skiing

Online contest puts Silver Star in North American spotlight

VERNON - The Star is getting some international attention for its cross country skiing. Silver Star Mountain Resort is in the running for a top 10 contest on USA Today for the best nordic resorts in North America. Three Olympians, Sadie Bjornsen, Holly Brooks and Sophie Caldwell were asked to nominate their favourite cross country...

Alpine skiing opening five days early at Silver Star

VERNON - The plan was to open Nov. 26 but after nearly 150 centimetres of snowfall, Silver Star Mountain is ready to open a bit earlier. The ski resort announced it would be opening three chairlifts and at least 25 runs starting at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 21, a full five days ahead of the...

Alpine ski season begins with opening of Big White, others not far behind

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Big White Ski Resort has officially opened for alpine skiing and several other local ski hills aren’t far behind. Big White opened today, Nov. 13, about two weeks ahead of schedule for alpine skiing, while Silver Star Mountain opened for nordic skiing yesterday and Sun Peaks Resort welcomed ski teams for alpine training...

Fat bikes, new terrain coming to Silver Star this winter

VERNON – The ever growing Silver Star Mountain Resort has announced several big changes this year, including more than 100 acres of new skiable terrain. Tree skiing for intermediates and experts will get more than 90 acres of new terrain to try and areas from Putnam Creek to Silver Woods will also be expanded. In...

Spring snow at Okanagan resorts leaves ski bums less bummed

OKANAGAN - It may have been a rainy week in the valley, but it was dumping snow at local ski hills. Silver Star Mountain in Vernon got close to 60 cm of new snow in the last week, blanketing alpine runs with a 209 centimetre base. As of Friday morning, all chair lifts except the...

Apex community saddened by death of co-owner

PENTICTON - One of the most popular and highly respected residents in the village at Apex Mountain Resort died this week. Resort co-owner Louise Burgart, 68, died of a suspected heart attack on Sunday, Jan. 25. When Burgart hadn't been seen for a few days an Apex staff member, sent to check on her, found...

American travel writer predicts Kelowna the Next Big Thing

KELOWNA – A story written for a weekly newspaper in Colorado is getting some love on social media in the Okanagan. Travel writer Amiee White Beazley has an article in the Aspen Times predicting Kelowna will be the Next Big Thing calling it the Boulder, Colorado of 40 years ago, but with the added bonus...

Ski resorts rejoice as heavens open up with major snowfall

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – If you listen closely, you can hear the shouts of pure joy from skiers and boarders throughout the region. The dump of snow making our lives miserable in the valley bottoms is just what the ski resorts in the Thompson-Okanagan were hoping for. Kelowna’s Big White received 29 centimetres of fresh “Champagne” powder...

PHOTOS: Santa skis and snowboards for free

BIG WHITE – If you were one of the first 30 people to show up at the Big White Ski Resort Sunday dressed as Santa Claus, you got to ski for free. The annual promotion added a very festive feel to the slopes at the resort and the freshly falling snow didn’t hurt. The resort...

Only five more sleeps ’til Apex ski resort opens

PENTICTON - Last week’s unexpected heavy snowfall was an unwelcome taste of winter for many of us here in the valley, but operators at Apex Mountain Resort aren’t complaining. “We currently have an 80 centimetre base, 72 centimetres of which has fallen in the last nine days,” said Guest Service and Events Manager Emily Childs....

Cross country skiing off to a late start in Vernon

VERNON - Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre is all set for this year’s cross country ski season—the only thing missing is snow. Don Wylie, the centre’s interim general manager, says the facility would normally be open by now. “It’s a little unusual,” Wylie says. “We’re just playing it day by day.” The tentative opening date was...