Cypress Mountain, CanadaCypress Mountain has been a useful, and cool, ski hill just outside of Vancouver catering to the outdoor needs of city slickers for years
In 2010 it shot into the limelight as the host mountain, and official freestyle skiing venue for the Winter Olympics 2010. The Olympic fuel injection has transformed Cypress. Construction on the mountain included a new freestyle site for moguls and aerials and a halfpipe. In addition a water reservoir and improved lighting have been installed.
Cypress's second mountain, Strachan, is not hosting Olympic events but the Sky chair on Strachan mountain leads to Top Gun, the toughest run on Vancouver's North Shore. The highest point is 1445m and this low altitude can produce fog and drizzle, situated as it is next to a deciduous rainforest. The resort has an extensive lighting system for night skiing though, and is not averse to switching it on during the day when necessary!
On top of that, Cypress is a 20-minute drive from the centre of Vancouver and well worth checking out.
Mountain Stats
Cypress Mountain has 9 Lifts
6 Chair Lifts (2 high speed) and 3 Surface Lifts.
Vertical Rise
610m (2010 ft)
Elevations
Mt. Strachan - 1440 meters (4720 feet)
Black Mountain - 1200 meters (3940 feet)
Hollyburn Mountain - 1326 meters (4350 feet)
Cypress Creek Lodge - 910 meters (2990 feet)
The Lions - 1646 meters (5400 feet)
Average Annual Snowfall
At Cypress Creek Day Lodge Elevation (910 m), 620 cm (20 feet)
2008/09 Winter Season was 968 cm - over 32 feet! (mid mtn)
2007/08 Winter Season was 995 cm - over 33 feet! (mid mtn)
2006/07 Winter Season was 844 cm - over 27 feet! (mid mtn)
Ski Runs - 53 Ski Runs!
Beginner (Green) 13% (7 Ski Runs)
Intermediate (Blue) 35% (18 Ski Runs)
Advanced (Black Diamond) 37% (19 Ski Runs)
Expert (Double Black Diamond) 8% (4 Ski Runs)
Freestyle Terrain (Orange) 8% (4 Areas)
• Longest combination run: 4.1 km (2.5 miles) - T33 into Collins
Check a video blog from January 2011 to get a feel for the mountain
Getting to Alberta and BC, Canada
Vancouver is the airport for Cypress. Air Canada, British Airways and Canadian Affair serve it.
Public Transport
If you want to get around, Canada’s rail service is quite pricey, but it is a great way to see the country, and there are cheaper options for those who book in advance. Go to www.viarail.ca for more information. If you really want to keep costs down, you could try Greyhound – purveyors of cheap but grueling coach journeys (www.greyhound.ca).
Cypress Mountain has been a useful, and cool, ski hill just outside of Vancouver catering to the outdoor needs of city slickers for years
In 2010 it shot into the limelight as the host mountain, and official freestyle skiing venue for the Winter Olympics 2010. The Olympic fuel injection has transformed Cypress. Construction on the mountain included a new freestyle site for moguls and aerials and a halfpipe. In addition a water reservoir and improved lighting have been installed.
Cypress's second mountain, Strachan, is not hosting Olympic events but the Sky chair on Strachan mountain leads to Top Gun, the toughest run on Vancouver's North Shore. The highest point is 1445m and this low altitude can produce fog and drizzle, situated as it is next to a deciduous rainforest. The resort has an extensive lighting system for night skiing though, and is not averse to switching it on during the day when necessary!
On top of that, Cypress is a 20-minute drive from the centre of Vancouver and well worth checking out.
Mountain Stats
Cypress Mountain has 9 Lifts
6 Chair Lifts (2 high speed) and 3 Surface Lifts.
Vertical Rise
610m (2010 ft)
Elevations
Mt. Strachan - 1440 meters (4720 feet)
Black Mountain - 1200 meters (3940 feet)
Hollyburn Mountain - 1326 meters (4350 feet)
Cypress Creek Lodge - 910 meters (2990 feet)
The Lions - 1646 meters (5400 feet)
Average Annual Snowfall
At Cypress Creek Day Lodge Elevation (910 m), 620 cm (20 feet)
2008/09 Winter Season was 968 cm - over 32 feet! (mid mtn)
2007/08 Winter Season was 995 cm - over 33 feet! (mid mtn)
2006/07 Winter Season was 844 cm - over 27 feet! (mid mtn)
Ski Runs - 53 Ski Runs!
Beginner (Green) 13% (7 Ski Runs)
Intermediate (Blue) 35% (18 Ski Runs)
Advanced (Black Diamond) 37% (19 Ski Runs)
Expert (Double Black Diamond) 8% (4 Ski Runs)
Freestyle Terrain (Orange) 8% (4 Areas)
• Longest combination run: 4.1 km (2.5 miles) - T33 into Collins
Check a video blog from January 2011 to get a feel for the mountain
Getting to Alberta and BC, Canada
Vancouver is the airport for Cypress. Air Canada, British Airways and Canadian Affair serve it.
Public Transport
If you want to get around, Canada’s rail service is quite pricey, but it is a great way to see the country, and there are cheaper options for those who book in advance. Go to www.viarail.ca for more information. If you really want to keep costs down, you could try Greyhound – purveyors of cheap but grueling coach journeys (www.greyhound.ca).