British Columbia Snow Conditions

British Columbia is renowned for excellent snow conditions throughout the area and, along with the beautiful scenery and diverse terrain, this is a major factor in what keeps skiers from all over the world flocking to Canada’s westernmost province. Average annual snowfall in British Columbia’s most famous ski resort Whistler-Blackcomb is 402 inches while other major resorts such as Kicking Horse, Red Mountain and Big White all see regular annual snowfall above 300 inches.

 

Ski resorts in British Columbia generally have little in the way of snowmaking facilities primarily because they simply don’t need it. The snow on this side of the country is extremely reliable and resorts are invariably well placed to maximise on the abundance of deep dry powder. Whistler, the site of the 2010 Winter Olympics, has just 7% snowmaking capacity while Fernie, located in East Kootenay, proudly lays claim to having almost no snowmaking facilities at all receiving a reliable average annual snowfall of around 350 inches. The high altitude of many of the resorts contributes to the ideal skiing and snowboarding conditions.

 

Along with high annual snowfall in the ski resorts of British Columbia comes long ski seasons. Whistler-Blackcomb boasts one of the longest ski seasons anywhere lasting from the beginning of November to early June. Big White also has a longer than average ski season lasting from mid-November to mid-April. Hudson Bay Mountain Resort benefits from a superb location in the heart of British Columbia and this also allows it to stay open from November through to April. Some of the best weather for skiing in British Columbia can be found in Sun Peaks Resort which experience over 2000 hours of sunshine per year.