Discovering old-school spirit at an Okanagan mountain ski resort that stays true to its roots
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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.”
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.
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.
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.”
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.
IF YOU GO
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.