Big White Bike Park, Kelowna, BC

Overview

BHA was hired by Big White Ski Resort to complete a Master Plan that will guide the development of their new bike park trails network. The Bike Park is destined to become the core element of the resort’s summer programming. The trail system was designed around Big White’s beautiful alpine meadows, forests and village area, respecting the natural environment while achieving a balanced riding experience for all abilities. Using high resolution LiDAR mapping, BHA developed a comprehensive GIS database to detail the existing mountain vegetation and terrain, making note of environmental attributes such as riparian and other sensitive areas. From this data, we completed a mountain bike terrain analysis for Big White, and subsequently, the creation of plans describing a well-balanced trail system that caters to all types of ability levels. The Master Plan also incorporates key staging points, viewpoints and opportunities to develop additional summer activities. The first trails at the Big White Bike Park opened to the public on August 4, 2017, and construction of additional trails is ongoing.