Big White Ski Resort history

So much has happened since Big White opened in 1963 with one T-Bar and big dreams.

The legendary Snow Ghosts were discovered in 1965 and are still a big hit with locals and tourists alike!

1968: The ski area’s first on-mountain accommodation was constructed.

The 1970’s saw a huge amount of development at Big White with the construction of four chairlifts:

The 1980’s brought continued expansion:

The Schumann Family purchased Big White Ski Resort in 1985 with the goal to build a world-class ski resort.

1986: First quad chairlift in BC installed: The Plaza.

1987: First Snowboard-only event held – The Inland Snowboard, and the 1st Annual Banked Slalom.

1989: First high-speed detachable quad lift installed: the Ridge Rocket.

With the Schumann Family rapidly growing the resort, along came The Plaza chairlift, the first quad chairlift in BC, the lengthening of the Alpine T-bar, Cliff Platter, and the Ridge Rocket all constructed before 1990.

1992: Falcon Double Chair added in the Whitefoot Bowl, opening acres of powder bowl, glade and tree skiing

1994: Big White Ski Resort invested more than $5 million in improvements to continue its growth.

1995: Third high-speed quad, the Black Forest chairlift was constructed, opening up 150 acres of new intermediate terrain.

2000: $39M value of accommodation construction took place in the White Forest Estates & Snowpines with a mix of houses, single-family, duplex, fourplex, and sixplex chalets and a variety of condominium buildings such as Black Bear, Timber Ridge and Treetops.