It’s easy to stoke the fire (a.k.a. work up an appetite) while carving tracks on British Columbia terrain. And when skiers and boarders wrap a day’s play, they reward themselves with everything from family festivities to toast-worthy treats. Here are some of the best ways to soak up BC’s après atmosphere.

Skating is one of many family activities available in Whistler. Image: @ryanregehr via Instagram

Family Fun

Activity suited for all ages is a tall order, and British Columbia delivers.

In Whistler, après activity is an outdoor affair. Set in the Whistler Olympic Plaza, select evenings in the winter offer everything from live entertainment and snowman-building competitions, to storytelling and tobogganing. Tip: check with a Village Host, as offerings change week to week.

At Sun Peaks Resort, Moonlight Snowshoe & S’mores tours explore the winter landscape overlooking the village, a sight illuminated by shimmering lights. The three-kilometre (1.86-mile) trek through the forest ends next to a campfire with freshly made, ooey-gooey treats and hot apple cider.

Ice climbing at Big White Ski Resort. Image: Big White Ski Resort

Big White Ski Resort’s Happy Valley Adventure Park is home to a 18-metre (60-foot) Ice Climbing Tower, geared for everyone from beginners to advanced ice pickers. To take it up a notch, book a twilight snowmobiling tour, and finish the evening with hot chocolate and marshmallows toasted over a bonfire.

SilverStar Mountain Resort’s outdoor skating rink. Photo: Blake Jorgenson

A hop, skip, and a schuss further north, SilverStar Mountain Resort offers endless activities from sliding fun at the tube park, spins on the outdoor mountain pond, and snowshoe and cross-country treks through forests of fir. If you still have steam, opt for mini snowmobile rides, sleigh rides, dinner tours, and more.

At Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, near Golden, families hit the newly redesigned Tube Zone. Head to the top, via the Jelly Bean surface lift, and hold on for a shriek-worthy downhill glide. Further south in Fernie, cool kids cruise on the snow in an entirely different way, thanks to mammoth-wheeled fat bikes. What’s in store? A low-gear ride easily mastered by first-timers and seasoned cyclists alike.

Die-hard skiers and snowboarders drawn to deep powder at Whitewater Ski Resort find nearby Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort alluring. First discovered by the Ktunaxa First Nation, Ainsworth’s healing, mineral-rich water—both in the pool and in the resort’s unique cave—is ideal for working out the kinks.

Quintessentially Canadian Experiences

Some don’t-miss winter activities are as Canadian as beavers and maple syrup.

Gear up at Sun Peaks Resort, where après-ski activities include twirls on the resort’s NHL-sized outdoor skating rink. Public skating is standard fare, but so too are the drop-in hockey sessions that fine-tune skills.

Head to Apex, where you can lace up the skates on another NHL-sized hockey rink, a snowball’s throw from the village. For a change of scenery, bundle up for a glide along the resort’s skating loop, a one-kilometre (0.6-mile) stretch ablaze with white Christmas lights. The Zamboni-maintained pathway assures a smooth ride.

Hockey? For sure. Revelstoke has you covered if you want to cheer with beer and watch small-town Junior B hockey at its best at a Revelstoke Grizzlies home game.

In Kimberley, it’s tough to beat the serenity of the slopes during a snowshoe crunch. The Mountain Descent will get you there; a ride on the North Star Express to the front side of the mountain follows a winding, interpretive route back to the village base. Your reward: a homemade snack served with hot chocolate.

Going for a dip at Sun Peaks Resort. Image: Royce Sihlis

Dining, With a Twist

Dining at BC’s ski resorts doesn’t have to be just the standard fare.

At Sun Peaks, the Fondue Dinner and Evening Descent combines outdoor adventure with culinary indulgence. A trip up the Sunburst Express chairlift to the Sunburst Mid Mountain Restaurant finishes with fondue backed by live music. Post-meal, take a headlamp cruise down 5 Mile, a ski run set aglow by lanterns.

Big White’s evening sleigh ride, Dinner & Sleigh Bells, will transport you to a cabin in the woods for a gourmet dinner in the woods.

Kimberley Alpine Resort’s Kootenay Haus Cabin Mountain Top Snowshoe S’mores Tour promises a sweet reward. Here, the North Star Express will drop you at the top of the mountain; a gentle 30-minute snowshoe tour makes tracks to Kootenay House, where hot chocolate and s’mores await.

Panorama’s Elkhorn Cabin promises a delicious fondue experience. Image: Stephan Malette Photography

Elkhorn Cabin at Panorama Mountain Resort offers equally gooey options. Set midway down

Panorama’s Rollercoaster run, the cabin serves up a Swiss raclette-style meal, where you’ll melt a cornucopia of cheese,  and cook vegetables and meat on your own personal grill. It’s a tasty (albeit messy) indulgence that is amplified when served with local BC wines and craft beer.

Pulled pork nachos at Dusty’s are a favourite après-ski snack. Image: @ryanregehr via Instagram

Local Libations

Sometimes you need more than the heat of a bonfire to warm your fingers and toes. Where to start? Dance in your boots at the Garibaldi Lift Co. at Whistler Mountain’s base, line up a ski shot at Merlin’s Bar at neighbouring Blackcomb Mountain, or sip a Caesar, the ultimate Canadian après beverage, at Dusty’s Bar & BBQ in Creekside.

The Gunbarrel Coffee, served up at Big White. Image: Big White Ski Resort

At Big White’s Moose Lounge, in BC’s Thompson Okanagan, live music, local menus, and libations come with free crafts and popcorn for the little ones. For a change of scenery, head south to Apex Mountain Resort. In the heart of the village, the resort’s famed Gunbarrel Saloon serves up nibbles alongside local craft beers and seasonal favourites, including its own version of a Grand Marnier Gunbarrel coffee—sure to thaw even hardcore skiers and boarders.

Further northeast, at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, locally brewed Begbie beer draws fans to the Mackenzie Common Tavern at the village base. Don’t like beer? Order an Ugly Sweater, the tavern’s signature cocktail. If the night’s still young, keep the party going at the Village Idiot Bar & Grill, a convivial ski-town watering hole known for its tasty menus and boisterous atmosphere.

Panorama Mountain Resort’s family-owned and -operated Earl Grey Lodge offers the Smokehouse Cabin. An extension of Grey Restaurant, the cabin welcomes skiers and boarders for après treats, including smoked Canadian meats, along with vegetarian and gluten-free favourites.

Everything’s cool at Fernie’s Ice Bar. Image: Fernie Alpine Resort

Further southeast, the mood is chill at Fernie’s Lizard Creek Lodge. Here, the Ice Bar showcases Stoli vodka alongside vodkas from across the globe in a sub-zero tasting room, where enthusiasts, clad in Helly Hansen goose-down parkas, join the hotel’s resident vodka expert to sample the goods.

Listen to live music and order a pint of Rossland Beer Company’s finest at Rafter’s Lounge at RED Mountain Resort, in Rossland, further east. Nearby, in downtown Rossland, the Flying Steamshovel pairs local brews with friendly rivalry, be it a game of pool or a spirited round of Neglin, a traditional German game where participants furiously pound nails into a solid stump of wood.

Skip the competitive vibe and head to the cultural city of Nelson, where post-Whitewater après activity includes live jazz at the historic Library Lounge in the Hume Hotel. Established in 1898, the Hume is an excellent meeting place to shake off the winter chill, and enjoy a hearty meal at day’s end.

On Vancouver Island, locals meet and greet at Mount Washington Alpine Resort’s Ted’s Bar + Grill. A family favourite by day, the grill transforms when the sun sets, with brews, signature cocktails, and local pub fare backed by live entertainment.

Featured image: Panorama Mountain Photo: Zoya Lynch