One of my favorite ski destinations in North America is the winter wonderland of Silver Star, British Columbia. Not only do they have the most impeccably groomed ski trails, but those trails also literally wind through the village and around the mountain, making me feel like I’m skiing in a dream world.
My first visit to Silver Star was back in 2000 when my club team went there for a Thanksgiving training camp. Silver Star is known for having early snow and dozens of kilometers of ski trails – an ideal spot for early season training. I really enjoyed how the trails wind through tall forests and zigzag up and down the alpine mountain. When you crest out at the top, all the trees are covered in heavy ice and snow that glistens in the sun. It’s absolutely beautiful there!
When you first pull into town, you feel almost as though you’ve entered a storybook land. All the buildings are painted in bright colors – it’s a local ordinance that you must have at least four colors on your dwelling. It’s also mandatory that every condo in town have a hot tub, many of which are located on the back deck overlooking the ski trail (one of my favorite parts!).
The “main street” is a ski run that comes right into the middle of town for the perfect ski in/ski out experience. There are more than a dozen wonderful cafes and restaurants where you can reward yourself after expending all that energy on the trail. Also, there is the cutest little grocery store. And in case you forgot your wax or need last-minute supplies, there’s a ski shop right in town.
I’ve only ever been to Silver Star for training camp, but I’m really looking forward to taking my family there someday. The perfect blend of alpine and Nordic, it’s pretty easy to get to from the Kelowna airport. To me, Silver Star is pretty much a fairytale destination – the kind of place where a skier is going to need to pinch herself regularly. I couldn’t recommend it enough!
