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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Silver Star
SilverStar Mountain Resort
Go for 2–3 nights in ski season (late Nov–mid-Apr) or 1–2 in summer; stay in the village so you can walk to lifts, not drive up daily.
Silver Star is a purpose-built ski village at 1,600 m, 22 km northeast of Vernon in the Okanagan. It is smaller and quieter than Whistler, with dry interior snow, 3,000+ acres of terrain and a compact Main Street where you can park the car for the whole stay. Winter is the reason to come; summer brings lift-served mountain biking and hiking. Two to three nights covers it; a day trip from Vernon works only if you ski or ride.
- Country
- Canada
- Local name
- SilverStar Mountain Resort
- Best months
- Late Nov–mid-Apr for skiing; late Jun–Sep for biking and hiking
- Avoid
- Apr–Jun and Oct–Nov (lift closures, mud, limited services)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$120–180 excl. bed · Mid C$180–300 excl. bed · High C$300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · HealthLink BC (24 h) 811
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$3–6 |
| Pizza in the village | C$18–22 |
| Beer: draught in a village pub / can from the market | C$8–10 / C$3–5 |
| Full-day adult lift ticket | C$109+ |
| Ski or snowboard rental, one day | C$50–80 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YLW · Kelowna International
- About 1 h by shuttle or car to the village; the nearest large airport.
Typical fares
- Kelowna airport → Silver Star, shuttle
- about C$90 one way, about 1 h
- Vernon → Silver Star, ski bus
- about C$20 one way, about 30 min
- Village parking
- free in most lots; check winter restrictions
Get around
The village is walkable: Main Street, the lifts and the rental shops are within about 10 minutes on foot. A free or low-cost on-mountain shuttle links the outlying lodges in winter (check the resort site). A car helps for Vernon, the Nordic centre and summer trailheads; in winter, snow tyres or chains are needed on Silver Star Road (check conditions).
See and do
Known for
- Ski-in/ski-out village at 1,600 m
- Dry Okanagan powder
- Lift-served mountain biking
- Sovereign Lake Nordic trails
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Vernon | Drive Silver Star Road, about 30 min; or the winter ski bus | About 30–40 min |
| Kelowna | Drive via Highway 97, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
| Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre | Drive or shuttle, about 10 min from the village | About 15 min |
| Osoyoos | Drive via Highway 97 south, about 2 h 30 min | About 2.5 h |
Sleep
- Silver Star village (Main Street)
- Hotels, apartments and hostels within a 5-min walk of the lifts; ski-in/ski-out or ride-in/ride-out. Best for a short trip without a car.
- Alpine Meadows and Silver Woods
- Condo and house rentals on the mountain, some ski-in/ski-out; quieter, needs a car or shuttle for the village.
- Vernon
- Town 22 km below with cheaper rooms and full services; you drive or take the ski bus up each day (about 30 min).Town 14 mi below with cheaper rooms and full services; you drive or take the ski bus up each day (about 30 min).
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you / Merci |
| Where is the lift? | Where is the lift? |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| I need help | I need help |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Silver Star Road climbs 22 km from Vernon and can be icy or snow-covered: check DriveBC before driving up.
- Lift tickets, rentals and lessons are cheaper booked online ahead; walk-up window prices are higher.
- On-mountain groceries and dining cost more than in Vernon: stock up in town if you are self-catering.
- Cell coverage is patchy on parts of the mountain; download maps and your booking details before you go.
- Winter daylight is short (sunset around 16:00 in Dec–Jan): plan the last run early.
Very safe for a mountain resort. The real risks are winter driving on Silver Star Road, tree wells and unmarked obstacles off-piste, and altitude plus cold on the upper mountain: ski with a partner and stay in bounds.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Silver Star yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ski-in/ski-out village at 1,600 m
- Dry Okanagan powder
- Lift-served mountain biking
- Sovereign Lake Nordic trails
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- SilverStar official site: www.skisilverstar.com/
- DriveBC road conditions: www.drivebc.ca/
- Wikivoyage: Silver Star, revision 5307252 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5307252
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Silver StarSilverStar Mountain Resort
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies on the mountain; the nearest consulates are in Vancouver. US citizens: consulate general in Vancouver (check the address).
Most staff speak English; French is an official language but rarely needed here.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/silver-star). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.