Plenty of buyers are choosing between these two mountains, and they are very different places to own. Here is how I explain it.
| Big White | SilverStar | |
|---|---|---|
| Skiable terrain | 2,765 acres | 3,282 acres |
| Vertical drop | 777 m (2,549 ft) | 760 m (2,493 ft) |
| Runs | 119 designated trails | 132 designated trails |
| Lifts | 16, including a gondola | 12, including an 8-person gondola |
| Nearest city | Kelowna, 56 km (about 55 min) | Vernon, about 22 km (about 25 min) |
| Pass | Indy Pass partner | Ikon Pass |
| Federal ban on non-Canadian buyers | Outside the covered areas | Inside the covered areas (ban scheduled to end Jan 1, 2027) |
Mountain figures: Big White (Wikipedia) and Silver Star Mountain Resort (Wikipedia); passes from Indy Pass. Ban status per BCREA (January 2026).
Choose Big White if…
- You want the classic ski holiday: park the car and walk to the lifts for a week.
- You plan to rent it out. Big White is exempt from the principal-residence rule for short-term rentals, though you must register and the rules can change each year (Province of B.C.).
- You are not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, since Big White is outside the areas covered by the federal ban today.
Choose SilverStar if…
- You want to live on the mountain and still reach a city in about 25 minutes.
- You ski cross-country. SilverStar has more than 105 km of groomed Nordic trail.
The questions I ask first
How will you use the place, and for how many weeks a year? Where do you fly or drive from? Who is skiing, and how well? Are you a Canadian citizen or permanent resident? Will you rent it out? Your answers usually point to one mountain within a few minutes. I wrote the full list up in Big White or SilverStar? The five questions I ask first.
Go deeper
See my Big White profile, my SilverStar profile, and the ski home buyer FAQ. When you are ready to look at homes, use my Big White and SilverStar sites below.
Search Big White homesSearch SilverStar homes
Not sure which mountain fits?
Tell Sarah how your family skis and where you are coming from, any hour of the day. When you are ready to talk about homes, pricing or offers, I take it from there.