
Cypress Mountain
243 hectares, 53 runs in West Vancouver. 2010 Olympic freestyle venue, closest resort to Vancouver, Ikon Pass.
Cypress Mountain's summit reaches 1,440 metres, dropping 610 vertical metres to a base at 830 metres across 53 runs spread over roughly 243 hectares in West Vancouver, British Columbia. Terrain splits 43 per cent intermediate, 38 per cent advanced, 13 per cent beginner and 6 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 11.2 metres. The resort carries Ikon Pass affiliation. Seven lifts, including five quad chairs and one double chair, serve the mountain alongside one surface lift.
Cypress Mountain holds a genuinely significant place in Olympic history as the official venue for freestyle skiing and snowboard events at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, awarded by the International Olympic Committee in July 2003. Its considerable proximity to downtown Vancouver, combined with substantial annual snowfall, has built Cypress's reputation as the city's most accessible major ski destination.
The ski operation, previously known as Cypress Bowl, was sold to Boyne Resorts in 2001 and renamed Cypress Mountain. Ownership changed hands again in 2007, when Boyne sold the operation to CNL Income Properties, a US tax shelter entity, before the resort passed to Och-Ziff Capital Management following CNL's wind-down.
Cypress hosted its Olympic freestyle skiing and snowboard events from 13 to 27 February 2010, supported by 16.7 million Canadian dollars in infrastructure investment from the Vancouver Organizing Committee. Boyne Canada bought back the resort in March 2018 and continues to operate it today. Adult daily tickets run from 89 to 105 Canadian dollars.
Cypress Mountain spreads 53 runs across 600 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 43%, with 7 beginner runs to find your feet and 23 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
The 2025-26 season at Cypress Mountain ran from 21 November 2025 to 12 April 2026, a roughly twenty-one-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 11.2 metres, among the highest totals of any resort in the Vancouver area. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather on the North Shore mountains.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent, substantial snowfall to Cypress's intermediate-and-advanced-weighted terrain. As an Ikon Pass resort, Cypress draws considerable visitation from Vancouver residents and pass holders alike, given its position as the city's most convenient major resort.
Cypress's night-skiing programme continues to draw strong weekday evening visitation from Vancouver throughout the season. School holiday periods bring substantial family visitation given the resort's considerable proximity to the city and varied terrain.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations and night skiing is not confirmed in available resort information. Since hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics freestyle skiing and snowboard events, Cypress has continued building on its Olympic legacy under Boyne Canada's ownership since 2018. The resort's Olympic heritage and proximity to Vancouver remain central to its enduring popularity.
Cypress Mountain sits in West Vancouver, British Columbia, on the North Shore mountains, with a base elevation of 830 metres and a summit at 1,440 metres across a 610-metre vertical drop over roughly 243 hectares. This setting places Cypress within Vancouver's metropolitan area, considerably closer to the city than most major Canadian resorts.
West Vancouver and the broader Metro Vancouver region offer extensive lodging, dining and services within a short drive of the resort, given Cypress's position essentially within the city's boundaries.
Cypress Bowl Road provides direct access to the resort from West Vancouver, connecting to the region's highway network. Winter driving conditions on this route can include snow and ice at higher elevations, and chains or appropriate tyres are often required.
Vancouver International Airport, roughly a 45-minute drive away, is the primary gateway for visitors flying into the region, with Cypress's considerable proximity to Vancouver making it a genuinely convenient option for both residents and international visitors on limited time.
Hotels and lodges near Cypress Mountain, powered by Stay22.

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.

Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.

Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.

We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.

Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.

An aerial tram carrying around fifty passengers struck the boom of a construction crane on the route to Pic Blanc at Alpe d'Huez on Wednesday morning, injuring 23 people, three seriously. The cabin tipped on impact before the operator reversed it to right the car. Most of the injured were treated on site, with five taken to hospital in Grenoble, including a pregnant woman assessed as a precaution.

A deadly flood on the Nepal-China border, a decade-old tragedy on Italy's Marmolada, and an unstable glacier right now above a village near Zermatt - three very different mountain ranges, the same underlying story. Warming ice is destabilising terrain that was considered settled for generations, and the results range from catastrophic floods to slow-motion monitoring situations that could go either way.

Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.
The 2025 - 2026 season at Cypress Mountain closed on Apr 12, 2026. Check back for next season's opening date and ticket pricing.
Day passes start from CA$65, with peak rates up to CA$105.
Full day skiing at Cypress Mountain, Vancouver's largest ski hill with 53 runs and 6 chairlifts. Located just 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver, Cypress Mountain offers 600 acres of terrain and the longest vertical drop on the North Shore.
Buy passDiscounted lift tickets for seniors 65+ at Cypress Mountain. Enjoy skiing above Vancouver with spectacular city and ocean views. Cypress Mountain features the most extensive artificial snowmaking equipment in BC.
Buy passYouth skiing at Cypress Mountain for ages 13-25. Perfect for students and young adults exploring Vancouver's premier ski destination. Cypress Mountain hosted 2010 Olympic freestyle skiing and snowboard cross events.
Buy passChildren's lift tickets for ages 6-12 at Cypress Mountain. Kids enjoy beginner-friendly terrain including the Easy Rider chairlift and bunny hill. Cypress Mountain offers excellent ski lessons and children's programs.
Buy passUnlimited skiing at Cypress Mountain except Dec 26-Jan 2. Silver eXtra Pass includes 50% off Boyne Resorts, Nordic access for $75, and discounted blackout tickets. Perfect for regular skiers wanting flexibility.
Buy passMore Cypress Mountain intelligence: snow report, webcams, resort overview.