Big White’s next big lift is for beginners

At Big White, the most consequential lift upgrade planned for the 2026/27 winter season may be the one that carries guests only a short way uphill.

Polar Passage, a new covered conveyor lift in Happy Valley, is the centrepiece of a $1-million project to expand the resort’s beginner learning area. The sheltered ride is intended to make repeat practice more comfortable in cold or snowy weather, while additional teaching space and terrain work are meant to ease congestion and give learners more room to progress. Three existing beginner lifts are also getting new names: Tiny Tracks, Frosty Flyer and Moose Mover.

That focus makes sense for a resort working to lower the friction of a first ski day. Happy Valley is where Big White’s introductory lessons take place; the resort says the expanded area will support clearer progression and allow lessons to begin earlier in the season. A beginner lift ticket is listed at $29# Big White’s next big lift is for beginners

The Okanagan resort’s 2026/27 plans pair a sheltered learning-area conveyor with trail, grooming, lift-information and rink upgrades—an effort to improve the mountain experience from first lesson to last run.

At Big White, one of the most notable lifts planned for the 2026/27 season may be the one that carries guests only a short way uphill.

Polar Passage, a new covered conveyor in Happy Valley, is the centrepiece of a $1-million project to expand the resort’s beginner learning area. The sheltered ride is intended to make repeated practice more comfortable in cold or snowy weather, while additional teaching space and terrain work are meant to give learners more room. Three existing beginner lifts are also being renamed Tiny Tracks, Frosty Flyer and Moose Mover.

The emphasis reflects a practical challenge for ski resorts: a first day on snow can be demanding before a new skier even gets to the slope. Waiting, finding the right terrain and repeating the same short run are all part of learning. A covered conveyor and a more spacious teaching area won’t remove the learning curve, but they could make those early laps less exposed and less crowded.

The planned work extends beyond Happy Valley. Big White says it will regrade Ridge Connector and Middle Perfection and smooth Lower Serwa’s, aiming to make the runs more approachable. Digital boards showing grooming and lift-status information are planned at five lift tops, while electrical upgrades will replace propane heaters. Those changes are less visible than a new lift, but they address everyday questions skiers face: which terrain has been groomed, what is operating and where conditions may suit their ability.

The resort is also investing in non-ski infrastructure. A new Zamboni and indoor garage for the skating rink represent a stated $440,000 investment. In Happy Valley, new warming-hut locations are planned to free up more room for beginner terrain.

Accommodation is part of the announcement, too. Three new ski-in/ski-out buildings are planned near Sundance Resort, with access to Bullet Express and Black Forest and amenities that include private hot tubs. Together, the projects point to a broad resort strategy: improve the learning area, make mountain information easier to find, refresh guest facilities and add slope-side lodging.

Big White has also outlined longer lift operating hours: day lifts are scheduled for 9:15 a.m. to 4 p.m., while Lara’s Gondola is planned to run until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Those hours could give visitors more flexibility, though the eventual experience will depend on the operating schedule and conditions during the season.

The scale of the plan is notable, but its success will be measured in small moments: a beginner getting another comfortable practice lap, a family finding the right run, or a guest knowing whether a lift is running without guessing. At a mountain resort, those details can shape whether a day feels smooth—or needlessly difficult.