Meet Baldy Mountain, the Little Okanagan Resort with Big Terrain

Guest post contributed by Lisa Kadane, SnowSeekers.ca

I fondly remember the ski areas of my youth. There were double chairs that allowed time for great conversations (and to rest the legs) between runs, a cozy day lodge with tasty grub and a chill vibe and, most importantly, mantles of downy snow covering newbie runs, fun tree trails and alpine terrain. On a ski outing you felt like you’d been let in on a big secret—how else to explain why you had the mountain all to yourself?

Photo credit: Lisa Kadane

When I heard that such a good-value, crowd-free place still exists in the south Okanagan, my husband and I packed up the gear and the littles and made tracks to Baldy Mountain Resort, a 50-minute drive north and east of Osoyoos.

Find out more about skiing Baldy here »

Located at an elevation of 5,900 feet — Canada’s highest ski resort base — and blessed with 25 feet of snow each season, Baldy makes for a no-brainer family ski weekend, staying overnight in Osoyoos. There’s just one day lodge, two chair lifts and one ticket office selling lift passes that are almost 1980s-priced ($55 for adults, $35 for youth ages 7-15, $10 for kids 6 and under).

Photo credit: Lisa Kadane

The resort’s 35 runs cover a manageable 600 acres, and range from groomed beginner trails where my son can practice his snowplow, to steeper chutes in the glades where my daughter can master her tree-slaloming. What’s more, all of Baldy’s trails lead back to the base so parents don’t have to worry their kids will get lost.

We drop our son off in a lesson and take the Eagle Chair to the summit. From there, the views of the valley are unreal—the best in the Okanagan by some accounts. After snapping a few pictures it’s go-time. Should we warm up with some GS turns on Baldy Trail, or look for powder stashes between the snow-covered evergreen trees in the Honky Tonk Glades?

Photo credit: Lisa Kadane

As the weekend unfolds and that famous Okanagan powder begins to collect in soft pillows, I come to realize we have, indeed, been let in on a big secret. The proof is in our family’s big smiles.

Want to learn more about exploring Osoyoos and skiing Baldy?
Head on over to SnowSeekers »