
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 is a North Shore local hill, so it pays to be honest about scale: around 243 hectares and 53 runs across two peaks, Black Mountain and Mount Strachan, with a 610-metre vertical. What it lacks in size it makes up for in steepness, with 38% advanced and 6% expert alongside 43% intermediate and 13% beginner. Heavy coastal snow, close to 11.2 metres in an average season, feeds gladed trees and open bowls when conditions allow, though the modest elevation means rain and heavy, wet snow can arrive on warm systems.
The Eagle Express detachable quad serves the main face on Black Mountain, and the Raven Ridge Quad opened nine intermediate and expert runs to the east. Collins is the long cruising option, and linking T33 into Collins makes a run of about 4.1 kilometres. Beginners get a modest amount of gentle ground. Cypress suits Vancouver residents after quick, steep-leaning laps, intermediates stepping into black runs and Ikon Pass holders passing through the city. Visitors expecting big-mountain scale will find it compact, and should treat it as a day trip.
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.
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Less than four months out from the Crans-Montana 2027 World Championships, the man running the organising committee has stepped down. Claude-Alain Schmidhalter resigned as Swiss-Ski vice president and OC president after being indicted over a business dispute unrelated to skiing. He denies the allegations and faces court on October 27. Interim leaders are in place for the February 1-14 event.

Kelly Canyon had a rough 2025-26, and the Idaho resort has spent the summer making sure it doesn’t repeat. Snowmaking now reaches the top of Goldrush, the terrain park is doubling in size with a stereo system, lights and a snack shack, and the car park is getting bigger. Grooming is stepping up too. Target opening is December 4, conditions permitting.

Winter was meant to be winding down in Chile. Then Valle Nevado took 108 cm in 48 hours in early October, and the resort has pushed its closing date out to November 8 - its latest in 38 years of operation. That makes 143 days of skiing since opening day on June 19, with 690 cm banked for the season. Only part of the mountain is running while the storm settles, so check the mountain report before you plan a trip.

The Alps look a lot more like winter today, for a day or so. A cold front is moving west to east, dropping up to 35 cm on high glaciers and peaks, with snow levels falling to around 1,500-1,800 m at times. Don’t plan a trip around it: mid-elevation snow will be thin and wet, every area is closed bar a limited Sölden glacier opening tomorrow, and warmer weather returns by Monday.

Mammoth Mountain is first up in California, targeting Friday 13 November after a dusting of September snow. Heavenly and Northstar follow on 20 November, Palisades Tahoe on Wednesday 25 November and Sugar Bowl on 27 November, with Kirkwood on 4 December and June Mountain on 19 December. Plenty of smaller areas have no date yet. A super El Niño favours the Sierra, but a warmer storm track is the catch.

Arapahoe Basin, Keystone and Winter Park are all chasing an October start, though none has a firm date yet. The first dated openers are Breckenridge and Copper on Friday 6 November, then Vail on 13 November, with most of the rest bunched around US Thanksgiving. Hesperus did not open at all last season. A super El Niño offers hope but no guarantee, and forecasters say the southern mountains have the better odds.

Dolomiti Superski is spending around €100 million across its 12 areas before winter. Kronplatz gets a new 10-passenger gondola with a middle station, 3 Zinnen gets Helmissimo, and Val di Fassa swaps a chairlift for a gondola above Col Valvacin. New water-storage basins and upgraded snowmaking follow, and construction has started on the San Martino to Passo Rolle link. A peak adult day pass is €89.

Brian Head is targeting 6 November, though last year it aimed for 7 November and did not open until the 25th. Park City, Alta and Solitude are pencilled in for 20 November, Snowbird and Snowbasin for 27 November, and Deer Valley for 5 December. Eagle Point will stay closed after the Cottonwood Fire. A super El Niño is forecast, but the big snow is not expected until January.
5 live angles across the mountain. Tap any camera to go full-screen.
More Cypress Mountain intelligence: snow report, lift tickets, trail map, resort overview.