What You Get at Cypress Mountain
A ski area that covers 600 acres over a 600 m height, Cypress Mountain boasts 53 downhill runs ( 5 green, 23 blue, 21 black, and 12 double black) and 6 chairlifts, many of which are open for night skiing.
These are spread between two peaks, Mount Strachan and Black Mountain, and are complimented by 19 km of cross country trails, snowtubing, snowshoeing tours and stunning hiking trails for the off-season.
All this is facilitated by the Cypress Creek Lodge which hosts a ski school, rental shop, bar, cafe and grill.
Compared to that of nearby Grouse Mountain, Cypress Mountain's ski area is larger, higher and more varied. Grouse on the other hand is a great starter mountain for learners and children. And both offer spectacular views over Vancouver's North Shore.
Visiting Cypress Mountain
Cypress Mountain is just a 30 minute drive from downtown Vancouver. Day passes for downhill skiing vary from $64 (children) to $129 (adult), whereas night skiing costs from $34 (children) to $62 (adult). A Sky Card is worth purchasing if you are visiting for multiple days as this gives you a 20% discount, paying for itself immediately after the second day. Season passes are also available.
For the full range of prices including for cross country, tubing and everything else visit the website. (Note: Passes are cheaper online so buy them there if you can).
The History of Cypress Mountain
Contrary to what you might think there is no mountain called 'Cypress Mountain' at the ski area. It is instead named after the bowl between the two skiable mountains, Black Mountain and Mount Strachan, and a third mountain, Hollyburn Mountain. 'Cypress Bowl' in turn is named after the yellow cypress trees found frequently above 800 m in the area.
Cypress Mountain was born in the 1970s when two chair lifts were built on Mount Strachan and Black Mountain. Over the years that followed further chair lifts were added along with night skiing and, in 1987, snowboarding, making it the first place in British Columbia to allow this sport.
Its proudest hour came in 2010 when it hosted the freestyle and skiing events at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. This almost turned into a disaster when unseasonably low snowfall left the slopes worryingly bear. Thankfully snow was flown in by helicopter, sparing the mountain its blushes.
Interested in finding more places like this? Try one of our Vancouver Scavenger Hunts- untangle cryptic clues as a team, as you are taken on a journey to the most unique, unusual and bizarre corners of Vancouver and beyond!
