It’s the day Central Okanagan skiers and snowboarders have patiently been waiting for.
And that wait is almost over, with Big White Ski Resort about to open its doors on Friday morning, weather permitting.
Resort vice-president Michael J. Ballingall told Global News that, at 8:45 a.m., the following lifts will be open: Laura’s gondola, the Bullet high-speed quad chair and the plaza chair.
“Limited skiing, limited number of runs, early season conditions,” said Ballingall.
“Stay on the runs that we have groomed is the message that we’re pushing out to all those excited people about coming to the mountain.”
Ballingall said of the mountain’s 118 runs, skiers and snowboarders can expect just a handful of runs to be open this weekend.
“Most season-pass holders are very educated that early season conditions are something that only the really, really keen people will be out for,” said Ballingall. “Most people will wait until more lifts open.”
Still, he said “it’s a start. With the amount of new team members we have, early season is great training. And we want to make sure we’re ready for the Christmas season.”
Notably, Ballingall said the resort could use a variety of employees. For more about employment, visit Big White’s website.
In the North Okanagan, SilverStar Mountain Resort near Vernon has an opening date of Friday, Dec. 3.
Chantelle Deacon, media relations manager for SilverStar, said the resort has seen quite of a bit of snow this fall.
“We are doing quite well,” Deacon told Global News. “We’re right on par with previous seasons and are expecting to open on time with a decent snowbase.”
Currently, SilverStar has a base of 75 cm, and it’s hoped the resort will open with 100 cm. The resort has 132 marked runs, with 50 runs usually available on opening day.
While SilverStar’s alpine opening is a week away, the resort’s cross-country ski trails open this Friday, Nov. 26.
In the South Okanagan, Apex Mountain Resort near Penticton is slated to open on Saturday, Dec. 11.
Resort general manager James Shalman says the resort has a lot of steep terrain, therefore a lot of snow is needed before it opens.
“We really want to make sure that when we do open, we provide a very safe skiing experience for people,” said Shalman, adding that Apex has snowmaking ability from top to bottom.
Shalman also said freestyle mogul teams from around the world have arrived at Apex already to begin training because of the resort’s snowmaking ability.
When Apex opens, Shalman hopes to have most, if not all, of the resort’s 80 runs available. However, he said that will depend on the weather, and how much snow there is between now and then.
“I’m definitely looking forward to (opening day),” said Shalman. “There’s always challenges — us and every other ski resort in B.C. have the same problem, with staffing being a real issue.
“We’re trying to be creative with that. but, other than that, we’re going to go back to full capacity of loading lifts.”
Shalman said masks will be mandatory in all lift lines and all riding lifts. Also, after a one-year hiatus, singles lines are being brought back.
“We’re anticipating that things will move quite nicely this year,” said Shalman.
“We’ve had fantastic early season snowfall. The atmospheric river knocked us back a little bit, but it consolidated the base to make for a fantastic snowpack and for things to come.”
Comments