Big White boasts just that: "We use only dry, natural Okanagan Powder," is what their literature says. The village sits at 5,800 feet (the highest base area in B.C.), and the lifts carry skiers up to 7,500 feet. That's the same elevation as Whistler and Blackcomb, but the air and snow are considerably drier this far inland.

The 7,355 skiable acres are served by 16 lifts, four of them high-speed quads (Ridge Rocket, Bullet, Black Forest, and Gem Lake). A platter lift serves the Cliff Run, a favorite for adventuresome skiers and parasailers.