Sean Phillips, REALTOR® · Coldwell Banker Executives Realty, Vernon BC · Driving to Big White today
Big White road conditions today
Road status right now
Big White Road
Checking DriveBC…
The 24 km climb to the village.
Highway 33
Checking DriveBC…
Kelowna to the turn-off and on to Rock Creek.
Conditions change fast in the mountains. “No advisories” doesn’t mean bare pavement: in winter, expect snow and ice up high. This page is a quick summary, not a guarantee. Always check DriveBC.ca right before you leave.
A quick road check before you head up the mountain: live DriveBC advisories, highway webcams, the forecast for the drive, and B.C.’s winter tire rules.
Updated October 2026 · by Sean Phillips, REALTOR®
Right now on Highway 33
- –air
- –road surface
- –pavement
Loading the DriveBC McCulloch road weather station…
DriveBC events on these roads: loading…
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Highway webcams on the way up
In driving order from Kelowna. The McCulloch cameras sit on Highway 33 about 6 km south of the Big White Road turn-off, at 1,200 m, so they’re the best look at what the turn-off is doing. Tap any image to see it full size.
Kelowna, Hwy 97 at Hwy 33 looking north
Image by DriveBC
Kelowna, Hwy 97 at Hwy 33 looking south
Image by DriveBC
McCulloch, Hwy 33 near the Big White turn-off, looking north
Image by DriveBC
McCulloch, Hwy 33 near the Big White turn-off, looking south
Image by DriveBC
Highbridge, Hwy 33 south of Beaverdell, looking north
Image by DriveBC
Highbridge, Hwy 33 south of Beaverdell, looking south
Image by DriveBC
Webcam images by DriveBC (B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Transit), shown as published. For the village and the alpine, see Big White’s own webcams and Pow Cam.
Forecast for the drive
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Winter tires and chains: the rules on Highway 33
From October 1 to April 30, Highway 33 is a signed winter tire and chain-up route. If you drive it in that window, B.C. law says:
- Passenger vehicles need winter tires: tires marked with the three-peaked mountain and snowflake symbol, or at minimum “M+S” (mud and snow).
- At least 3.5 mm of tread. Worn winter tires don’t count. The province recommends mountain snowflake tires for cold-weather driving.
- Summer tires aren’t allowed on signed routes during the winter tire season.
- Chain up where the signs tell you to. Commercial vehicles over 5,000 kg have their own chain-carrying rules: see the B.C. government’s commercial winter driving page. Steel link chains on the drive axle grip best on snow and ice.
- Studded tires are allowed October 1 to April 30; if the front tires have studs, the rear ones must too.
- Drivers without proper tires can be turned back and fined.
Big White Road climbs to the village at about 1,755 m, so it’s often snowier than Kelowna. All-wheel drive helps you get going; it doesn’t help you stop.
How far is Big White from Kelowna and Vernon?
| From | Distance | Drive time* |
|---|---|---|
| Kelowna (Hwy 97 at Hwy 33) | about 56 km | about 1 hour |
| Downtown Kelowna | about 61 km | about 1 hour |
| Kelowna International Airport (YLW) | about 60 km | about 1 hour |
| Vernon | about 100 km | about 1½ hours |
| Rock Creek (Hwy 3) | about 117 km | about 1¾ hours |
*In good conditions. Allow more time in snow.
The route from Kelowna: Highway 33 east through Rutland and Joe Rich for about 32 km, then turn left onto Big White Road for the last 24 km climb. From Vernon, take Highway 97 south to Kelowna and pick up Highway 33. Allow extra time in snow; a slow climb behind a plow is normal on a storm day.
If the road is closed
- Stay put and wait it out. Big White Road is the only road into the village. When it’s closed, there’s no other way in, so wait in Kelowna or at a safe pull-out rather than looking for a shortcut.
- Don’t follow your GPS onto a detour. Forest service roads aren’t plowed or patrolled in winter.
- Check DriveBC for the next update time and any detour, and let your hotel or rental host know you’re delayed.
- If you’re stopped in a closure, stay with your vehicle, keep the tailpipe clear of snow, and listen for instructions.
- Pack for a wait in winter: a full tank, warm layers, water, snacks, a phone charger, a scraper and a shovel.
Sources: DriveBC and the DriveBC Open511 API (Province of British Columbia); B.C. government pages on winter tire and chain-up routes and winter tire requirements; Environment and Climate Change Canada; Big White Ski Resort’s road conditions page. Distances and times are approximate road-routing estimates. This page is an independent summary and isn’t endorsed by DriveBC, the Province of B.C. or Big White Ski Resort.
