Doing a Ski Season at Big White: Jobs, Housing, Lifestyle & What to Expect
Mountain Connects
Thinking about doing a ski season at Big White?
Big White is one of British Columbia’s best-known ski destinations, but doing a season here isn’t just about working for the resort itself.
The village is home to restaurants, bars, cafés, accommodation providers, retail businesses and local operators that all rely on seasonal workers throughout winter.
That means there are plenty of ways to build your season around Big White — whether you want to work in hospitality, housekeeping, retail, food and beverage, guest services or something more mountain-focused.
And when you’re not working, you’ve got skiing, snowboarding, après, night skiing, skating, tubing and even WHL hockey in nearby Kelowna.
Here’s what to know before doing a season at Big White.
What is it like doing a ski season at Big White?
Doing a ski season at Big White means living in a compact mountain village where work, accommodation, après and mountain access are all close together.
A lot of workers live, work and ride within the same small area, which makes the season feel social and connected.
You can finish a shift, meet friends for après and be back on the mountain the next morning without spending hours commuting.
The village is also relatively compact, with restaurants, bars, shops, accommodation and mountain services all close together.
That makes Big White particularly appealing for international seasonal workers who don’t necessarily want to buy a car.
What jobs can you get at Big White?
Seasonal jobs at Big White are available across hospitality, accommodation, retail, rentals, guest services, housekeeping, food and beverage, tourism and resort operations.
Big White Ski Resort is a major employer, but it’s far from the only option.
Businesses throughout the village also hire seasonal workers across areas such as:
- Restaurants and bars
- Cafés
- Hotels and lodges
- Housekeeping
- Property management
- Retail
- Ski and snowboard rentals
- Guest services
- Accommodation
- Food and beverage
- Tourism and activities
This is one of the biggest advantages of doing a season at Big White.
You don’t have to limit yourself to resort-operated jobs.
A role with a local restaurant, bar, hotel, café or accommodation business can still give you the full mountain lifestyle, a strong seasonal community and plenty of opportunities to ski or snowboard.
Mountain Connects is built around connecting seasonal workers with businesses in and around ski resorts.
Browse current opportunities here:
https://www.mountainconnects.com/jobs
Where can you work in food and hospitality at Big White?
Big White has a strong hospitality scene, with seasonal opportunities across restaurants, bars, cafés and casual dining businesses throughout the village.
Common roles include:
- Servers
- Bartenders
- Baristas
- Hosts
- Kitchen hands
- Chefs
- Dishwashers
- Supervisors
- Restaurant managers
Some well-known places around the village include:
Snowshoe Sam’s
One of Big White’s classic après spots.
Expect a casual pub atmosphere, food, drinks and plenty of people coming through after a day on the mountain.
The Woods
A popular village restaurant and bar with a strong après atmosphere and a modern alpine feel.
It’s worth keeping an eye on if you’re looking for front-of-house, bar, kitchen or hospitality work.
https://www.bigwhite.com/explore/food-dining/restaurants-food-trucks-market/woods
The BullWheel
The BullWheel is another central village option for food, drinks and après.
For seasonal workers interested in hospitality, businesses like this can provide a different employment route from working directly for the resort.
Black Diamond Bar & Grill
Black Diamond offers a more polished dining experience on the mountain and is another business worth watching for hospitality opportunities.
https://blackdiamondbarandgrill.com/
Toasty
If café work is more your thing, Toasty is a coffee and bakery spot in the village.
It could suit workers looking for barista, café or daytime hospitality roles.
Underground Pizza
Underground Pizza is a casual pizza spot offering dine-in, takeaway and delivery.
It’s another option for anyone looking for kitchen, service or hospitality work.
These are only a handful of the businesses operating around the village.
The important thing when looking for a ski season job is not to focus on one employer.
Look at the entire mountain community.
Where are the best places for après at Big White?
Some of the best-known après spots at Big White include Snowshoe Sam’s, The Woods and The BullWheel.
Big White has a good après scene without feeling as huge or hectic as somewhere like Whistler.
Because the village is compact, the social scene tends to overlap.
The people you work with may also be the people you ride with, live with and run into at après.
That makes it relatively easy to meet people quickly, particularly if it’s your first season.
Can you get staff accommodation at Big White?
Yes, staff accommodation is available through some employers at Big White, but it is not guaranteed with every job.
The resort itself offers staff accommodation for some workers, while independent businesses may also offer housing, help arrange accommodation or have connections with local property owners.
This is worth asking about before accepting a role.
A job that includes affordable staff accommodation can sometimes be much more valuable than a slightly higher-paying role where you have to find housing yourself.
Mountain Connects lets you filter jobs that include staff accommodation, making it easier to focus on opportunities where your work and housing can potentially be sorted together.
Browse current opportunities:
https://www.mountainconnects.com/jobs
Do you need a car at Big White?
No, you can realistically do a season at Big White without a car if you live on the mountain.
One of the biggest advantages of Big White is how compact the village is.
If you live on-mountain, you may be able to walk to work, head to bars and restaurants on foot and access the slopes without needing a car every day.
That can save a lot of money over the course of a season.
Having access to a vehicle can still be useful for trips into Kelowna, bigger grocery shops or days away from the mountain, but it isn’t essential for everyone.
What can you do at Big White besides skiing and snowboarding?
There are plenty of winter activities at Big White beyond skiing and snowboarding.
Depending on what’s operating during your season, activities can include:
- Night skiing
- Ice skating
- Tubing
- Snowshoeing
- Nordic skiing
- Fat biking
- Snowmobile tours
- Dog sledding
- Sleigh rides
- Spa and wellness activities
You can check current winter activities here:
https://www.bigwhite.com/events-activities/winter-activities
Is night skiing good for seasonal workers?
Yes. Night skiing is one of the best ways for seasonal workers to get extra laps in around their work schedule.
If you’ve been working during the day, you may still be able to get some riding in after your shift.
It’s a great way to make the most of the mountain when your roster doesn’t line up perfectly with daytime skiing.
What can you do on a night off at Big White?
Skating, tubing, après and trips into Kelowna are all good options for a night off.
Big White’s outdoor skating rink is an easy activity with friends or coworkers.
Tubing in Happy Valley is also perfect when you want to do something on snow without putting your ski or snowboard boots back on.
These are the kinds of simple activities that quickly become part of season life.
Grab a few housemates, head out after work and make a night of it.
Can you go to a hockey game near Big White?
Yes. The Kelowna Rockets play WHL hockey in nearby Kelowna and make for a great group night out.
The Rockets play in the Western Hockey League, one of Canada’s major junior hockey leagues.
Head into Kelowna, grab some food, watch the hockey and experience something completely different from another night at après.
For international seasonal workers, it’s one of those experiences that makes living in Canada feel a little more Canadian.
Check out the Kelowna Rockets here:
What is Kelowna useful for during a Big White ski season?
Kelowna is the closest major city and is useful for shopping, groceries, banking, flights, appointments and days away from the mountain.
You might head down for:
- Bigger grocery shops
- Shopping
- Hockey games
- Restaurants and bars
- Flights
- Banking
- Phone plans
- Medical appointments
- A change of scenery
Sometimes it’s also just nice to get off the mountain for a day.
After spending weeks living in a ski village, a trip into the city can feel surprisingly exciting.
What is the social scene like at Big White?
Big White has a strong seasonal community because workers live, work and ride within the same compact village.
That naturally makes it easy to meet people.
You might work at a restaurant, your housemate might work in housekeeping and your riding crew might include someone from a hotel, rental shop and café.
That mix is part of what makes doing a season so much fun.
Say yes to things early.
Go riding with coworkers, head to après, join staff events and get involved in whatever is happening around the village.
That’s usually how you find your crew.
Is Big White good for your first ski season?
Yes. Big White can be a very good first ski season because it combines seasonal jobs, staff accommodation options, easy mountain access and a strong social scene in one compact village.
You’ve got:
- Plenty of seasonal businesses
- Hospitality job opportunities
- A compact village
- Staff accommodation options
- Easy mountain access
- Good après
- A strong seasonal community
- Plenty to do outside work
- Less reliance on having a car
It also gives you plenty of choice when it comes to employers.
You don’t need to work directly for the ski resort to get the full experience.
Working for a restaurant, café, hotel, accommodation provider, property business or another local employer can still put you right in the middle of mountain life.
What should you organise before moving to Big White?
Before moving to Big White, try to have your work rights, job, accommodation, insurance and initial savings sorted.
Your basic checklist should include:
- Right to work in Canada
- Job offer
- Accommodation
- Travel and health insurance
- Savings for your first few weeks
- Transport to Big White
- Winter clothing
- Ski or snowboard gear
- Canadian phone plan
- Bank account
- Social Insurance Number once you arrive
If your job includes accommodation, even better.
That immediately removes one of the biggest stresses of moving to a ski town.
Is doing a ski season at Big White worth it?
Yes, Big White is a strong option if you want a ski season where work, mountain access, social life and accommodation can all be centred around the same village.
There are businesses across hospitality, accommodation, retail and tourism that rely on seasonal workers throughout winter.
On your days off you can snowboard, ski, night ride, skate, go tubing or head into Kelowna for a Rockets game.
And because the village is relatively compact, you can spend less time commuting and more time enjoying the reason you moved there in the first place.
Looking for work at Big White?
Browse seasonal jobs from businesses in and around ski resorts on Mountain Connects, including roles that offer staff accommodation:
https://www.mountainconnects.com/jobs
Find the right job, get your accommodation sorted and start planning your season.