Manning Park
57 hectares, 34 runs within E.C. Manning Provincial Park. Affordable family skiing, kids 6 and under free.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
11 Dec 2026
Closes
4 Apr 2027
Days open
114
Annual snow
8.2m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Manning Park's summit reaches 1,789 metres, dropping 432 vertical metres to a base at 1,357 metres across 34 runs spread over roughly 57 hectares within E.C. Manning Provincial Park, British Columbia. Terrain splits 40 per cent intermediate, 30 per cent each for advanced and beginner, and no dedicated expert terrain, with average annual snowfall of roughly 8.2 metres. The resort carries Indy Pass affiliation. Three lifts, including one quad chair, serve the mountain alongside one surface lift and one t-bar.
Manning Park holds a genuinely distinctive place among British Columbia ski areas as one of three provincial government-developed resorts opened in the early 1960s under Premier W.A.C. Bennett, alongside Cypress Bowl and Mount Seymour. Its considerable affordability and family-friendly, uncrowded terrain have built Manning Park's reputation as a genuine value destination within a two-hour drive of Vancouver.
E.C. Manning Provincial Park was established in 1941 through the work of Chief Forester E.C. Manning and Minister of Lands Arthur Wellesley Gray. The completion of the Hope-Princeton Highway in 1949 made the park accessible by motor vehicle for the first time, and the original lodge, a single building known as Pinewoods, gave way to chalets built in 1950 and standard cottages added through the 1960s.
The provincial government put its three ski areas, including Manning Park's Gibson Pass ski area, up for sale by 1986. Kevin Demers acquired Manning Park Resort in April 2013, with the resort's operating permit covering all commercial buildings, the ski hill, nordic trails and equipment. Adult daily tickets run from 35 Canadian dollars on weekdays to 45 on weekends.
432m
Vertical
34
Runs
141 acres
Skiable
8.2m
Annual snow
Indy
Pass
The Terrain
34 runs across 141 acres skiable
Manning Park, home to the Gibson Pass ski area, is a small provincial park hill and is best approached that way, with about 57 hectares, 34 runs and a 432-metre vertical between 1,357 and 1,789 metres. The grading is simple at 40% intermediate, 30% beginner and 30% advanced, with no expert terrain. It sits high enough to hold reliable snow, around 8.2 metres in a season, but it is a short day for strong skiers. Its appeal is the relaxed, uncrowded feel, the low cost and the setting inside a large provincial park, about two hours from Vancouver.
A new quad chair installed for the 2019-20 season replaced the old Orange Chair and now serves most of the runs, while a t-bar and surface lift cover the learning areas. There is a terrain park, and a tubing lane keeps non-skiers entertained between ski sessions. Manning suits beginners, families and Vancouver day-trippers on a budget, plus intermediates who simply want to build mileage. Advanced skiers will find some pitch but little variety, so treat it as a quiet local day rather than a destination.
Terrain split
34
runs
34 runs across 4 grades
Beginner10 runs · 30%
Intermediate14 runs · 40%
Advanced10 runs · 30%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Manning Park
The 2025-26 season at Manning Park ran from 13 December 2025 to 5 April 2026, a roughly sixteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 8.2 metres. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather within the provincial park.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions to Manning Park's beginner-and-intermediate-weighted terrain. As an Indy Pass resort, Manning Park draws considerable value-focused visitation, with free lift access for children aged six and under adding to its family appeal.
Manning Park's considerable affordability continues to draw budget-conscious families and day visitors from the Lower Mainland throughout the season. School holiday periods bring substantial family visitation given the resort's approachable terrain and pricing structure.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Kevin Demers' 2013 acquisition, Manning Park has continued building on more than six decades of history since the provincial government first developed the ski area in the early 1960s. The resort's affordability and provincial park setting remain central to its enduring family appeal.
Season 2026 - 2027
11 Dec 2026
Opens
4 Apr 2027
Closes
114
Days open
8.2 m
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Manning Park
Daily snow reports at Manning Park go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
57 cm
Snowiest day
30 Mar 2026
0 cm
This winter · 2026-27
so far
955 cm
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
cm
Past wintersThis winter
Getting there
Getting to Manning Park, and where to stay
Manning Park sits within E.C. Manning Provincial Park, British Columbia, with a base elevation of 1,357 metres and a summit at 1,789 metres across a 432-metre vertical drop over roughly 57 hectares. This setting places the resort within a large provincial park roughly two hours from Vancouver.
The resort's own lodge and cottages, developed from the original Pinewoods building through the 1950s and 1960s, provide accommodation directly within the park, with no separate town nearby.
Highway 3, the Hope-Princeton Highway, provides direct access to the resort, a route completed in 1949 that first made the park accessible by vehicle. Winter driving conditions on this mountain highway can include snow and ice, and travellers should carry appropriate equipment.
Vancouver International Airport, roughly a two-and-a-half-hour drive away, is the primary gateway for visitors flying into the region, with Manning Park's considerable distance from the airport balanced by its status as a genuinely affordable day-trip and weekend option from the Lower Mainland.
Where to stay
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Hotels and lodges near Manning Park, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Utah Snow Storm Builds Early-Season Base Ahead of November Openings
Rain down low, snow up high, and a snow report full of zeros that mostly means ‘not updated yet’. Utah’s first proper storm of 2026-27 is rolling through the Wasatch, Snowbird’s snow stake is closing in on 10 inches, and Brian Head is five days from opening day. Early November snow rarely looks like much, but it is the layer every November opening date is built on. Here is where it stands.
1 Nov 2026
Sierra Nevada Halloween Storm: Dodge Ridge Forecast to Lead With 19 Inches
Halloween weekend brings a wet, windy storm to the Sierra Nevada. Our five-day forecast has Dodge Ridge on top with 19 in, followed by Bear Valley at 15 in and Mammoth Mountain at 12 in, with most of it landing on Saturday. A winter weather advisory covers the Tahoe Basin and Mono County until 7 AM Sunday, gusts could reach 47 mph and the freezing level swings between 4,900 and 8,700 ft, so some bases will see rain. A dry spell follows from Monday.
31 Oct 2026
Lake Louise Opens Early on 1 November With Juniper Express and Easy Street
The Rockies get their first lift-served turns of the season early. Lake Louise opens Sunday 1 November, five days ahead of schedule, after a cold October and round-the-clock work from the snowmaking and mountain crews. Terrain is limited to Juniper Express Chair and Easy Street, with two small terrain parks and the beginner area for lessons. Opening-day tickets are over 60% off, with prices rising as more lifts open. First chair is at 9:30 am under the resort’s new lift hours.
31 Oct 2026
Kitzbüheler Horn Summit Cable Car to Be Replaced After 70 Years
A Tyrolean summit lift that has been carrying guests up the Kitzbüheler Horn since 1955 is on borrowed time. Its licence runs to 2045, but a new inspection rule has made refurbishment uneconomic, so Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel will spend around €15 million on a replacement on the same line. It should hold roughly 100 people and keep running in winds that would stop today’s lift. Building starts in autumn 2027, which makes this winter and next summer the last chances to ride the old one.
30 Oct 2026
What’s New in Japan Skiing This Winter: Niseko Gondola, a Private Resort and a Bigger Ikon Pass
Niseko Village is replacing a lift from the early 1980s with an eight-person gondola, Tsugaike gets a six-person chairlift, Madarao joins the Ikon Pass and Togari opens Asia’s first private ski resort. Here’s what is actually new in Japan skiing for 2026/27, plus what is still a year or two away.
30 Oct 2026
Wolf Creek Opens on Halloween Weekend as Colorado’s Early Season Gathers Pace
Colorado’s early-season dominoes keep falling. Arapahoe Basin opened on Wednesday, Keystone follows on Friday, and now Wolf Creek is joining in on Saturday 31 October, just in time for Halloween. A storm on 23 and 24 October left 20 inches of natural snow in the San Juans, and three lifts will turn from 9:00 am, covering about 30% of the mountain. Expect rocks, unmarked obstacles and open water, but also Local Appreciation lift tickets at $73 for adults.
30 Oct 2026
Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing
Keystone is next. After Arapahoe Basin claimed the first chairlift skiing of the season on Wednesday, Keystone opens on Friday 30 October at 9:00 am with more than two miles of snowmaking-built terrain on Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon, plus free donuts, coffee and a live DJ. Last year the order was reversed, when Keystone squeezed in a three-hour afternoon session to beat A-Basin by a day. Snowmaking has been running since 15 October.
29 Oct 2026
Beaver Creek Installs 16 Automated Snow Guns on Birds of Prey Ahead of Record World Cup
Beaver Creek is getting ready for the biggest Birds of Prey ever, and this time it is not leaving the snow to chance. Crews started making snow on 27 October with 16 newly installed automated guns on the lower third of the course, after last December’s warm spell forced a downhill off the schedule. Seven races across two weekends run from 3 to 13 December, the most the course has hosted since its 1997 debut, and the guns start themselves whenever the weather allows.
29 Oct 2026
Manning Park Trail Map
Downloadable Manning Park trail map
Terrain split
34
runs
Beginner30%
Intermediate40%
Advanced30%
Expert0%
141 acres skiable57 hectares
Resort Stats
Elevation
Base1357m
Summit1789m
Annual snowfall
8.2m
Season
2026 - 2027
11 Dec 2026 - 4 Apr 2027
Trail coverage
34 runs
141 acres (57 ha)
About Manning Park's trail map
Explore Manning Park's full trail map with 34 runs across the mountain, colour-coded by difficulty and shown alongside the terrain split. Use it to plan a day that matches your ability, find lift-served pockets of your favourite grade, and see how the resort links together. Download the piste map (PDF) ↗
More Manning Park intelligence: snow report, lift system, webcams, resort overview.