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Big White Ski Resort has announced a $9.4 million infrastructure investment ahead of the 2025–26 ski season. The wide-ranging improvements include powering the summit of Ridge Rocket Express, extending fibre optic communication systems across key lifts, and adding new family service facilities in the village base area.
“This is about smarter growth,” said Darcy Arnold, Chief Operating Officer at Big White. “Each of these upgrades plays a role in how we want Big White to evolve—more connected and always centered on what matters most to our guests.”
A key project this summer involves installing underground power to the top of Ridge Rocket Express, an essential lift on the mountain. The project is logistically complex and includes trenching through rocky alpine terrain.
“Getting power up to 7,000 feet isn’t easy,” Arnold wrote in the resort’s official blog. “We’re trenching through solid rock and alpine terrain—it has to be done in summer, and once it’s in place, it’s a game changer for our summit infrastructure.”
The completed project will support future upgrades including lift modernization, digital signage, and electric heating systems at the summit. The work is expected to be finished by October 2025.
Big White is also rolling out fibre optic cable to several lift terminals—Ridge, Bullet, Powder, Gem Lake, and Black Forest—enhancing connectivity for operational systems, staff communications, and guest services.
Also new this year is a combined daycare and Kids Centre inside the Village Centre Mall, scheduled to open on Opening Day. The facility will be split evenly between the two services.
“Families are a core part of our community, and these new spaces reflect that,” Arnold said.
The $9.4 million investment is part of Big White’s broader modernization strategy, which includes phased lift replacements and digital infrastructure upgrades. No new lifts were announced this cycle, but ongoing work in the Ridge and Black Forest zones is expected to continue into 2026.
Big White’s development comes amid increased competition from other large resorts in B.C. and Alberta, including Whistler Blackcomb and Sun Peaks, which have also announced major capital plans in recent years. Resort operators across the region are investing heavily in lift access, base amenities, and digital infrastructure to meet rising visitation and changing skier expectations.
