NW SnowSports: Discovering Thompson-Okanagan in Winter

Champagne powder anyone?

By Hilary Meyerson

It’s the snow. That’s why people keep coming back to Kelowna, B.C.

Lots of resorts might boast about powder, but one day of skiing in the Thompson-Okanagan’s often-overlooked ski resorts and you’ll have a new benchmark for “champagne powder.” The snow is so dry it’s hard to believe it’s precipitation. Even better, they get an annual average of 24.5 feet of the stuff.

The unique atmospheric conditions create “snow ghosts” – eerie snow-encrusted trees that look nothing like the snow-laden evergreens Northwesterners are accustomed to seeing. The reason? Kelowna, a six-hour drive from Seattle, sits in the rainshadow of the Coastal Mountains, and is at the northernmost tip of the Sonora Desert, which stretches through the western States from Mexico and reaches into Canada via the Okanagan.

Furthermore, Kelowna is situated on the banks of Lake Okanagan, which helps keep the temperatures in town fairly mild. This unique climate makes for one great winter vacation.

Downhill skiing

There are three major ski areas in Kelowna: Big White, Silver Star and Sun Peaks.

Big White is B.C.’s second biggest mountain. It’s only 35 miles from town, and boasts 16 lifts, a terrific TELUS Park and some great beginner magic carpets. It’s well-known as a fantastic destination for families. There are lots of designated “slow zones” and even signs on the lift lines about being mindful of behavior.

However, in addition to the terrific beginner trails and ski schools, it has some amazing expert terrain in the glades. It’s also got two tubing lifts, an ice skating pond, and other fun options like snowshoeing and horse-drawn sleigh rides. A weekly fireworks display is always a hit with the kids. Most rental properties are ski-in, ski-out, making it a super easy vacation.

Just up the road from Big White is Silver Star. Like its sister property Big White, Silver Star is long on family fun and little skiers. It’s got an innovative snowsports school, and might be one of the best places to get instruction.

Their longest run, the El Dorado, is eight miles long. Extreme skiers head to “the dark side of the Star” – the infamous backside of Silver Star with great black diamond runs. This year they are offering the “My1Pass” pass, Canada’s first all-inclusive season and day pass. The pass gives unlimited access to downhill and Nordic skiing, the tube park, ice skating and snowshoeing.

If you go, be sure to check out the small, quaint village at Silver Star which boasts a Victorian theme. All buildings are required to have at least five different colors which offer a fun, contrasting sight against the snow!

Sun Peaks Resort, a three-hour drive north from Kelowna, is nestled at the base of three mountains and looks like a typical European ski town. They’ve got the second largest area of skiable terrain in B.C., at 3,678 acres. There’s everything from glades to bowls to long cruisers, plus a kicking terrain park.

“The forested runs leading down from the Morrisey Express chair lift were by far my favorite,” said Kelsey Ivey, a visitor from Oregon. “They switched from deep snow tracks to freshly groomed trails that made you feel like you were free, flying down back-country slopes.”

Other ski options in the Okanagan Valley are Crystal Mountain Resort in Westbank, B.C. about 19 miles from Kelowna, and Apex Mountain, about a 90-minute drive from Kelowna.

Crystal is a budget-friendly haven for locals and families, where you won’t find crowds and everyone skis free on their birthday. Apex gets the same powder snow and varied terrain while offering two terrain parks. They also boast a lift-serviced tubing area and a lighted one-kilometer Adventure Ice Skating Loop.

Nordic skiing

Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre might be in the top two Nordic venues in all of B.C. More than 50 kilometers of manicured trails and 14 snowshoe trails make this the destination for serious Nordic skiers.

In fact, Olympic athletes from all over the world flocked here to train before the 2010 games in Vancouver. When you add in the trails of adjacent Silver Star Ski resort, there are more than 100 kilometers of interconnected trails to ski. The area is known for early season snow. While many other resorts are praying for snow, Sovereign Lake is open for business.

Beyond the Slopes

Off the slopes, there are many other pursuits to be discovered in Kelowna. Wine tasting at the many Okanagan wineries along Kelowna Wine Trails is popular year-round, but in winter there are fewer crowds and more personal attention from winemakers and tasting room staff. There’s an outdoor skating rink with a backdrop of the Kelowna marina that might be among Canada’s loveliest vistas.

If you’re looking for snow fun, hook up with Monashee Adventure Tours. Ed Kruger is the owner, and he’ll pick you up at your hotel, and bring you to McCulloch Lake Nordic area for a guided snowshoe tour.

“I like to give people info about the flora and fauna and the history of the area on our tours,” he said. “We do a little tracking of animal prints, which folks enjoy.” He also offers guided snow bike tours for those who prefer pedaling.

Kelowna is only a one hour and 10 minute flight (four nonstops a day) or a six-hour drive from Seattle. It might be B.C.’s best kept secret. That unique climate will keep you coming back.

“You can get into champagne powder very quickly, but it’s mild in town,” says Catherine Frechett, of Tourism Kelowna. “You can be very active all day and then go wine touring and experience the finest of the city as well. It’s a unique vacation.”

Champagne anyone?