Ski Resorts Travel Guide

The skiing in British Columbia is world renowned, largely due to the popularity of Whistler Blackcomb, which is regularly voted the World's Best Ski Resort. Locals of British Columbia, however, know that there are many other lesser-known resorts, which also offer exceptional skiing.

Vancouver's North Shore is where most locals learn to ski. The resorts at Grouse Mountain, Mount Seymour and Cypress Bowl may not have the most challenging runs, but they command a loyal following being less than an hour's drive from central Vancouver and easily accessible by public transport. Vancouver Island also has its own ski resort, Mount Washington. After Whistler, it is BC's most popular ski resort with the most reliable snow conditions in the province.

Whistler Blackcomb is an extensive ski area sixty miles (100km) north of Vancouver. It is most popular for downhill skiing but offers a full array of winter activities including snowboarding, heli-skiing and dog sledding. Whistler is within the Garibaldi Provincial Park, a popular area for cross-country skiing. North of Whistler, the Pemberton Icefield is a popular heli-skiing destination.

There are many lesser-known ski resorts in the interior of British Columbia, including Apex Mountain, Big White, Sun Peaks and Silver Star, which also offer world-class skiing. Big White has a growing reputation and due to the dry air of the interior it offers some of the best powder skiing in the world.