Winter Activities

Nelson embraces winter’s bounty of deep and light powder snow like no other community. Many locals adhere to the 20cm rule (if it snows 20cm or more, you will find them on the ski hill – but don’t worry, we’ll be here for you!) If you’re planning a visit to Nelson from November to April, pack your skis or snowboard and plan for a day on the slopes – you’ll be glad you did.

Alpine Skiing and Boarding:

Whitewater Ski and Winter Resort is Nelson’s local ski hill. With regular dumps of 20cm (8 inches) or more of fresh, light powder, few lift lines and one of the best on-mountain restaurants anywhere, you will soon discover why Nelson’s Whitewater was chosen as one of the best powder destinations in Western North America.

Check out: Whitewater Resort, Red Mountain in Rossland

Snowmobiling:

For the adventurous crew who are seeking a backcountry romp with a little more horsepower, Nelson offers mountains of sledding terrain all easily accessible from numerous logging and forestry service roads. Drop by the local snowmobile shops for the latest conditions and best places to explore.

Check out: KMA, Kootenay Sleds and Wheels, Main Jet Performance

Cat and Back Country Skiing:

The Purcell and Selkirk Mountains that surround Nelson are home to some of the best back country and Cat skiing opportunities in North America. With regular accumulated snowfalls in excess of 4 metres (14 feet), you will discover why Nelson is the chosen destination for countless ardent powder hounds from Europe, Asia, the USA and Canada.

Check out: Baldface Lodge, SnowWater Heli Skiing, Valhalla Powdercats, Wildhorse Cat Skiing, Deep Lines Guiding Services

Nordic Skiing:

Nelson offers 3 main options for the Nordic skiing enthusiast. Apex-Busk just 10 minutes south of Nelson on Highway 6 provides lit and groomed tracks for day and night skiing, Whitewater has its own network of X-country trails or you can simply strap on your skis and hit the Burlington Northern Rail corridor at the top of town for a linear track along the old rail bed.

Check out: Whitewater Resort, Nelson Nordic Ski Club

Ice Sports:

Nelson’s newly opened recreation centre houses the newest rink in the Kootenays and its proximity to the Aquatic Centre means you can enjoy a skate and then kick back in the sauna or hot tub or workout in the weight room. Nelson also has a curling rink and hosts the annual Summer Bonspiel, drawing curlers from across Western Canada and the USA.

Check out: Nelson and District Recreation Complex, Nelson Curling Club