Welcome Australia!

The sister resorts of Big White and Silver Star are owned by the Schumann family, who once owned Victoria's Mount Hotham, so expect Australian-style hospitality.

Both mountains have a healthy amount of intermediate terrain that appeals to families and lots of ski-in ski-out accommodation options, as well as a progressive ski school catering for all ages and styles of skier and boarder.

Big White's kids centre's on-site kitchen bakes heaty kids' food. Add a terrain park and a Mega Snow Coaster tube park. Silver Star's ski guarantee ensures your first time skiing or boarding is a successful one or you learn for free.

Getting there - Air Canada flies direct from Sydney to Vancouver. See www.aircanada.com. Air New Zealand flies to Vancouver via Auckland. See www.airnewzealand.com.au.

More information - December to March are the best months to ski in Canada, though be aware - January gets very cold. Spring skiing from mid-March to mid-April means longer days.

Here's what the Australian Press is saying about Big White:

"If there was a Disneyland on snow, Big White would probably be it."
Michael Wilkins - Daily Telegraph

"Without doubt the best thing about Big White is the soft fluffy white stuff."
Brian Crisp - The Courier-Mail

"Parents love this resort. Lifts at the door, a gondola linking the ice skating rink, snowmobiling fun (including some cute children-sized machines), and the popular bonfire and free hot chocolate stations."
Sydney Morning Herald

Having a Good Time at Big White

In the beginning, all Australian skier Ian Watson wanted was to find a family-friendly resort with reliable snow conditions. "After suffering through a couple of poor seasons here in Australia, I wanted to find out from other Australian skiers what their favourite resorts were for skiing with their family." Little did he know how it would change his life.

That search led him to ski.com.au, Australia's largest winter sports website, and its on-line forums. "Certainly, on-line forums can be strange places and the anonymity that they provide can often lead to some controversial characters coming to the fore," he says. Fortunately, the moderated forums on ski.com.au have been around for many years."

Ian, AKA "Main Street" – which is his avatar on the ski.com.au forum - picks up the story from there.

"I found a thread on Big White and after some other research, soon found myself part of a group of very excited skiers/boarders anxiously counting down the days to our individual holidays. Usually with forums, there is a core group that keep certain discussions going and we were no different. About fifteen regular contributors kept adding to the thread on an almost daily basis, with considerably more chipping in periodically. I became one of that core group. We would post any scrap of information we could find about Big White and the challenge soon became to find photos that no-one had yet seen.

Our first holiday started on Jan 17, 2007 and lasted for eleven days. Truth be told we really had no idea what to expect. Sure, we’d been told by lots of folk that Big White was a great family resort; I’d looked at the maps, set the Big White web site as my Favorite page on my home computer, and looked at the cams on a daily – and sometimes hourly basis; rejoicing with every new snowfall as the season progressed.

That first vacation was unbelievable – we were hooked from the very first day. Everything about the resort was so much more than we’d been told or could have hoped for. The snow, the people, activities for the kids, the runs, - everything. All too soon, our trip came to an end and we had to fly home.

Within days of our return home, I started a new discussion based around our planned return to Big White in 2007/08 and this time, it would be for five weeks, including our family's first ever “White Christmas" - I was so excited that I had everything booked before the end of February! I even did an on line grocery shop for the trip at the same time - though I know grocery shopping nine months in advance is definitely not normal!"

The excitement within the online group was contagious and before long I had a “sparring partner” on the forum by the name of Marcopolo. We just drove each other to new levels, to the point where one of the other forum members whom we had met up with in Big White called the pair of us “Tragic” because of our obsession with Big White - and it stuck. Marco and I decided that the Tragic label was perfect for us and in an informal way, all of our group going to Big White in 07/08 became “Tragics”.

Ideas then flowed about marketing ourselves in a fun way. I became the “CEO” & Marco became the “Chairman of the Board”. We set about all sorts of crazy things, but ended up with business cards, stickers (stuck in all manner of places and airports between Australia and Canada), shirts, jackets, toques, banners and we even published a book!

The forum thread seemed to grow at an amazing rate. By mid-2007, we were over a hundred strong and by the time we left on December 9 for Big White that figure was over 200 - nearly all of them families. Weather reports became a daily duty, weather predictions were made on a regular basis, plans made and everyone was just buzzing with anticipation.

A chap known as JLA came up with the idea to do some fundraising for a local charity in Kelowna. We all embraced this and the Powderhounds Adaptive Ski Club at Big White became our beneficiary in due course. Events of all sorts were arranged including dinners, hockey trips and a special function on January 8 where over a hundred Tragics were on the hill at the one time.

One by one we came over, had a wonderful time and went home again. Not only had great friendships been made on the forums, but also with the staff at Big White."

Watson says that "as it stands today, the thread has had over 8,500 contributions and is the longest running and largest thread in the history of the ski.com.au website."

Oh, and how was their five weeks? Watson says, "Our first "White Christmas" was just stunning and will stay with all of our family forever. You could actually say “life changing” as we have started the process of immigrating to Canada with the intent of settling somewhere near or at Big White!"

The Tragics Big White 08/09 Forum

In 2005 I was looking for a magical winter wonderland to take my family for their first overseas holiday. I researched many ski resorts in North America and Canada before settling on Big White. My choice was simple- Big White's reputation as a family orientated resort and champagne powder snow. In January 06 we arrived at Big White. My three children attended the ski school and had a fantastic time. At night there were always activities for them such as night skiing, ice skating, tubing, carnival nights, horse slay and the fireworks display. We dined at some great restaurants and met some wonderful friends. We had such a great time at Big White that we have returned every year since. In fact, I have returned with other family members and some friends who have joined us on holidays at Big White after I told them what a great time we had. They told me that Big White was everything I said it was AND MORE. We are ALL going back again in 2009. The resort is nestled on the mountain with panoramic views and a cosy intimate atmosphere. We found the staff and the ski school instructors friendly and helpful. Big White truely is a family resort which has given my family some great times and fantastic memories. We will be back there next year.

Regards,

Stephen Wilkinson

TOP 10 Reasons to visit Big White

1. It's The Snow
At Big White, "It's the Snow" is our motto, with over 750cm of light, dry, fluffy powder falling annually! Come and ski and ride in the world-famous 'snow ghosts' – our frosty, snow-caked trees that resemble haunting, phantasmagoric shapes.

2. Canada's Largest Totally Ski-in Ski-Out Resort Village
Ski right from your door, whether you choose economy or luxury accommodation. Canada's largest ski in ski out village has something for every taste and budget.

3. Your Own Private Hot Tub
Soak in the breath-taking views from your private balcony and allow your hot tub to envelope you in relaxation while you watch the snow fall, blanketing the resort in powder for tomorrow's adventure.

4. Daytime & Apres-Ski Family Entertainment
Every day, Big White offers family friendly activities and events for all ages, just steps away from your accommodation! Enjoy live entertainment, go skating, play hockey, try tubing, or gather around the bonfire to watch the fireworks.

5. Perfect Winter Weather & Elevation
Daytime temperatures average -5ºC – perfect for a wide range of winter activities! With a moderate base elevation of 1,755 metres, the only thing that will take your breath away will be the views!

6. Kelowna International Airport Makes It Easy To Get Here
It's surprisingly easy to get here with non-stop flights from Vancouver, Calgary and Seattle. Take a regularly-scheduled Big White shuttle, and you'll be on the slopes in an hour.

7. Big, Wide Open Terrain!
Unfolding the mountain trail map, you'll discover 118 runs, 5 alpine bowls, TELUS park terrain park, the Mega Snow Coaster tubing park, a skating rink, snowmobile trails, and more. Challenge all 2,765 acres of terrain geared to all levels of skiers and boarders! You'll wish you could double your vacation time!

8. Taste More Than The Champagne Powder
With 18 on-mountain restaurants, cafes, delis, pubs and nightclubs, there's no shortage of places to relax or replenish your energy level when it's time for a break. Enjoy a luxurious lunch, sit for a social drink to warm your soul, have a 'dinner date', or treat the family to a wonderful meal. To thoroughly enjoy the BC Okanagan Valley's offerings, be sure to savour some famous local wines. You can also order your groceries and have them delivered to your chalet before you arrive.

9. Award-Winning Grooming, Kids Centre and Ski & Board School
It's a parent's vacation, too! Cruise down our immaculately groomed runs, safe in the knowledge that your children are being introduced to the exciting world of mountain fun at Big White's Kids Centre. Or, take a lesson from our top-notch Big White Ski and Board School certified pros so that your kids don't leave you behind!

10. Fast, Convenient, Modern Lifts Mean No Waiting in Lineups
At Big White, we believe that "time is your ultimate luxury, so use it well.' With 16 lifts and an uphill capacity of 28,000 skiers and riders per hour, you'll never wait more than a few minutes, even at the busiest times.

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Email: jfoster@bigwhite.com
Phone: (250) 491-6143