Ski & snowboarding 2023/24 preview; It's the time of year when skiers and boarders get excited to head back to the slopes.

Considered North America's premier mountain resort, Whistler Blackcomb launches the season Nov. 23. You can still get lodging, ski lift and rental deals before Nov. 15. A one-day Whistler Blackcomb Day Pass is $139.

The official alpine skiing venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the resort features two mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb. Together they offer more than 200 marked ski runs, 3,307 hectares of terrain, 16 alpine bowls and three glaciers. And the resort boasts one of the longest ski seasons in North America.

Vail Resorts, which owns the ski operations, has been improving and upgrading the facilities and experience each year. This year the four-person Fitzsimmons Express chairlift, located at the Whistler Village base, was replaced with an eight-person high speed chair - to get more people up the mountain faster. Notable happenings: Cheer on the world's fastest luge athletes as they compete at the Whistler Sliding Centre in the Ebersp?cher Luge World Cup on Dec. 15 and 16.

The World Ski & Snowboard Festival takes place in April for a week of non-stop ski and snowboard competitions, music, art, photography, and filmmaking. Other options: Whistler offers ski lessons, sightseeing on the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, or visitors can just enjoy the village, shops and worldclass restaurants.

SUN PEAKS RESORT

The resort is the second-largest ski area in Canada with two alpine bowls, 138 runs and 13 lifts across three mountains. Opening day is Nov. 18. Day tickets are available online for $100. An adult season pass is $1,699.

Located 45 minutes north of Kamloops, the European-style ski-in/ski-out, pedestrian village features locally-owned and operated shops, restaurants and lodging. Each mountain is easily accessible from the central village and you can ride all three in the same day. Winter activities include: Backcountry tours, Nordic skiing, dog sledding, fat bike trails, guided ice fishing, horse drawn sleigh rides and skating.

BIG WHITES KI RESORT

This season marks 60 years of skiing at Big White, located less than one hour from Kelowna. It boasts Canada's largest ski-in/ski-out resort village and is family friendly. A weekday adult day pass is $109 and includes night skiing. A day pass for Saturday or Sunday is $130.

Skiers and snowboarders can enjoy 119 designated runs, serviced by 16 lifts, and 25 kilometres of combined Nordic and wilderness trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Notable: The grand opening of the Spa at Stonebridge Lodge. The Ridge Day Lodge has been renovated and will reopen this winter.

SILVER STAR MOUNTAIN RESORT

SilverStar is located 22 km from Vernon and less than an hour from Kelowna's airport. It offers deep champagne powder, a lively mid-mountain ski village with skiin/ski-out access and Canada's first all-inclusive lift ticket.

A four-day ski pass is $439 if purchased before the alpine opening on Nov. 30. The Nordic skiing opening day is Nov. 23. The four days do not have to be consecutive and include access to tubing, skating, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing and fat biking.

The resort features four mountain faces and has 132 runs, 12 lifts and, on the backside of the mountain, more than 770 ha of steep, deep, black and double black diamond runs. SilverStar is also a prime destination for cross-country skiers, with 105 km of trails that include neighbouring Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre, and features a lit track for night skiing, lift access to upper trails and two biathlon ranges.

For the 2023-24 season, new service improvements include 21 new Gondola Cabins, more parking, two new groomers and RFID gates.

Events include a Wellness Festival in early December, and the largest winter carnival in western Canada takes place Feb. 2-11.

In its third year, with almost 1,000 racers last winter, Sovereign Lake NC and SilverStar Mountain Resort present the Sovereign2SilverStar Ski Marathon April 6-7. A point to party event with two of everything: two days (classic and skate), two distances each day (40 km and 21 km) and two ski areas (start at Sovereign Lake and finish on Main Street of SilverStar village).

AP EX MOUNTAIN RESORT

Located in the heart of the Okanagan Valley, 30 minutes from Penticton, Apex is famous for its light and dry champagne powder. It offers four lifts, 79 trails and a variety of bowls, glades and terrain parks, along with a cosy village setting with ski-in/ski-out access and ample apr?s ski fun. A threeday lift pass is $286 if purchased 48-hours in advance.

Other activities include the tube park, snowshoeing, skating and cross-country skiing along the 56 km trail at Nickel Plate Nordic Centre. Apex Mountain Resort has a 3/4 km skate loop through a forest. The resort is also home to an ice hockey rink at the highest elevation in Canada. And the resort offers loads of kids activities. Notable: Vertical & Vintages is one of the highlights of the season at Apex Resort where guests can enjoy an evening of sipping many of the famous wines from the local wineries. No date was available at press deadline.

KICKING HORSE MOUNTAIN RESORT

Kicking Horse - the "Champagne Powder Capital of Canada" - also boasts the most chute skiing in North America. Tucked between the Purcell and Rocky Mountains ranges near Golden, Kicking Horse has one of the biggest verticals in North America, 121 runs, five alpine bowls, five lifts, a tube park and skating rink.

The ski season opens in December and a two-day pass starts at $278.

"It deserves the status as the only place in North America that has consecutively hosted the Freeride World Tour ... it's got the most chutes in North America, top 10 vertical drop and over 3,000 acres. So in short this Horse is rowdy and real big," says Matt Mosteller (Powder Matt) of the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies.

REVEL STOKE MOUNTAIN RESORT

Nestled in the interior in the Selkirk Range, Revelstoke Mountain Resort is best known for its amazing terrain, incredible snow and unforgettable views. Book by Nov. 15 and get one-day access and lift tickets for $109. Home to the most vertical in North America at 1,713 metres, Revelstoke offers wide-open alpine bowls, glades and fast groomers. With an average snowfall of 10.5 m annually, chances are you're going to find some fresh tracks.

Along with skiing, the resort is also home to a luxury ski-in-ski out hotel (The Sutton Place Hotel), great dining and shopping options.

In recent years, Revelstoke has focused its efforts on improving the ski/snowboard experience for beginner and intermediate riders. With many terrain improvements in the Ripper Zone already in place, Revelstoke Mountain Resort plans to add a new learning area and surface carpet to the Stellar Chair zone.

Ikon Pass holders now have access to an incredible Western road trip with Sun Peaks Resort, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, SkiBig3 (Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise Ski Resort and Mt. Norquay), Panorama Mountain Resort, RED Mountain and Schweitzer, Idaho all within a half day drive (or less) of one another. Notable: The Natural Selection Tour takes place March 10-17. The athletes will meet in Revelstoke to compete for the title of the world's best all-mountain freestyle rider. Visitors of the resort can watch the event live streamed on the big screen.

KIMBERLEY ALPINE RESORT

Surrounded by the soaring peaks of the Purcell and Rocky Mountains, Kimberley Alpine Resort is a popular destination for the view alone and the community's carfree downtown is filled with great places to eat and shop. A one day pass is $109.

This quaint resort is known as much for its family-friendly amenities as it is for its great skiing with a quiet atmosphere and minimal lift lines. The resort has 80 runs. Kimberley offers a variety of ski-in/ski-out accommodation, 33 km of cross-country trails, one of North America's longest illuminated night skiing runs, more than 30 km of groomed fat biking trails and a skating rink.

FERNIE ALPINE RESORT

Serious powder hounds eagerly make the trek to the southeastern corner of B.C. to ski at Fernie Alpine Resort for not only snow, but the biggest vertical in the Canadian Rockies.

Up to 11 m of snow blankets this resort each year, ranking it among the snowiest ski and snowboard destinations in Canada. This is good news for adventurers looking to carve tracks amid 1,011 ha of terrain spread across five alpine bowls.

Known for its steep and deep conditions, Fernie's 142 marked runs will ensure days are spent cruising non-stop fresh fall lines.

With a ride up the Polar Peak chairlift, skiers can launch off the summit of one of the highest peaks in the Lizard Range at 1,082 m.

A three-day pass starts at $418. "Don't forget - bring your '80s gear here. Hot Tub Time Machine rules, plus Hallmark romance, Love in Glacier National: A National Park Romance. But you need to watch CARCA, Triggered for real," says Powder Matt.

PANORAMA MOUNTAIN RESORT

Friendly and laid back, Panorama has long been a family-favourite ski destination. Situated 308 km west of Calgary, guests can park the car and walk or ski anywhere they want in the village.

This winter, Panorama is providing an enhanced service for guests travelling through Calgary International Airport, with a new fleet of shuttle buses offering daily return transfers to the resort with pick-up and drop-off in Banff, so guests can add this iconic mountain town to their trip.

Winter enthusiasts love Panorama for the 1,300 m of vertical descent (it's top 10 in North America), breathtaking scenery, the skito-your-door accommodation, on-mountain hot pools and alpine hut-to-hut dining.

Panorama has more than 136 runs, 10 lifts and two high-alpine passenger snowcats.

Book by Nov. 15 for the best resort and lift deals. A one-day pass is $127.

In addition to skiing and snowboarding, adventurers can experience private heli-skiing and snowmobiling tours from the village, glide on 20 km of groomed Nordic trails or try fat-tire biking along the snowy banks of Toby Creek.

Powder seekers will have twice the access to Panorama's Monster terrain again this winter with a second Monster X passenger snowcat. The Monster zone is located on the far side of Taynton Bowl, a 950-acre area of inbounds backcountry style runs.

Each Monster X snowcat shuttles up to 13 passengers at a time to the highest point of this spectacular terrain.

Panorama will be hosting the NorAm Finals from April 1-11. This event welcomes top athletes from across North America to compete in both speed and technical alpine ski disciplines.

RED MOUNTAIN RESORT

Located in Rossland, and the first stop on Canada's famous Powder Highway, RED delivers 1,558 ha of pristine skiing, putting it in the top 10 size wise in North America.

Add in 7.6 m of annual snowfall, $10/run cat-skiing, a boutique hotel and a modern hostel at the base, plus new mid-mountain cabins, and its little wonder why RED was named the most underrated resort by Skiing magazine.

With the new chairlift on Topping Creek, along with seven more runs over 121 ha to streamline skier flow to Grey Mountain, there's never been a better time to visit. Single day ticket prices are not yet listed.

From the summit of Grey Mountain, guests can hitch a ride in a snowcat to the top of adjacent Mount Kirkup. Guests can try powder skiing with an incredible vertical drop (626 m) on runs back to the Grey chairlift.

WHITE WATER SKI RESORT

Whitewater is a skiing destination with a down-to-earth community vibe. An average of 12 m of snow falls each season, drifting over a terrain that covers 958 skiable ha and 632 vertical m of uncrowded slopes.

The mountain features 99 runs and five lifts, as well as five km of groomed multi-use tracks for Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking or taking your pup for an alpine stroll. A five day package can be purchased for $475.

Located along Canada's famous Powder Highway, Whitewater is just a short drive from Nelson.

A new quad will take guests to the top of Silver King Ridge from the main base area, moving as many as 1,600 people per hour, and will allow skiers and snowboarders inbound access to more than 64 ha of steep gladed skiing as well as a few new groomed runs.

The Hummingbird Lodge and Campground situated on the edge of the resort boundary provides access to winter touring, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and backcountry related education.

MOUNT WASHINGTON ALPINE RESORT

Mount Washington Alpine Resort has it all: rugged West Coast beauty, easy proximity to a dynamic urban community and glorious snow. It's located high above Courtenay on Vancouver Island, and is a 40-minute drive from Comox Valley International Airport and the city of Campbell River.

Thanks to its island setting it gets tons of snow, 11.5 m per season on average. It has over 688 ha of skiable terrain, 81 runs, two terrain parks and five lifts, as well as four Magic Carpets and a tube park. The resort features a laid-back, family-oriented alpine village with ski-in/ski-out accommodation. It is also home to one of North America's top-rated Nordic Centres, with miles of groomed trails to explore. Perched on the edge of vast Strathcona Provincial Park, it offers 55 km of machine groomed cross-country trails and 25 km of snowshoeing trails that meander through forested parkland.

A mid-week pass with alpine and Nordic, and night skiing on Friday nights, for the 2023-24 season is $869. Operation dates are from Dec. 8 to April 7. This list was compiled with contributions from Destination B.C. and Matt Mosteller, the senior vice-president of the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, who goes by the moniker Powder Matt.