Grizzly spotted on the slopes at Big White near Gem Lake Wednesday afternoon

Grizzly hits the slopes

Photo: Michael J. Ballingall

Grizzly spotted on Big White slopes Wednesday afternoon.

A grizzly bear has been spotted on the snow covered slopes of Big White Wednesday afternoon.

Michael J. Ballingall, vice-president at Big White Ski Resort, tells Castanet the bruin was spotted in the Gem Lake area of the resort.

"Grizzly bear down at the Gem Lake. Those picnic tables normally have the Beavertails van around them. This was taken about three hours ago. It’s currently 6:45 p.m.," Ballingall says.

Ballingall says it's been a while since he's seen a grizzly at this time of year.

"Normally, not with this much snow around," says Ballingall.

Grizzlies are rare in the Okanagan. Kelowna is the Syilx word for "Grizzly bear," but populations have crashed to the point that some feared they were extirpated. The Okanagan Nation Alliance is now working to rebuild the population.