About Whitewater Ski Resort
Whitewater Ski Resort — locally known simply as "Whitewater" or "WH2O" — is Nelson's home mountain, sitting roughly twenty minutes south of town in the Selkirk Mountains. Operating since 1975, it has earned a near-mythical reputation across North America for deep, dry powder and an unpretentious, community-run atmosphere that keeps skiers and snowboarders coming back.
The resort serves up steep tree runs, open bowls and legendary powder stashes across terrain served by its lifts, plus a rental and repair shop, ski and snowboard lessons, and avalanche education courses for those venturing into the backcountry. Nordic skiers and snowshoers can explore groomed and natural trails from the Hummingbird Lodge, and the base area is known for its exceptional, from-scratch cafeteria food.
Whitewater's appeal is its authenticity — no high-rise real estate, no crowds, just a huge annual snowfall and a genuine ski-town vibe. Every February it hosts the Kootenay Coldsmoke Powder Festival, and it anchors the region's reputation as one of the premier powder destinations on BC's Powder Highway.
