Photo via Toby Creek Nordic Ski Club
It’s a great time of year to hit the slopes or the ice, depending on your favourite winter activity. An iconic spot in B.C. that offers both is the Lake Windermere Whiteway – a “pure Canadian pond skating experience” and the longest of its kind in the world!
At 34 kilometres long, the Whiteway is the longest skating path in the world, according to the Toby Creek Nordic Ski Club. The groomed trail is maintained by the ski club and is part of the extensive mountain and creekside trail system at Panorama Mountain Resort.
Running the entirety of Lake Windermere, the track is long enough to connect the towns of Invermere and Windermere.
In one of their most recent posts, the ski club shares that ice conditions are among the best they’ve seen all season, the track having been “plowed and swept after a light snowfall” on Feb. 4, 2025.
According to its website, the Whiteway has tracks for both classic cross-country and skate skiing as well as a cleared ice skating track. Visitors can start at Kinsmen Beach, which also has a small skating rink with benches and a firepit, or opt to start at the Invermere Bay Condos or Windermere Beach.
Skaters and skiers can explore the path surrounded by breathtaking mountain scenery, with close access to Radium and Fairmont Hot Springs.
Want to make the trip an extra memorable experience? There’s a lantern ski coming up on Feb. 16, 2025, at Panorama Mountain Resort, with hundreds of lit candles lining the Paradox trail. So if you want to extend your visit into the evening, you’re in for a magical night on skis.
General Manager Quentin Randall shares that visitors are encouraged to check the ski club’s socials (Facebook or Instagram) the morning of their planned skate or ski.
“We typically only close if weather conditions create slushy conditions, which is a very small number of days every year,” he explains. “It’s uncommon for the Whiteway to be closed two days in a row, so even if someone is arriving to skate or ski the Whiteway and it is closed one day, it will likely be open another day.”
Skaters and skiers can access the iconic whiteway for just $5 per person, per day. This fee goes towards maintaining the groomed trail.
So there you have it, skating enthusiasts! There’s never been a better time to check out the world’s longest continuous skate path.
It’s certainly worth the trek this winter!
How to get there: Drive 11 hours from Vancouver to Invermere via the Crowsnest Highway/BC-3 E.
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