Kelowna's Local Ski Hills

local Kelowna ski resorts

No blog about the Okanagan winter lifestyle would be complete if it didn’t give the local Kelowna Ski hills their due.

The top two mountains within a short drive from Shelter Bay are Big White Ski Resort and SilverStar Mountain Resort. While both are a relatively short drive, Big White is known by most Kelowna residents as their “local mountain”, so that’s where we’ll start.

Big White is listed as being Canada’s largest totally ski-in and ski-out villages. This alone is enough to make the ski-resort world class…but add in their spectacular backdrops and endless kilometers of groomed and powder runs, and the mountain reported 750cm of dry powder snow every year and Big White boasts international attraction.

Voted the number two ski resort in all of Canada by readers of Conde Nast’s Traveler Magazine, Big White is only one in a handful of Canadian family owned and operated resorts in Canada. (See the full list here in the CN traveler top ski resorts in Canada). That’s quite an accomplishment given Conde Nast’s print readership of over 5-million and 16-million unique digital users, who in the past also recognized Big White as having the best snow in all of North America!

While Big White may be considered the “local’s mountain”, SilverStar is right up there for top spot with its 3,200 plus acres of skiable terrain spread over four mountain faces and 132 runs! Started in 1958, SilverStar is one of Canadas oldest ski resorts with a rich history that has seen the hill evolve into a world class resort without losing its hometown appeal.

The biggest little difference at SilverStar is their small-town feel. If you’re after the perfect family ski trip or just need to get away from the hustle and bustle, SilverStar offers room to breathe and uncrowded lift-lines, but the biggest attraction is still their downhome attitude where they believe everyone, no matter where you’re from, should be made to feel “like a local.”

So whether you are after that hometown-local familiarity or the international resort experience, you have options, and they are just a short drive from Shelter Bay, the perfect place for your home base Okanagan winter lifestyle.