In Canada the official start of winter sports took place last night with the 1ST Hockey Night in Canada Broadcast. The weather man responded with a forecast for snow which proceeded to dump at Big White Ski Resort over night. After flurries during the week, last night Big White was hit with the first real snow storm of the season. Between 5 and 10 cm of snow fell on the resort and more may be on the way. The attached photos were taken early morning October 2nd by Quickpics photography.

"It never gets old," said Michael J. Ballingall, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Big White and Silver Star." The first good snowfall always get the heart pumping. You just cant wait for your first runs of the year. It won't be long now."

The anticipation of the upcoming 2010 Olympics in Vancouver has a buzz around winter sports around the Okanagan and the rest of the province. The local ski shops have put away the bikes and the skis and snowboards are on the walls and you can hear the excitement in children’s voices about the upcoming winter.

All indicators are that the upcoming winter season is going to be a great one for snow at Big White. The local residents know that, traditionally, after a long hot and dry summer and warm dry fall, which the Okanagan has just experienced, Big White follows up with a big winter for snow. The Farmers Almanac backs that up with this quote “Winter temperatures will be below normal, on average, with above-normal precipitation and much above normal snowfall. The coldest temperatures will occur in mid- and late December, mid-January, and mid-February, with the heaviest snowfalls in mid- and late December and mid-January.”

The Big White Games, taking place from February 12 to 28, has a been built to honour the Games and offer skiers, snowboarders and all others who like to play in the snow some extra fun while watching our athletes bring home the “Gold”. To check out the schedule CLICK HERE.

If your kids don’t ski or snowboard, give them an opportunity of a lifetime by signing them up for the 2009/2010 After School Program. Lend them to us and we will send them back skiers or snowboarders! For more info CLICK HERE.

To view photos of the first snowfall CLICK HERE.

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