B.C. ski resort’s simple formula will keep you coming back for more

Article content

The morning light catches ice crystals floating in the air as my brother Don and I admire the Monashee Mountain range from atop Putnam Creek. Since making SilverStar Mountain Resort his winter home, he’s shown me why this mountain is different. Each December, I travel from Vancouver to join him. This morning’s ritual — first tracks down the double-blacks, sharing stories on the chairlift, and enjoying the pure joy of fresh Okanagan powder — tells me why SilverStar became Don’s happy place. 

Article content

When coastal storms roll into B.C.’s interior, they hit SilverStar first, dropping their lightest load before pushing on toward the Rockies, where it falls increasingly dense and heavy. While the Coast Mountains fight rain and the Rockies battle bitter cold, we get lucky here — temperatures hovering around -5°C, perfect for fast descents, and the kind of powder that makes you want to quit your job and move to the heights. The locals call it the “SilverStar effect,” and after enough early morning sessions, you start to believe in it. 

“From the rope tow to the gondola is probably the biggest change,” reflects Janice Glenesk, who’s been skiing here since the ’60s. “But it remains family-based, amazing, and has kept its charm. It’s a smaller resort than Whistler, but the terrain is challenging. It has everything you’d ever want — the trees, double black bumps, everything.” 

Article content

SilverStar evolved naturally. A popular skiing destination since the 1930s, the resort has operated in its current location since 1958. It expanded only when necessary, adding trails and lifts that made sense. These days, its 3,282 acres and 132 marked routes across a 760-meter vertical drop feel like they were carved by someone who understood how people actually ski. 

The front side of the resort reads like a learn-to-love-skiing manual. Vance Creek’s beginner zones roll into Silver Woods and Bear Valley, where perfectly spaced trees build confidence. Work your way along Caliper Ridge; suddenly, those widely spaced glades look more like a challenge than a safety net. The moguls here grow wild, the way nature intended. Families and mixed-ability groups can spend all day here, each finding their own rhythm and challenge level, with natural meeting points where paths converge near the lifts. 

Article content

Article content

Then there’s Putnam Creek — the “Dark Side,” as everyone calls it. This section opened because expert skiers needed somewhere to push themselves, not because developers thought it would sell condos. The expert terrain here doesn’t dress up for tourists — it’s steep, challenging, and honest about it. In the early season, these routes remain beautifully raw. By mid-winter, when the snow base deepens, they offer some of the finest off-piste skiing. The glades between marked trails hide some of SilverStar’s best secrets, though you might need a few seasons here before locals start sharing their favourite lines. 

Don’s been teaching me about timing here for years. “The front side gets tracked out,” he says as we ride up for another lap, “but back here? This is where you can play all day.” After many years exploring these slopes, he still finds new fall lines. 

Article content

The pedestrian-only village has its own rhythm. Early risers queue up at Bugaboos Bakery Cafe, drawn by the smell of fresh cinnamon buns. In the Artists’ Lounge Gallery & Gift Shop, Raffaella Vaz, who traded the Italian Dolomites for these peaks, captures their moods in paint and canvas. “It’s just a magical place,” she says of her decision to make SilverStar home. “It’s so unique and really family-friendly. Even on the busiest day, you only wait 15 minutes in the lift line. And the nature — there’s so much beauty around.” 

Beyond the alpine terrain, SilverStar and neighbouring Sovereign Lake maintain over 105 kilometres of Nordic trails. Olympic athletes train here in the early hours, while afternoons bring out everyone from serious cross-country skiers to families trying their first kick-and-glide on the beginner loops. The network winds through frost-lined forests, offering views across the valley that you might miss from the downhill slopes. On clear days, you can ski all the way to Sovereign Lake’s lodge for lunch, making a day of exploring the interconnected system. 

Article content

The active mountain culture extends naturally into wellness pursuits. Elevate Spa welcomes guests with its signature Aveda tea ceremony, offering a serene contrast to an energetic day outside. Massage therapists work out post-skiing knots while estheticians blend aromatic oils and hot towels into their treatments. 

This blend of adventure and comfort draws visitors from around the world. The Williams family, who came from Cornwall, England, found exactly what they were looking for. “It’s always very friendly, always welcoming,” says Dave Williams. His wife Abby appreciates the practical details that make a family ski holiday work: “It’s got the gondola, so it means that even smaller kids have the accessibility to get on without struggling with trying to hold onto a child on a lift.” 

Article content

Unlike other resorts that try to recreate the Alps, SilverStar’s central plaza celebrates its B.C. mining heritage. Victorian-era architecture painted in rich jewel tones — deep amethyst, sunflower yellow, and sapphire blue — creates a distinctive skyline against the snow. When dinner time rolls around, you might find yourself bundling up for a snowcat ride to Paradise Camp for a three-course mountaintop dinner with the kids, settling in for handmade pasta at D’Argento, or grabbing a burger at The Den or poutine and beer at the Red Antler, where you’ll likely find yourself trading stories with locals who know every hidden powder stash. 

As my December visit winds down, I think about what draws people like my brother to this place. While prominent resorts chase the next trend, SilverStar holds onto something more valuable — the simple joy of skiing with family, the easy conversations with strangers who become friends, and the sense that the resort itself hasn’t forgotten why people fell in love with this sport. SilverStar’s most extraordinary gift might be knowing exactly what it is and choosing to remain true to its roots in an industry that often confuses progress with complexity. 

Article content

IF YOU GO 

Getting there: SilverStar Mountain Resort is about a one-hour drive via Vernon from Kelowna International Airport, which offers a regular shuttle service. 

Where to stay: The mid-mountain plaza offers ski-in/ski-out accommodations, from standard rooms to luxury condos at the Snowbird and Firelight Lodges. 

Lift passes: The My1Pass provides access to all winter activities, including alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, tubing, and ice skating. Multi-day passes offer the best value, and early-bird rates are available before the season starts. 

When to visit: With 700cm of annual snowfall, conditions remain reliable throughout the season. Mid-week visits typically offer shorter lift lines and better accommodation rates. 

For more information, visit skisilverstar.com. 

Searching for the best hotel prices for your next trip? Check out YourTravelDeals.ca for exclusive savings on over one million hotels worldwide. Sign-up is free.

Article content