Come dusk, the action on the slopes of SilverStar Mountain Resort doesn’t die down. Now is the time when the groomers head out—thanks to the popularity of its terrain parks—starting a nightly schedule that will take ten hours.
The terrain park is home to freestyle professional skiers T. J. Schiller (best known for his signature switch 1080 mute grab) and Josh Bibby, and sponsored athletes, including Olympian bordercross skier Kevin Hill, slopestyle skiers Patrick Dew, Elena Gaskell and Noah Morrison.
“This year marks the largest jump lane we have ever had, with 50 foot, 60 foot and 70-foot lip-to-knuckle measurements,” says Paul Kenward, events & terrain park manager. “It’s the second largest in BC.”
With an annual snowfall from 599 cm to over 700 cm and bolstered by the Olympic spotlight, the mountains continue to call out to locals. At 14 percent, BC skiers top the list of participation compared to other provinces within Canada. And with four destination mountain resorts in the Thompson Okanagan, Apex Mountain Resort, Big White Ski Resort, Sun Peaks Resort and SilverStar Mountain Resort, skiing is the perfect winter staycation.
At Big White, renewal is underway. This March, the resort announced its largest single-year investment in the last decade. “After all, when was the last time someone spent $10 million to show you a good time?” says senior vice president Michael J. Ballingall.
The largest investment includes $3.9 million construction of the new Powder Chair. The four-passenger fixed grip Leitner Poma lift will replace Canada’s oldest and most popular triple chair, which was built in 1979 providing 15,868,476 rides. The new lift will increase upload capacity by 1,900 passengers per hour allowing more skier and snowboarders to enjoy the extensive terrain. Additional projects include a new on-mountain shuttle, water and sewer upgrades and $1.5 million to expand the skier tunnel on the Hummingbird run from its current width of 25 feet to 60 feet, accommodating increased skier and foot passenger traffic.
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