SilverStar

SilverStar Mountain Resort is one of British Columbia’s larger ski areas, combining 3,304 skiable acres with 133 marked runs and 760 metres of vertical. The resort sits above Vernon in the North Okanagan, with a colourful mid-mountain village at 1,609 m and terrain wrapping around several sides of the mountain.

The mountain has a useful split personality. The front side around the village is known for broad groomed pistes, easier progression terrain and convenient lift access, while the back side drops into Putnam Creek with steeper intermediate, advanced and expert skiing.

That contrast makes SilverStar particularly effective for mixed groups. Beginners and intermediates can spend much of the day on the sunnier front side, while stronger skiers can move into Putnam Creek, glades and steeper black and double-black terrain without needing a separate resort.

The official mountain figures list 133 marked runs, with the longest stretching for around 8 km. The 760 m vertical is substantial enough for long continuous descents, while the layout gives skiers several distinct sectors rather than one single fall line.

Beginners have accessible terrain close to the village and around Silver Queen, where learning slopes and easier runs provide a straightforward introduction to the mountain. The compact base makes ski-school meeting points, rentals and accommodation easy to reach.

Intermediate skiing is one of SilverStar’s biggest strengths. Wide groomed runs spread across the front side and through areas such as Silver Woods, allowing confident cruisers to cover plenty of terrain without immediately committing to the more demanding backside.

Advanced skiers and snowboarders should spend time in Putnam Creek. The terrain there is noticeably steeper and more technical, with a mix of black and double-black runs, natural features and glades. It gives the mountain a much stronger expert side than the family-friendly village first suggests.

Tree skiing is another important part of the experience. SilverStar’s forested terrain ranges from more approachable glades to tighter advanced lines, and the mountain’s dry interior-British-Columbia snow can make these sectors particularly rewarding after fresh snowfall.

SilverStar reports more than 700 cm of natural snowfall each winter and emphasises that its alpine skiing relies on natural snow rather than conventional snowmaking. The light, dry snow typical of the interior gives the resort a different feel from wetter coastal mountains.

The resort village is one of SilverStar’s most distinctive features. Painted buildings, restaurants, cafés, bars, shops and accommodation sit directly on the mountain, creating a genuine ski-in/ski-out base where many visitors can leave the car parked for most of their stay.

Official resort information lists nine on-mountain hotels and lodges and 13 restaurants, cafés and bars. That gives the village enough choice for a multi-day stay while retaining a much more compact scale than the largest Canadian destination resorts.

SilverStar also offers night skiing on selected winter dates. Recent operations have included around 4 km of lit beginner and intermediate terrain accessed from the village area, giving visitors the option to keep skiing after the main mountain closes when the night programme is running.

Freestyle riders have dedicated terrain-park options, including progression-focused features and the Bannister night park when scheduled. Exact park layouts change through the season according to snow and operating conditions.

One of SilverStar’s unusual strengths is the amount of non-alpine winter terrain included around the mountain. The resort maintains more than 55 km of cross-country skiing as well as snowshoe and fat-bike trails, giving mixed groups meaningful alternatives to downhill skiing.

The wider Nordic network is a major part of the destination’s identity. SilverStar promotes Canada’s largest daily groomed cross-country network, and its winter pass products also include access to several other snow activities around the resort.

Families benefit from the combination of ski-in/ski-out accommodation, easier front-side terrain, tubing, skating and other snow activities. That makes SilverStar particularly practical for groups where some people ski all day and others want a broader winter holiday.

The mountain is also convenient for shorter British Columbia trips. SilverStar sits about 22 km from Vernon, while the village feels self-contained once visitors arrive. That balance between a real regional town nearby and a slopeside resort base works well for both weekend trips and longer stays.

SilverStar continues to evolve its advanced terrain. Dandy Glades was added on the backside for the 2025/26 season between Aunt Gladys and Just Dandy, adding another tree-skiing option to the Putnam Creek side of the mountain.

For travellers comparing British Columbia ski resorts, Sun Peaks ski resort offers a larger three-mountain layout and broad intermediate terrain, while Big White ski resort combines extensive family skiing with a larger slopeside village. Revelstoke ski resort is a stronger choice for huge vertical and more demanding big-mountain terrain. SilverStar stands apart through its colourful mid-mountain village, natural snow, frontside-backside contrast and extensive Nordic offering.

The main compromise is that skiers focused purely on extreme terrain or very long alpine descents will find larger options elsewhere in British Columbia. SilverStar is strongest for families, intermediates, tree-skiing fans and mixed groups who value convenient slopeside accommodation and a mountain with noticeably different front and back sides.

3,304 acres and 133 runs; 760 m vertical; 700+ cm natural snowfall; excellent intermediate terrain; strong glade skiing; compact ski-in/ski-out village; extensive Nordic network.

Less huge vertical than British Columbia’s biggest big-mountain resorts; the steepest backside terrain is less suitable for cautious intermediates; natural-snow dependence can make coverage vary early and late season.