Snowboarding highlights: Big White Ski Resort

What a difference a decade makes. In 1983, snowboarding wasn't even permitted at Big White. Boarders had to hike up the mountain in order to ride the area's bountiful terrain. Now that snowboarding is a permanent part of the resort equation, one-plankers from all over Canada are trekking to Big White in increasing numbers. Certain sections of Big White can now best be described as winter skate parks.

The resort offers an advanced park and a novice park, totaling eight acres dedicated exclusively to snowboarding. In addition, Big White boasts a 450-foot advanced halfpipe - with four to six-foot trannies and 10- to 12-foot high walls - and a novice quarterpipe. Both pipes were built and are groomed by a Pipe Grinder. The pipes are constructed and maintained under the supervision of Flynn Seddon - retired World Cup Slalom and halfpipe competitor and president of the BC Snowboard Association.

The advanced halfpipe lies between the Bullet Express and Black Forest Express lifts in the terrain park, and includes parts of Sundance, Freeway, and Wood Pecker. Featured in the November 1997 issue of Snowboarder Magazine, the park is loaded with monster jumps, spines of varying sizes, tabletops, diamonds, and an assortment of changing hits. An old double-decker English bus, serving as a hangout zone, tops off the park.

The quarterpipe is situated in the Plaza Park and serves as the novice/intermediate pipe. Plaza is located on Speculation off of the Ridge Rocket Express. Though smaller than the advanced park, it contains many of the same features.

Copyright © 2001 Globe Pequot Press