Big White

[Zermatt]

Has anyone ever skied Big White in BC? It is supposed to be a great family mountain.

Flying back from Switzerland last weekend and the lady next to me mentioned it as an alternative to Whistler (with less but more reliable snow). I am seriously thinking about it for a Christmas trip next season.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this resort. Plusses and minuses. Looking to get a condo so we can cook and not rent a car for the duration of the trip. Would be two adults and two children (6 and 8).

 

[jimk]

I've never been to Western Canada including the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Finally going to ski Whistler in a couple weeks which is supposed to have something for everyone. Big White is pretty low on the radar, even compared to other ski areas out there I've heard a little about such as Sunshine and Lake Louise around Banff. Fernie is known for good snow and some good steeps. Kicking Horse and Revelstoke known for steeps. Doing a big road trip visiting a bunch of those places is one of my bucket list items. Check out this website for some comparisons and ratings: http://www.powderhounds.com/Canada/Best-Ski-Resorts.aspx That site also has a pretty good description specifically if you click on Big White.
It looks like Big White is popular for families with good beginner/intermediate terrain. I've heard good things in that regard about Panorama and Sun Peaks too. Since I'm beyond child rearing stage I'd be interested in checking out a few of the more burly/scenic mountains out there like Sunshine, Louise, Kicking Horse, Fernie, etc (and Whistler soon). Everywhere in Canada is a good bargain these days and Big White might fit the bill for a quiet, modern, slightly exotic place to get away for a ski week focusing on your young children if after travel costs it wasn't too much more expensive than big family places in the US like Steamboat, Big Sky, Park City, Copper, Winter Park, Breck, Keystone, or smaller places like Durango/Purgatory, Solitude, Powder Mtn, etc.
For another consideration, you might compare a week at Big White with a late spring/Easter time week at Sunshine staying on mtn at Sunshine Mtn Lodge: http://www.firsttracksonline.com/20...nowboard-resort-banff-alberta-canada-rockies/
Sunshine has family friendly slopes as well as steeps and advantage of Sunshine would be that you'd be close to interesting town of Banff and could easily do a day trip to ski Lake Louise or take a day off to do super scenic drive up to Jasper. The area is also closer to airport at Calgary.

 

[Zermatt]

I had never heard of it actually, and apparently it is a big and popular place. As soon as we landed I started researching Big White.

I guess it really comes down to how the MAX Pass plays out for next season. Assuming no changes Copper, Steamboat and Crested Butte are in play. Even so, the excessive cost of ski school in Colorado is really a turnoff for me when I look at the rates in Canada and the currency. Enough to offset having to pay for lift tickets versus using MAX days.

For the past few years we have been doing weekends in VT and one big trip to Europe with the whole family. My new thinking is that we could keep VT weekends and do a big trip out west with the whole family...and just do my wife and I to Europe for the same price. Kids may be a little disappointed not going back to Europe but beyond the cost the time/travel is not easy on them.

So, spinning wheels for a few weeks until the MAX Pass is released for next season.

 

[jimk]

Sometime I might have to pick your brain on European skiing. I have one ski trip to Austria and a few summer trips to the Alps, but want to go back in the next few years. It's just that I have good connections in US west now motivating me to ski that way. Did you report here on your Swiss trip? I've been to Jungfrau, Zermatt, Garmisch, etc, but in summer non-ski trip. ALL BEAUTIFUL. Scenery in the Alps blows away anything in US.

 

[Zermatt]

Sometime I might have to pick your brain on European skiing. I have one ski trip to Austria and a few summer trips to the Alps, but want to go back in the next few years. It's just that I have good connections in US west now motivating me to ski that way. Did you report here on your Swiss trip? I've been to Jungfrau, Zermatt, Garmisch, etc, but in summer non-ski trip. ALL BEAUTIFUL. Scenery in the Alps blows away anything in US.

I skied Cortina 20 years ago, but the past 3 years have been to Wengen and Zermatt. Snow conditions in the west are far superior to Europe no doubt about that, but its everything else besides snow that keeps us going back. Scenery, on mountain restaurants, sun, massive vertical, trams, trains, glaciers, sledging all make it like skiing in a fairy tale. Obviously, wouldn't be making the trip across the Atlantic if it wasn't so much fun...even during a horrible snow year.

If you are careful you can also do it quite affordably. Lift tickets costs a fraction of the US and exchange rates are very good right now. We had an apartment this year and the amount we saved cooking dinner more than offset the cost over a hotel...with the added benefit of more space for everyone.

I gotta work on my report this weekend. Still recovering.

 

[yeggous]

I skied Cortina 20 years ago, but the past 3 years have been to Wengen and Zermatt. Snow conditions in the west are far superior to Europe no doubt about that, but its everything else besides snow that keeps us going back. Scenery, on mountain restaurants, sun, massive vertical, trams, trains, glaciers, sledging all make it like skiing in a fairy tale. Obviously, wouldn't be making the trip across the Atlantic if it wasn't so much fun...even during a horrible snow year.

If you are careful you can also do it quite affordably. Lift tickets costs a fraction of the US and exchange rates are very good right now. We had an apartment this year and the amount we saved cooking dinner more than offset the cost over a hotel...with the added benefit of more space for everyone.

I gotta work on my report this weekend. Still recovering.

Word. I leave for the Alps in two weeks from today. Four days in Cortina, three days in Innsbruck, last two days TBD (maybe St Moritz).


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