Located near Vernon, British Columbia in the Okanagan Valley, Silver Star Mountain Resort is a place where Victorian heritage and genuine friendliness are as honoured as the values of a time gone by. Silver Star combines a friendly atmosphere with skiing and snowboarding on 3,065, blanketed by 23 feet (700cm) of the world's best powder snow.
The village theme is inspired by a typical nineteenth century British Columbian mining town era with Victorian architecture. Brightly coloured storefronts provide a unique ambience to the Resort.
Silver Star has doesn't bother much with snow making because its totally unnecessary - getting over 23 feet annually of the World-famous natural, dry, Okanagan powder snow. Apart from its reputation for family friendliness and a perfect mix of long rolling groomed cruisers on the Vance Creek and the steep and deeps in Putnam Creek, there is in another, Silver Star is also a world renowned early-season cross-country trail network, particularly popular with Canadian and US Nordic and biathlon teams.
Silver Star has an enviable natural snowfall record, averaging around six metres (18 feet), providing an average snowpack of 250cm (eight feet). The resort benefits from the unique microclimate of the Okanagan Valley, The comfortable daytime temperatures average -3 C (27 F) which is cold enough to keep the snow light and fluffy, yet perfect for skiing. The abundant natural snow has enabled the resort to open in mid-November.
The resort' history dates back to the late 1950's / early 1960's when a day lodge was built and organised skiing began thanks to the construction of two short rope tows. More investors were found and the first real lift was installed - a 5,000 foot (1,600m) long Poma tow which gave skiers lit-served access to the summit of Silver Star mountain for the first time. Throughout the 1960's two aerial double chairlifts were installed.
In the 1980's the first hotels were built and quad chairlifts were installed. 1991 saw the opening of Putnam Creek, best known for powder-filled fall line runs. Silver Star Mountain Resort was purchased in 2002 by the Schumann family, owners of nearby Big White Ski Resort. Since the purchase in 2002, Silver Star Mountain Resort has installed two new lifts, including the Comet Express, Canada's largest six passenger chairlift.
