Big White

[d219]

What's it like? Probably heading there for a bit over a week next season. Mix of rider abilities heading there and we're mainly into freeride. Good choice or not?

[Nutter]

I was up there for a few days at the end of January this year, and I have to say that it was a blast. I also was in a group with mixed abilities (with me at the low end ;) ), and everyone was very happy with what the mountain had to offer, from the instructors and easier runs for me to the black diamond runs for the kamikaze's.

Good facilities, good number of runs with a good spread of difficulty, great instructors, and awesome snow (it's called Big White for a reason)! I have nothing bad to say about it at all, and it's very high on my list of mountains to go back to next season.

[daina]

im a local and i think big white is sick.

[msimms]

I was up there for a few days at the end of January this year, and I have to say that it was a blast. I also was in a group with mixed abilities (with me at the low end ;) ), and everyone was very happy with what the mountain had to offer, from the instructors and easier runs for me to the black diamond runs for the kamikaze's.

Good facilities, good number of runs with a good spread of difficulty, great instructors, and awesome snow (it's called Big White for a reason)! I have nothing bad to say about it at all, and it's very high on my list of mountains to go back to next season.


I'm from Van, never tried Big White, I'd love to go -- do you know of any cheap clean places for staying overnight? No Bedbugs, some Vancouver hostels are infested by them.
Thanks

[Nutter]

So I did end up going there again last season - and it did rock, again. :)

As for places to stay on the cheap, both times I've been to Big White I've stayed in 3 or 4 bedroom town houses with a bunch of friends. If you're splitting it 7-8 ways, it isn't too expensive per person. If you're willing to stay a 5 minute drive from the lifts, there's a number of places that I'm sure are cheaper than those a 5 minute walk from the lifts.

[PaoloSmythe]

BW is a nice place for beginner - intermediates. i was there for 16 days straight riding in january and i fess, i got bored with the easy terrain.

most of the pistes offer only high speed rollers, which can be fun, until you get busted by the resorts 'speed police' who threaten to take away your pass.

most fun is from the many forest runs, altho the trees can be too tight to be 'safely dangerous'.

the only decent challenge are the runs and cliff bands that surround 'the cliff' chair. it ain't too big tho and gets quickly tracked out (assuming it is safe enuff to be open)

but for a family BW is perfect. the town has half decent food and bars. there is tons of accommod, but beware of the aussies that work there, coz they WILL try to rip you off (i got charged $160 for a pitcher of beer!)

oh and incidentally, it is called Big White, because it is prone to white outs, nothing to do with snowfall.

if you are a beginner or have a family, then go to BW. if you want a challenge, progress your skills or just scare yourself, go to Fernie instead IMO

[Rider_Canadiana]

although i havent been to big white ive heard the same from ppl who work there...beginner-intermediate....fernie rocks...theres so much terrain to trick off of...and you dont even have to go out of bounds to hit a lot of it....jeeezum crow...only drawback to fernie is it can dump one day then rain the next....it was in the opposite order when i went there....we left at noon cause of the rain and the next day called for 1cm...and well in the town it was dusted...but the mountain must have gotten about a foot....also nightlife in fernie sucks...theres no way around it....unless youre a local or know a local or just get lucky you probably wont be hitting up any "bumpin joints"..and the restaurant scene is ok....its a pretty heavy duty ski-town