While it may surprise you, the Swiss Alps isn’t the only place you can go for a great ski vacation. In fact, Canada has become one of the top destinations in the world for skiing. And to top it off, British Columbia is leading the way for world-class skiing with some of Canada’s top ski resorts. With 87 ski resorts in BC alone, it can be difficult to decide which ski resort is the right fit for your ski vacation.
If you’re deciding between BC’s two most popular ski resorts, Big White Ski Resort and Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort, then we’ve got the guide for you. Keep reading for Luxury Mountain Vacation Rentals’ guide to the top two BC ski resorts!
Big White Ski Resort VS Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort: The Quick Facts
If you need quick facts about each resort to help you decide, we’ve put together this list to compare each ski resort.
Big White Ski Resort:
Where Is Big White Ski Resort:
Big White Ski Resort is located in the Okanagan valley about a 1-hour drive from Kelowna in British Columbia, Canada. Address is:
Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort:
Where Is Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort:
Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort is located in Whistler which is about a 2-hour drive from Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Address is:
Is There An Airport Near Big White Ski Resort:
The closest international airport to Big White Ski Resort is the Kelowna International Airport (YLW), which is about a 1-hour drive from the resort.
Is There An Airport Near Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort:
The closest international airport to Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort is the Vancouver International Airport (YVR), which is a 2.5-hour drive from the resort.
How Big Is Big White Ski Resort:
Big White Ski Resort has 2,765 acres of patrolled ski terrain, but the resort is approximately 7,355 acres in total.
How Big Is Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort:
Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort is made up of two mountains, Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain. In total, the resort has 8,171 acres of terrain, with 4,757 acres of skiable terrain at Whistler and 3,414 acres of skiable terrain at Blackcomb.
How Many Ski Trails at Big White Ski Resort:
Big White Ski Resort has 119 Designated Trails for skiing and snowboarding.
How Many Ski Trails at Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort:
Each mountain at Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort has approximately 100 ski trails, making the resort have a total of approximately 200 trails.
How Many Ski Lifts & Gondolas Does Big White Ski Resort Have:
Big White Ski Resort has 16 Lifts & Gondolas at the ski resort.
How Many Ski Lifts & Gondolas Does Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort:
Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort has a total of 35 ski lifts and gondolas split between the two mountains at the resort.
What Is Big White Ski Resort’s Elevation Level:
The Summit of Big White Ski Resort sits at about 2,319 metres or 7,606 feet. The Village Centre sits at 1,755 metres or 5,757 feet, and the Gem Lake Base is at 1,508 metres or 4,950 feet (one of the lowest points at the resort for skiing).
What Is Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort’s Elevation Level:
Whistler Mountain at Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort’s highest elevation reaches 2,182 metres or 7,160 feet, with Whistler Village sitting at 675 metres (2,214 feet). Blackcomb Mountain’s highest elevation reaches 1,609 metres or 5,280 feet.
What Is Big White Ski Resort’s Annual Snowfall:
Big White Ski Resort gets an annual snowfall of about 750 cm or 24.5 ft on average. Due to its elevation, location and humidity levels, Big White Ski Resort gets plenty of beautiful champagne powder snow (known for its drier, fluffier texture and glide-ability) all season long, ideal for skiing and snowboarding conditions.
What Is Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort’s Annual Snowfall:
Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort receives an annual snowfall average of 1,138 centimetres or 37.3 feet of snow. As Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort is closer to the coast and more humid, it generally receives heavier and “wetter” snow than Big White Ski Resort.
How Beginner-Friendly Is Big White Ski Resort:
Big White Ski Resort is known for being an excellent family ski resort that is ideal for beginner and novice skiers or snowboarders. With about 18% of their 119 trails being beginner-friendly and with the Big White Ski School with classes for children and adults, Big White Ski Resort is a great beginner-friendly ski resort.
How Beginner-Friendly Is Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort:
Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort offers similar difficulty levels as Big White Ski Resort with approximately 20% of its trails on both Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb Mountain being beginner trails. They do also have a Snow School for Adult and Child lessons.
What Is Skiing Like For Experienced or Expert Skiers and Snowboarders at Big White Ski Resort:
While being beginner-friendly, Big White Ski Resort has plenty of terrain and trails for more experienced and expert skiers and snowboarders, too. We even have Olympians train at our resort! Of Big White Ski Resort’s 119 trails, 54% are Intermediate level, 22% are Expert level and 6% are Extreme level for those seeking a real challenge.
What Is Skiing Like For Experienced or Expert Skiers and Snowboarders at Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort:
Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort also has a variety of higher-level trails for skiers and snowboarders. Whistler Mountain has approximately 50% of its trails designated for intermediate level and 25% for advanced, while Blackcomb Mountain has approximately 50% for intermediate and 30% for advanced trails.
How Much Is A Season Pass To Big White Ski Resort:
The Regular Season Pass for Adults is $1,349 at Big White Ski Resort. For students, it is $949. For youths, the Season Pass is $769 and the kids’ Season Pass is $529. The Club 65 Season Pass is $949, and the Season Pass for young children (5 and under) is $39. Season Passes at Big White Ski Resort include Free Parking, Free Gondola Rides and Free Ice Skating. Big White Ski Resort also offers discounted Early Bird pricing before the ski season starts. Early Bird pricing for the 2022/2023 season was $899 for adults, $629 for students, $509 for youths, $349 for children and $629 for Club 65.
How Much Is A Season Pass To Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort:
Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort has many types of Winter Season Passes. Their early-bird pricing for their Unlimited Season Pass was on sale for $1202 earlier this year for adults, and is on average more expensive than Big White Ski Resort.
Big White Ski Resort Lift Ticket Prices:
Big White 1-Day tickets, during regular season, range from $109 to $160 per day.
Big White 7-day tickets during regular season range from $805 to $1,120.
Whistler Lift Ticket Prices:
(This information is for the 2023/2024 winter season. Prices for 2024/2025 season has not been released yet)
Whistler 1-Day tickets, during regular season (not early or late season) range from $229 to $269 per day.
Whistler 7 day tickets during regular season range from $1547 to $1,827.
What Else Can You Do At Big White Ski Resort:
Along with skiing and snowboarding, there are plenty of other activities and things to do at Big White Ski Resort. Activities include:
- Ice skating
- Snowshoeing
- Cross-country skiing
- Dog sledding
- Horse-drawn sleigh rides
- Snowmobiling
- Tubing
There are also plenty of exclusive experiences available through your stay at Big White Ski Resort with Luxury Mountain Vacation Rentals, including tours to the Okanagan and Kelowna, private massages and chef-prepared meals, and private wine tastings with a sommelier. Check out our trip planning blog for more ideas and things to do at Big White Ski Resort.
What Else Can You Do At Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort:
As a larger resort, it offers a variety of things to do on the mountain apart from skiing and snowboarding. The resort has a tube park, back-country skiing, and snowmobile tours, among other winter activities. If you’re worried about having things to do that aren’t skiing or snowboarding, both resorts offer plenty of things to do to keep everyone busy.
When Did Big White Ski Resort First Open:
When Did Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort First Open:
Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort first opened in 1966. While only a couple of years younger than Big White Ski Resort, it has become a more well-known ski resort due to its proximity to Vancouver.
When Does Big White Ski Resort Open For The Ski Season:
Big White Ski Resort opened early for the 2022/2023 ski season on November 16, 2022. The resort received plenty of early snowfall and was able to open early for ski enthusiasts, which made Big White Ski Resort the first ski resort to open for the season in BC.
When Does Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort Open For The Ski Season:
Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort officially opened for the 2022/2023 ski season on November 24, 2022, about a week later than Big White Ski Resort.
When Does Big White Ski Resort Close For The Ski Season:
Big White Ski Resort is slated to close for the season on April 10, 2023.
When Does Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort Close For The Ski Season:
Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort is slated to close for the season in the spring, with Blackcomb Mountain closing May 22, 2023, and Whistler Mountain closing April 16, 2022.
How Busy Is Big White Ski Resort During Peak Season:
While Big White Ski Resort can become busy during peak times like holidays, it’s often much less crowded and has almost no wait times for its lifts and gondolas at the resort. Smaller than Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort, its size lends itself to higher quality trails with far fewer crowds, leaving runs and lifts more open and available for your ski vacation.
How Busy Is Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort During Peak Season:
As a more well-known and longer-running resort than Big White Ski Resort, as well as its closer location to one of the busiest airports in Canada (YVR), Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort has more international visitors than Big White Ski Resort and is often much more crowded and busy. There are also often larger wait times for their lifts and gondolas, and are currently experiencing delays for some of their newest gondolas that are under construction. While it is a larger resort than Big White, it is also more well-known and is much busier and more crowded even during “slow times”. Weekends and holidays are often the busiest times, but if you’re looking for a less crowded experience, Big White Ski Resort makes for an excellent option.
Big White Ski Resort VS Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort: What Resort Do We Recommend For Your Ski Vacation?
While both BC ski resorts have plenty to offer for a great ski vacation, we highly recommend visiting Big White Ski Resort if you can only pick one.
While Big White Ski Resort is smaller, it offers higher-quality, champagne powder snow and is a far-less crowded resort. Big White Ski Resort was also voted the 2nd Best Ski Resort in Canada in Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, beating Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort. Big White Ski Resort is also the better option for beginners and families. It was voted the best ski resort for beginners in Canada in 2022 and was also named the top family ski resort in Canada by SkiCan.
And to top it off, Big White Ski Resort has the largest amount of ski in-ski out accommodations in Canada, making it perfect for those who don’t want to miss a second of the action. Plus, our mountain village is entirely ski-in/ski-out accessible! Boasting the best ski-in/ski-out properties on the mountain, our Big White vacation rentals offer spacious and luxurious accommodations to make your ski vacation truly memorable.
If Big White Ski Resort sounds like the perfect fit for your ski vacation, browse our Big White rentals and book with Luxury Mountain Vacation Rentals today.
