Snowsure: 3.6
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Cypress Mountain is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Cypress Mountain Ski Resort
Click here to submit your own review of Cypress Mountain
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
January 08, 2011
paul imison
paul imison
Mixed feelings on this resort. Last year was not the best snowfall for Cypress Mountain. It started good but during the Jan Feb Olympics, if it was not for helicopters and trucks transporting snow the events may of been moved to Whistler.
This is not Cypress fault, they had to shut it early to the public. I think they did the best given the circumstances to keep the event running. However, when the snow did come post Olympics, and plenty of it I might add, the resort seemed closed more often than not. Why? I would think, we have snow so lets make the most of it.
It was quite annoying being a pass holder and I was not the only one annoyed discussing it with others.
My guess is they were saving money eg, staff wages, electricity which kind of sux. How much do you have to go in debt to hold an Olympics...?
Anyway Cypress is a good resort for being so close a major city. The best in North Shore Vancouver. The runs are not that big so you tend to play around more a bit not just going down as fast as you can make it (jumping, jibbing as they call it). The views on a clear day are quite simply beautiful and as I am learning there is quite a few sneaky off piste runs to keep the smile on your face.
Opening weekend this year was the best for me for Cypress as we had some really cold temperatures for Vancouver and it made for some really nice snow (not the usual wet snow) and blue skies. They only had a few runs open which suited me perfectly. A short hike and you had whole runs untouched, no one there to yourself.
Great way to start a season.
So conclusion: For a local mountain, great. But maybe the owners should think about their pass holders more, its helps in the long run.
January 06, 2011
A
A
Cypress... what to say about this mountain. I've had a season pass for 5 of the last 6 years (this year included). I've watched with anticipation as they've made many of their 'Improvements' and launched their "Vancouver's only big mountain experience" campaign. Sadly the only things big about this mountain at the current time are the costs and egos.
Don't get me wrong, it is by far the best local option. That said one has to question some things. With yet another broken promise of Olympic legacy, carefully worded at the time of writing to imply Cypress would be a legacy venue without actually stating it, Cypress yanked out the half-pipe. There is a consolation promise of at some point putting in a quarter pipe in the small Bell Power park but this has yet to be completed.
The lower park was recently ploughed under and has been moved (late December), almost as an after thought, to join up with Collins run at the bottom of what used to be the run-out of the Bell Power park bigger jumps. Yes it is early season but a run through the "Park" last night (Jan 4th) showed 2 medium sized (labelled large) jumps, two upper boxes, and 2 lower larger boxes. All in all, pretty disappointing.
Many of the fun features of several runs have been ploughed under recently to make enormous wide open easy greens. Several of the blue runs have been smoothed, in the process neutering many of the jump, banks, etc. This is possibly due to catering to the masses for the holiday breaks but if this trend continues the only thing big at Cypress will be the disappointment in the faces of many of the locals (incidentally the return customers).
A trip to the pub cost 45 bucks for 1 pitcher of beer, a shared sandwich, bowl of soup and a tea. That's before tip and taxes which pushed it over 50 bucks-definitely on the higher side. The food was nothing special, just your average pub fare.
I can't say I'm not disappointed with where this hill seems to be heading. Next year for my money I think I'll seriously consider upgrading and doing the weekend drives up to Whistler. Or maybe out to Hemlock where, low and behold, they still have a halfpipe. Seriously! That tiny, local non-big mountain resort named Hemlock has a halfpipe! For shame Cypress... you took the Olympic money, bought a brand new Dragon and promised legacy upgrades-put the halfpipe back in...
December 13, 2010
I
I
I was up at Cypress Mountain on Saturday and the snow was beautiful (over 6 ft.), the weekend before the sun was out and it was like spring skiing in December. This is going to be a great year.
This is not Whistler, Red Mountain or Telluride, but it is remarkable to have such great skiing less than 1/2 hour from downtown - anywhere (and I have no connection to the mountain :)
December 09, 2010
Jill from
USA - California
Jill from
USA - California
I have been to Cypress Mountain and it can be very good but it can also can be crowded, expensive and snowless - as has been mentioned here.
The Olympics were supposed to be "green" and all the trucking & helicopters moving snow you spoke of was environmentally very bad. There is nothing to be proud of there.
As a Cypress employee you felt compelled to provide an advertisement here. Sounds like things are quite desperate on that mountain.
Jill
November 29, 2010
T
T
If you remember, Cypress Mountain pulled off a major Olympic venue with one of the poorest years for snow on record. Numerous truck drivers, heli pilots, snow cat operators pushed snow for hours on end to create a white venue for the world to see. Pass holders did take a back seat due to the conditions Mother Nature threw. As an employee and a citizen of North Van we all took a back seat.
However, from the Olympics, Cypress attained expert mountain knowledge, snow guns and snow cats which are now dedicated to making the best guest experience, offering the most snow terrain on the North shore. Snowguns have made for not only an early opening but access to more terrain in early season and long into the spring.
Cypress has more then any mountain can offer, 30 mins from a major city!
If you are dedicated to the sport, maybe you should try extending your knowledge of the sport and become an employee for the passion, not the pay that ski mountains offer. It takes numerous employees and machine power to maintain alpine, xc and tubing! Tree clearing, snow pushing, grooming, employees, maintained lookout points and a snow cleared paved road is just a few of the things Cypress provides beyonds Parks.
All-in-all, Cypress is the best big mountain experience minutes from Vancouver! Mother nature is unpredictable, and closures are for guest safety, not the money! Just like every employee there, it's for the love of the mountain, not the money.
2010-2011 is becoming the best season in 27 years. Many good days ahead!
November 25, 2010
RJK
RJK
Owned & operated by Americans, the new emphasis is on $$$. They'll close the mountain early if there aren't enough $$. I mean skiers - passholders be damned. The excuse will be "too much wind forecast" or "poor weather" (would hate to work there not knowing until the last minute whether I'll have an income day or not).
Some years are excellent for snow, others are abysmal (remember the 2010 Olympics at Cypress?) There have been some new areas developed there so if there's snow it will be great - as long as you don't go on a weekend or for a month surrounding Christmas. And the season is really short!
The Nordic XC area is separate and they seem not to care about it or really know how to run it. They'll advertise "track-set" but when you get up there it will be very poorly tracked. Their equipment broke down one year and they waited *weeks* to repair it. They are happy to promote the fantastic old Hollyburn Lodge they inherited but they won't put a dime into improving the poor old thing. The food inside is not bad but way over-priced. And, last I saw, they still use those environmentally rotten white styrofoam cups!
The people who work in the ticket area seem to know nothing about XC skiing. They stare blankly at you when you question the poor maintenance.
And, remarkably, since the Nordic area is in a government-owned provincial park, you are not allowed to bring your own tube to slide in. You must RENT from them! And pay a pretty hefty fee for the privilege of sliding in your own park.
All-in-all, you might get a few good days in most seasons. But you'll pay dearly. Kind of a soulless, over-hyped place.
April 15, 2008
JBR from
United Kingdom
JBR from
United Kingdom
Cypress is ultimately a fun playground and NOT a resort mtn. It is a great place to have short term fun and rip it up for a while but not to have a holiday. The park is small but so is the hill; in perspective, it's good though. The pipe is massive. The runs are all a good crack for jibbing, steeps, bumps, trees drops etc.. And the place gets sooooooo much snow so ice is a rarity unless you go at night when hard packed snow freezes over. Beware: don't expect plenty of bluebird days so bring your clear lenses and ride the trees.
Basically, what would you rather have within 30 mins of a major city? A Snow Dome or Cypress???? Not a difficult question to answer.
February 14, 2008
Steve
Steve
Since boxing day I can assure you that things have changed greatly.
With nearly 5 meters of snow this season Cypress has been a pow field. With the 2 new quad chairs you can access terrain unlike the other North Shore Mountains.
Coming from Ontario and being a park 'rat' myself, the park has a brand new design and can not be compared to previous years. It's BETTER then I have seen in the past 5 seasons and rivals other BC resorts.
December 30, 2007
MCBrown
MCBrown
Cypress is great. I was up there a couple days ago (boxing day). I went up with my cousin at 2.30pm just hoping to rip some groomers and get some laps in the park. First... you park rats will definitely be disappointed. There were like 3 eaaaaaaaasy flat boxes set up and one small-medium kicker and that's it!!!! Funny thing is there were like 6 park crew guys in the park.. make any sense?
Anyway, after 4 or 5 runs they finally opened the sky chair (top of the mountain). by this time it was dark out except for the lights. Totally took me by surprise but the sky chair had not been open all day so there was practically untouched knee deep pow up top!! I have never shredded fresh powder at night and let me tell you, it's amazing!
All in all Cypress is great. In previous years their park has been way bigger/better, lets hope they get crackin' on that soon. I was pretty much born and raised on Cypress even though I don't ride it often anymore (I'm a Mt Washington local now: way better park and way better terrain) I'd give Cypress 4/5 stars.
Nearest