Flakes big as goose feathers muffle the glades, as two snowboarders glide silently past me. Scarcely noticing their passage, I drop into the trees and sink knee-deep, as my bright orange skis disappear under light powder.

Seconds later, I emerge on the edge of the glade and stop in awe; hundreds of glowing alpine peaks - thirty miles of undisturbed Canadian wilderness—stare back at me.

Pausing to burn the image into memory, I tip my skis and launch into the valley.

With winter flakes covering granite peaks around the west coast, military families are eagerly searching for quick, affordable mountain getaways for skiing and snow play. Despite the state of the Canadian dollar, some of the finest family retreats available to northwest bases lie less than five hours away, in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, near the town of Kelowna.

And those who have found these resorts often guard them like family secrets. 

“In the Rockies, resorts like Big White and Silver Star are getting more attention,” says Steven Threndyle, media relations manager for Big White. “Mountain conditions are incredible, and the packages available make them perfect destinations for families on a budget.”

Featuring the dry, ‘champagne powder’ of the Rocky’s Monashee Mountain range, the annual snowfall in this part of Okanagan averages up to 24-feet of the lightest, flakiest snow you might ever encounter. Military families can experience unparalleled skiing over panoramic vistas, sledding, tubing, and snow-shoeing (in powder-dry snow that won’t soak through parkas or create soggy mittens). Evenings provide opportunities to bond around a warm fire, enjoy horse-drawn sleigh rides, or stroll the snow-covered streets of a perpetual Christmas village.

“I was surprised at the amenities and great package prices at these resorts,” remarked retired Sergeant Eric Rindy from Elgin Air Force Base in Florida, on his family’s second trip to the Kelowna region. “You can bring your entire family here and find everything you need, without ever leaving!”

Touted as Canada’s largest ski-in/ski-out village, Kelowna’s Big White offers various accommodations, from budget suites to luxury hotels. The resort features five powder-filled back bowls for more advanced skiers, and a new six-person lift, called the Snow Ghost Express, minimizes lift lines and maximizes the time available for quality skiing and snowboarding. The resort’s Telus terrain park, frequently filled with budding ski and board acrobats, has received numerous awards, and has been recognized as one of the top terrain parks in western Canada.

Nearby Silver Star Resort, whose vast cross-country ski trail network is considered the continent’s top destination by the U.S. national ski team, boasts a Victorian style village with accommodation to suite every budget. Also near Kelowna, Sun Peaks Resort offers the longest vertical ski drop in British Columbia, while Apex features a resort that faces three directions, so warm sunlight is almost always found on one face of the mountain.

Targeted toward vacationing families, resorts like Big White and Silver Star offer daily ski/snow boarding schools for children as young as three years of age.  On-site snow-tubing and sledding areas are supplemented by other non-skier activities, such as sleigh rides, skating, snow shoeing, and ample shopping in boutiques and specialty shops. Most of the kid-friendly amenities at Big White, including their award-winning Kid’s Center, are reached by a quick gondola ride at the base of the village—close to the tubing and ice-skating areas.

Full families can find something to do at these resorts: as a testimony to one resort’s efforts to deliver unique family experiences, Silver Star Resort offers a special dinner tour where families experience a moonlit ride in a 12-passenger snow-cat to a rustic mountaintop cabin, where a professionally-prepared gourmet meal awaits.

“Everything is exceptional up here, but it’s the unique mountain scenery that really gets you coming back year after year,” summarizes Rindy.

Regular visitors quickly become familiar with the iconic snow trolls that appear each winter on the high alpine slopes. Jovially referred to as ‘snow ghosts’, the upper slopes at Big White and Silver Star feature snow-shrouded fir trees, bent over under the accumulated weight of Kelowna’s finest powder. Appearing almost alive, these mountain trolls stand sentry over scenic vistas that span across the Monashee Mountains.

“You stand up above the clouds, looking down at snow-covered meadows filled with snow ghosts…, you almost don’t want to ski down, you’re just so hyped up by the beauty,” remarked Rindy’s step-son Cody.

“I’ll race you to the lifts!” he says, as he and Rindy drop away from me, into a deep glade, and out of sight.

For more information about ski destinations, discounted tours and Northwest ski resorts available to military families, contact your local MWR office.

(Michael Kundu, an External Affairs Specialist for the Department of Homeland Security, worked at Naval Station Everett MWR for seven years. He continues to write freelance outdoor sports articles in publications across the country.)