Horse

Location: Golden, B.C.

Summit: 8,218 ft.

Lifts: 5

Skiable acres: 3,486

Vertical: 4,314 ft.

Snowfall: 24 ft.

Inbounds chutes: 85+

From Spokane: 6.5 hours

Why Go: 660 acres of new, rowdy terrain opening for the 2018/19 season; 60% advanced & expert terrain including 85+ inbounds chutes; and the 5^th biggest vertical in North America!

Kimberley Alpine Resort

Location: Kimberley, B.C.

Summit: 6,500 ft.

Lifts: 5

Resort acres: 1,800+

Vertical: 2,465 ft.

Snowfall: 13 ft.

From Spokane: 4.5 hours

Why Go: The best mix of sunny days and powder in the Kootenays; over 40% of the terrain is intermediate; super friendly, laid-back atmosphere.

Panorama Mountain Resort

Location: Invermere, B.C.

Summit: 8,038 ft.

Lifts: 10

Resort terrain: 2,975 acres

Vertical: 4,265 ft.

Annual Snowfall: 16+ ft.

From Spokane: 5.5 hours

Why Go: Top 10 vertical in North America; 75% of the runs are suitable for beginners and intermediates.

Phoenix Ski Area

Location: Grand Forks, B.C.

Lifts: 2 (T-bar and rope tow)

Terrain: 15 runs

Vertical: 800 ft.

From Spokane: 3.25 hours

Why Go: Great place for families to ski together and beginners of any age to learn; old-school community ski hill vibe.

RED Mountain Resort

Location: Rossland, B.C.

Summit: 6,807 ft.

Longest Run: 4.3 miles

Lifts: 7

Skiable Acres: 4,200

Vertical: 2,919 ft.

Annual Snowfall: 300 inches

From Spokane: 3 hours

Why Go: $10/run in-bounds cat-skiing; some of the best tree runs in B.C.; nearly 82% of the terrain is intermediate to advanced; new luxury and ski bum lodging options right on the mountain.

Revelstoke Mountain Resort

Location: Revelstoke, B.C.

Lift-top Elevation: 7,300 ft.

Skiable Acres: 3,121

Longest Run: 9.5 miles

Vertical: 5,620 ft.

Annual Snowfall: 30-45 ft.

From Spokane: 6 hours

Why Go: Biggest vertical in North America; incredible in-bounds expert terrain; 45% intermediate terrain; new intermediate runs in the Ripper Zone and new glades.

Salmo Ski Hill

Location: Salmo, B.C.

Annual Snowfall: Plenty

From Spokane: 3 hours

Why Go: Fully-lit night skiing; great family-friendly terrain; old-school community ski hill with friendly people on the way to Nelson.

SilverStar Mountain Resort

Location: Vernon, B.C.

Summit: 6,280 ft.

Lifts: 11

Runs: 132

Skiable Acres: 3,282

Vertical: 2,500 ft.

Annual Snowfall: 275 inches

From Spokane: 6 hours

Why Go: Colorful, ski-in, ski-out mid-mountain village; all-inclusive lift ticket includes access to alpine slopes, Nordic trails, tubing, ice skating, and fat bike and snowshoe trails; B.C.’s 3^rd largest resort; Canada’s largest daily-groomed cross-country trail network.

Sun Peaks Resort

Location: Kamloops, B.C.

Summit: 7,060 ft.

Lifts: 13

Patrolled area: 4,270 acres

Vertical: 2,893 ft.

Annual Snowfall: 19+ ft.

From Spokane: 8 hours

Why Go: True to its name, Canada’s 2^nd largest ski area soaks up over 2,000 hours of sunshine per year on average.

Whitewater Ski Resort

Location: Nelson, B.C.

Summit: 6,700 ft.

Lifts: 3 (and one handle tow)

Skiable Acres: 2,367

Vertical: 2,044 ft.

Annual Snowfall: 40 ft.

From Spokane: 3 hours

Why Go: 40 feet of Kootenay goodness fall here annually (on average); 55% advanced in-bounds terrain and incredible lift-accessed backcountry; friendly vibe, legendary food, and proximity to Nelson, B.C.’s one-of-a-kind mountain town amenities.

HOT SPRINGS

Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort

The hot springs at Ainsworth were first visited by the Ktunaxa First Nations peoples for healing and rejuvenation, and today the resort is fittingly owned by Yaqan Nukiy, the Lower Kootenay Band of Creston, B.C., returning the Ktunaxa peoples to this significant place. The hot springs includes warm, mineral-rich waters in a pool and a natural cave without the sulfur odor associated with some natural hot springs. There’s also a cold plunge pool and stunning views of Kootenay Lake and the Purcell Mountains.

Amenities: Newly renovated hotel rooms (hot springs passes included with your room) and the new, family-friendly Ktunaxa Grill restaurant. 4 hours from Spokane.

Fairmont Hot Springs Resort

Canada’s largest natural mineral hot springs with views of the Canadian Rockies. Resort includes a hot pool, large warm swimming pool, and dive pool.

Amenities: A variety of lodging and dining options at the resort and an on-site, family-friendly ski hill. 5 hours from Spokane.

Halcyon Hot Springs

This remote and beautiful resort along Upper Arrow Lake 20 miles north of Nakusp, B.C., offers mineral-rich natural hot spring pools and majestic lake-side views of the Monashee Mountains. The name “Halcyon” is a reference to a Greek myth and is a term used throughout history as a reference to times of peace and calm, which the resort serves up in abundance. The family-friendly hot springs also has a spray park for the kids.

Amenities: Multiple on-site lodging options and the Kingfisher Restaurant featuring healthy gourmet cuisine with many ingredients sourced from within 100 miles. 5.5 hours from Spokane.

Nakusp Hot Springs

This community-owned hot springs in the Selkirk Mountains near the village of Nakusp consists of two pools (one warm, one hot) fed by nearby natural springs.

Amenities: Rental chalets and camping, snack shop, and kids’ playground. More lodging and dining options available in the village of Nakusp. Nearby trails offer excellent snowshoeing options. 5.25 hours from Spokane.

Radium Hot Springs

Two large pools (one hot, one warm) provide soaking in natural mineral water within Kootenay National Park near the communities of Radium and Invermere, B.C. 5.5 hours from Spokane.

FAT BIKING

Many of the southeastern B.C. resorts featured in this guide offer a limited number of fat biking trails and rentals. SilverStar near Vernon, B.C., has one of the more extensive groomed trail systems (15k) along with a fleet of rental bikes. RED Mountain rents fat bikes and provides access to an off-resort machine-groomed loop option. Kimberley Alpine Resort also rent bikes and has easy access to the groomed fat biking trail system on the Trickle Creek Golf Course. While fat biking at many B.C. resorts is a great option when the slopes haven’t seen new snow in a while, your best bet for a more serious fat biking trip is to head for the more extensive groomed trail systems in Rossland or Fernie.

Rossland Fat Biking

This year a roughly 12k, machine-groomed loop pieced together with several well-known single-track trails will be rideable from the Centennial Trailhead, Red Mountain Resort, or in town from Revolution Cycles or the Rossland Beer Company (both major supporters of local bike trails). Stop by Revolution Cycles for a copy of a new fat biking trail map due out this winter as well as for bike rental or gear needs. The Redstone Golf Course in Rossland also has another 7k of groomed fat biking trails. If you’re really looking for a challenge, take on as much of the famed 7 Summits Trail as you can handle on your fatty when trails conditions and weather are right.

Fat Biking Fernie

Beginner, intermediate, and expert riders will find a variety of groomed and user-packed trails for fat biking right out of downtown Fernie and another 8k of groomed trails up at Fernie Alpine Resort. The trails around Fernie are perfect for riding throughout the winter with clear signage and well-built berms. Ride the Montane area trails off of Coal Creek Road for a fun ride to a warming hut. Visit Tourismfernie.com for specific trail info and a winter recreation map.

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

British Columbia boasts over 50 Nordic skiing areas across the province, with many of them located within striking distance of the U.S. border and the Inland Northwest. Most alpine ski and snowboard resorts have at least a short groomed cross-country trail system, but here are a few larger Nordic areas worthy of a B.C. skinny-ski road trip.

SilverStar/Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre

Canada’s largest network of daily-groomed cross-country ski trails begin at the SilverStar Mountain Resort near Vernon, B.C. Connected to SilverStar’s 55k of world-class trails is another 50k of groomed Nordic trails at Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre (duel mountain passes available).

Nelson Nordic Trails

Located 10 minutes south of Nelson on Highway 6 at the Whitewater Ski Area turnoff, the Nelson Nordic Ski Club maintains 30k of groomed trails (classic and skating tracks) for all levels. The trail system includes a day lodge, two warming huts, and 1.5 k of lit trails for night skiing.

Black Jack Ski Club Trails

Five minutes north of the town of Rossland, the 40k Black Jack cross-country trail system is one of the premier Nordic areas in western Canada and the closest B.C. trail system to Spokane. In addition to the groomed classic and skate skiing trails, there is a 2.5k lit night-skiing loop.

Kimberley Nordic Club Trails

The Kimberley Nordic Club hosts a 33k first-class groomed trail network including double track, single track, and a center skating lane. The trail system on the edge of Kimberley includes a 3.3k lit loop for night skiing, a lodge with bathrooms, and a warming hut.

Fernie Nordic Trails

There are over 50k of groomed cross-country trails around Fernie, from beginner circuits to advanced trails, meaning you can explore one of these different trail systems in the spectacular wilds of the Canadian Rockies each day of your trip: Fernie Alpine Resort, Fernie Golf Club, Island Lake Lodge, Montane, and the Elk Valley Nordic Centre.

BACKCOUNTRY

If you prefer hiking and descending relatively crowd-free wilderness terrain to riding lifts, British Columbia has plenty of touring options to keep you busy for several lifetimes. If you have the necessary safety gear and avy/backcountry training or experience, backcountry ski or splitboard tours out of Kootenay Pass just north of the border near Salmo and Creston, Whitewater Ski Resort, Red Mountain Resort, and the Revelstoke area (including Rogers Pass) won’t disappoint. However those places are just the tip of the iceberg.

Backcountryskiingcanada.com is a treasure trove of backcountry ski and splitboarding route recommendations, forums, and other valuable information and resources to help you explore B.C.’s wide range of backcountry options wisely. There are also dozens of cat skiing, heli skiing, and heli-assisted backcountry hut tours where you can explore the B.C. backcountry with the benefit of a guide. Always consult the Avalanche Canada website for the specific region you’ll be visiting for the latest avalanche advisory information.

5 WINTER ADVENTURES

Explore Cody Caves

Open for winter caving tours by email appointment only, Cody Cave Tours offers guided tours of a fragile underground world sculpted by glacier-fed waters above Ainsworth Hot Springs north of Nelson.

Go Snowmobiling at Big White

Experience the backcountry surrounding Big White Ski Resort on your own snowmobile as part of a tour or self-guided trip. Choose from groomed trails and more advanced powder riding routes.

Learn to Ice Climb

Take a 2-3 day beginner ice climbing course from Nelson-based Summit Mountain Guides and learn the basics that will get you climbing frozen waterfalls in the East Kootenays or Canadian Rockies. Or give the 60’ Ice Climbing Tower at Big White Ski Resort a try for a less intimidating climb.

Snowshoe around Fernie

Find packed trails and untracked snowshoe wandering at several snowshoeing areas around the vibrant mountain town of Fernie (Tourismfernie.com). Or learn about Fernie’s rich history and the mountain environment on a Mountain Heritage Snowshoe Tour interpretive outing or book a snowcat ride, lunch, and snowshoe tour deep in the mountains at Island Lake Lodge.

Experience Canada’s Oldest Winter Carnival

Back in 1898, a Norwegian miner named Olaus Jeldness kicked off what has become Canada’s oldest winter carnival. Witness and participate in a wide range of events, competitions, and celebrations at this year’s Rossland Winter Carnival January 24-27, 2019: live music; booze-fueled revelry; a rail jam and bobsled race; a parade; fire spinners; ice carvings; and other festivities and impassioned, creative antics.

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Big Reds at Big White (Dec 8 @ Big White Ski Resort)

This 11-annual wine festival will have you drooling over handcrafted, Okanagan-region wines, ranging from Bordeaux blends to “old world” style Pinot Noirs.

Holiday Kick-off Weekend (Dec 13-16 @ Sun Peaks Resort)

Events include the Alpine Fondue & Starlight Descent, Ugly Sweater Contest, a figure skating performance, Santa arriving by sleigh, caroling, and more.

Big White Pond Hockey Tournament (December 14 @ Big White Ski Resort)

Register a team or watch this 5-on-5 pond hockey tournament. Then take advantage of many activities at Big White, like skiing and snowboarding, horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice climbing, and dog sled tours.

Gnome Hunt (Dec 22 @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort)

10 gnomes will be hidden on the mountain—find one for a chance to win two Heli skiing seats with the Selkirk Tangiers.

Ski with Santa (December 25 @ Red Mountain Resort)

Ski with the jolly old man on the slopes, then enjoy breakfast in Paradise Lodge.

New Year’s Eve Family Party in the Plaza (Dec 31 @ Kimberley Alpine Resort)

Kick off the New Year with music, games, an ice-skating party, BBQ, and night skiing! Enjoy a beer garden, fire spinners, torch light parade, and fireworks display.

Coast Capital Savings Cruz the Blues (Jan 12 @ Big White Ski Resort)

Think you can ski all the blue runs at Big White in two days? Embark on this blue run scavenger hunt, and win prizes at the prize ceremony finale.

Moonlight Snowshoe & Mulled Wine (Jan 14 @ Sun Peaks Resort)

Part of the 21^st Annual Sun Peaks Winter Okanagan Wine Festival. Take a guided snowshoe tour to a cozy winter woodland camp.

Winter Carnival & Snowball Après (Jan 19-20 @ Whitewater Ski Resort)

Family-friendly activities such as taffy tasting, kid’s scavenger hunt, marshmallow roasting, live music, buffet dinner, and torch light parade.

Rossland Winter Carnival (Jan 24-27)

Canada’s Oldest Winter Carnival will include the Bobsled Calcutta, a variety show, carnival parade, fire spinners, snow statues, a rail jam competition, and more. Catch the Blizzard Music Festival at Olaus Ice Palace this weekend too.

28^th Annual North Okanagan Hot Air Balloon Festival (Feb 2-3 @ Vernon, B.C.)

The skies will fill with hot air balloons as part of the 10-day Vernon Winter Carnival.

Snowed In Comedy Tour (Feb 7 @ Silver Star Resort)

Enjoy one of the biggest comedy tours in Canada, then hit the slopes on the weekend to enjoy skiing and snowboarding, tube town, snowshoeing, fat biking, and more.

Skied Dating—Celebrate Love Day (Feb 10 @ Whitewater Ski Resort)

A fun, relaxed, Kootenay-style “finding-friends-or-maybe-more-than-friends-that-like-to-shred” speed dating event. If you already have a sweetheart, enjoy the partner in crime lunch special.

Trickle Creek “S’mores” Fat Bike Tour (daily @ Kimberley Alpine Resort)

Take a 2-hour guided fat bike tour through the trails of the award-winning Trickle Creek Golf Resort forest. Fire pit, s’mores, and hot beverages available along the way.

Kootenay Coldsmoke Powder Festival (Feb 22-24 @ Whitewater Ski Resort)

In-bounds and backcountry ski and snowboard clinics with the experts, inspiring speakers and films, amazing food, and wild and crazy competitions all weekend long.

Slopes for Hope (Mar 3 @ Red Mountain Resort)

A family-friendly ski-a-thon that will raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society. Individuals and teams attempt to ski the vertical height of Mt. Everest (29,029 feet) in one day.

Gourmet Ski Week (Mar 4-7 @ Big White Ski Resort)

The ultimate ski holiday for foodies. Culinary experiences will include wine lunches, après cocktails, chef-hosted dinners, and more.

Canadian Formal, Eh (Mar 9 @ Whitewater Ski Resort)

Work in teams of three to complete a snowshoe race, lumberjack challenge, and maple syrup shot ski. Prize for Best Canadian Costume; bring your flannel, denim, and toques.

Beer Goggles (Mar 15-16 @ Red Mountain Resort)

Join the famously ridiculous and epic Beer Goggles Craft Brew Fest, with over 60 craft brewers, music, food, and powder to ski!

Monster Energy Boarderstyle Competition (Mar 15-16 @ Fernie Alpine Resort)

A hybrid boardercross, slopestyle, and obstacle course race, with four snowboarders shredding simultaneously in a tournament-style bracket for prize money.

Clam Slam Caesar Making Event (Mar 17 @ Red Mountain Resort)

The third-annual Caesar showdown and distillery tasting will be brought to you by the Kootenay’s top bartenders. Expect clam-broth/tomato/vodka concoctions, a live DJ, and outdoor BBQ fest.

Belgian Beer Dinner (Mar 29 @ Kicking Horse Resort)

A Bavarian dinner with a B.C. twist, featuring some of Belgium’s top beer producers.

Banks, Cranks, & Brews (Mar 30 @ Panorama Resort)

A banked slalom for snowboarders, fat-tire bikers, and mountain bikers. //

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While this is an Out There-sponsored trip, you are responsible for getting yourself up to Big White and once you’re there you can choose to join other Out There readers for a free après welcome party to make some new friends or head out on your own to explore the mountain all weekend long with your own crew.

All abilities are welcome and there are plenty of other activities if someone in your group isn’t too keen on skiing or snowboarding (snowshoeing, ice skating, tubing, Nordic, eating/drinking, music, and more). Kids are totally welcome on this trip (Big White is super family friendly and has daycare and lessons available). Check out all the details for what’s going to be an amazing start to the 2018/19 ski and snowboard season at Bigwhite.com/out-there-outdoors or give us a call at the Out There office (509-822-0123) with questions. //

[Feature photo: Shallan Knowles]

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If you are going to pony up the cash for a spring ski or snowboard road trip, make it a good one. Spokane is a ski city with over a dozen quality resorts in four states and B.C. that are within long-weekend striking distance. Whittling down the options may be tough, but if going big (skiable acres, vertical, and snowpack depth) is critical; keeping the drive time down under 5 hours is important; and scoring a ski-in-ski-out place on the mountain is non-negotiable, head north to British Columbia’s Big White. Canada’s largest totally ski-in-ski-out resort, Big White is only around a 4.5 hour drive northwest of the Spokane County line if you know the right shortcut (see below).

Big White lives up to its name with an average 24.5 foot annual snowfall, 7,355 resort acres, mixed-group-pleasing terrain from beginner to expert, and 2,500 feet of vertical. The on-mountain amenities are also pretty unreal compared to other resorts within a five-hour drive of Spokane: 23 restaurants, pubs, bars, cafes, and even a brewery within ski boot walking distance from one chairlift or another.

Canada’s Largest Totally Ski-in-Ski-out Resort Has Plenty of Sweet Ski & Stay Deals

You also don’t have to worry if your decked-out condo or budget lodging option will mean driving up the mountain or a shuttle every day to get on a lift. Every lodging option at Big White is ski-in-ski-out, which will spoil you real quick after a few days of stepping outside your dwelling, strapping on your boards, and pointing them towards the nearest ride to the top. Or you may choose to snore for another hour while your significant other sneaks out to catch first chair. A wide range of lodging options and generous ski-and-stay deals mean a Big White trip is within budget reach of most Spokane and North Idaho skiers or snowboarders. An exchange rate that saves those of us from the States an additional 20-25% on everything is pretty sweet too.

Family-Friendly & Just Plain Super Friendly

Big White doesn’t hold back when promoting their family-friendly creds, noting frequently in promotions that the resort is family owned and operated with a friendly atmosphere. But even if you are kid-free or eat black diamond runs for breakfast, don’t let the “family friendly” thing scare you off. After a couple of trips without kids, I’ve found that this simply means that staff and guests treat you like fellow snow-sliding human beings who are stoked to spend time together in such an amazing place. The huge number of friendly Australians and Canadians who go to work and call the mountain home all winter long and the friendly locals from Kelowna really make a ski trip to Big White something you will want to repeat year after year.

Big White Events to Plan Your Spring Road Trip Around

Ales & Après (March 24): Big White’s Ales & Aprés Beer Fest gives you a chance to explore the mountain’s eateries and bars for some beer sampling from over 25 Canadian and international breweries after a day on the slopes. Your wristband gets you access to nine great venues with beer-inspired appy menus, live entertainment, and plenty of awesome beers. Tickets are $30/per person and include 12 beer tasting tokens, a souvenir mini pilsner glass, a downloadable app with brewery locations, and beer trivia with opportunities to win tons of prizes. And you get a souvenir t-shirt on completion of all stops on the Ales & Après circuit!

Slush Cup (April 8): See the season out in style with some wild pond skim action BC style: DJ beats pumping from the patio; outdoor barbecues billowing delicious smelling smoke; an entire village full of pubs and drinkeries featuring Canadian brews and Okanagan wines; crazed skiers and snowboarders launching themselves into a freezing, slush-infested pool. How could an American skier or snowboarder ask for a better spring break? Watch this video for some inspiration, then scrounge around for your passport and start planning that trip.

Getting to Big White from Spokane and Making that Border Crossing Easy

If you have a passport, great. If not, no problem since you can easily pick up an enhanced WA drivers license that will get you into and back from Canada for less than a passport. Read more about that and the ease of traveling to Canada from Out There’s border crossing guide from a few years back.

Now that you’re ready to hit the road for Big White, this little short cut will carve off some time from your scenic and relaxing back-highway trip if road conditions are good. With this shortcut the drive is around 4.5 hours on good roads. Head north from Spokane on Highway 395 past Kettle Falls and the Columbia River, head west just south of the border over Boulder Pass to Curlew, Wash., and then beeline northwest to the Midway Border Crossing (open 9-5 daily). Navigate through Midway, B.C., then turn left on BC-3 towards Osoyoos, make a right onto Rock Creek Highway/BC-33, then a final right at the sign for Big White. Note that Boulder Pass between Highway 395 and Curlew, Wash., can be sketchy during or just after a snowstorm, in which case continue north to the Canadian Border at Christina Lake and hop on better-maintained BC-3. //

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Amongst serious skiers, hearing a ski resort described as “family friendly” is, if not the kiss of death, the kiss of disinterest. The skinny on Kimberley Alpine Resort, in British Columbia’s East Kootenays, is that it’s family-friendly. But watching skier Steve Blake, who grew up skiing this mountain, launch a 60-foot high-speed spread-eagle jump off one of the resort’s blue runs, one thing is clear: it may be family friendly, but it’s also a badass playground.

B.C.’s Powder Highway includes the eight ski resorts, dozens of heli and cat-skiing operations, and luxury backcountry lodges that comprise the largest concentration of skiable experiences in the world. Kimberley will strike stateside skiers as the most like its south-of-the-border counterparts. As opposed to the ragged peaks of, say, Revelstoke or Kicking Horse, Kimberley is part of the relatively mellow Purcells and occupies a timbered prominence. In the absence of big-mountain bowls and steep rock faces, the key runs take advantage of the thickly-treed hills for high-speed thrills.

Steep, fall-line blacks and long, cruiser blues make the most out of nearly 2500 feet of vertical; a mid-mountain roll gives skiers a chance to rest their quads. But it’s the trees where Kimberley excels; expertly spaced and nicely graded glades comprise roughly a third of the resort’s 1800 acres, and the resort offers the largest, glade-heavy terrain in North America. For a great example of this, drop into the Black Forest for top-to-bottom tree skiing, which is accessed from the fixed-grip Easter Triple. But that’s not to say there aren’t big-mountain views. Kimberley sits above the Columbia Valley, which boasts the most sunny days in the province, and Fisher Peak and its Selkirk siblings to the east frequently make an appearance.

Kimberley shines after the sun goes down, too. The resort offers weekend night skiing on the longest lit run in North America. And in the Bavarian-style town with its pedestrian-only Platzl, storefronts are strung with lights that invite evening strolls. Try stopping in at Pedal and Tap for hip pub fare and a large beer and wine menu.

Non-skiers or those taking a half-day break from the slopes can ice skate at the outdoor skating rink or rent a fat bike to cruise the Trickle Creek Golf Course, where snow-packed cart paths cruise past aspen groves and open forest.

Big-mountain accommodations belie the resort’s small-hill charm. In the base-area plaza connecting the North Star Express quad to the Stemwinder Bar & Grill, classic-rock radio gives way to live music every weekend night during the winter. On-mountain accommodations at Trickle Creek Lodge and Mountain Spirit Resort nearby ensure the après-ski can easily continue well after last chair; the latter’s two-room condos and 30-person hot tub accommodate family gatherings and guys’ or girls’ ski weekends. Like so much else here, the accommodations prove that “family friendly” need not be a compromise. //

Aaron Theisen is author of the forthcoming “Day Hiking Glacier National Park and Western Montana” (Mountaineers Books). He wrote about avalanche awareness for the December issue.

Feature photo: Aaron Theisen

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By Aaron Theisen for SnowSeekers.ca

On the Powder Highway of southeast British Columbia’s Kootenay Rockies, the ski towns—Fernie, Revelstoke, Nelson, Rossland—have as big a reputation as the peaks above them.

But there’s only one community within an hour of two world-class Powder Highway resorts, serviced by its own international airport.

Welcome to Cranbrook, the best ski town you’ve never heard about.

Set within a broad valley in the rainshadow of the Kootenay Rockies, at the halfway point between Spokane and Calgary, the city of 20,000 takes advantage of its central location on the Powder Highway and its status as the sunshine capital of British Columbia to make an inviting home base for a long, multi-resort ski weekend.

Start planning your ski trip into Cranbrook now.

Thirty minutes from Cranbrook, Kimberley Alpine Resort boasts the largest gladed terrain in North America among its nearly 2,500 feet of vertical. But it’s also a casual, family-friendly resort, where live music drifts out of Stemwinders and kids flit about the outdoor ice-skating rink.

An hour’s drive east of Cranbrook, skiers will find at Fernie Alpine Resort the kind of big-mountain terrain for which the Powder Highway is famed: five steep bowls funneling into 3,500 feet of vertical, all subject to the famed “Fernie Factor,” the mountain’s unique tendency to get surprise dumps of deep snowfall.

Back in town, Cranbrook boasts all the ski-town essentials—cozy hotels, craft beer and locally-sourced cuisine. And at only 3.5 hours from Spokane, it’s perfectly suited to a long ski weekend. Perhaps it’s time to add Cranbrook to the pantheon of powder towns.

Click here to learn more about Cranbrook and Fernie ski essentials, including links to vacation packages.

More about the Powder Highway

• Hotels in Cranbrook, such as the Day’s Inn, offer packages that include a multiple-night stay with Fernie and Kimberley lift tickets.  Find out more about Cranbrook.

(Sponsored Content)

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