With the long-awaited arrival of the ski/snowboard season, resorts are starting to open for business again. While living in Vancouver and having access to so many different ski hills is a blessing, choosing between them can be quite the struggle! In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the pros and cons of each local resort (Cypress, Grouse, Seymour, and Whistler) so that you can make an informed decision on where to visit based on key factors such as accessibility, affordability, and terrain variety.
1. Cypress Mountain
With a grand total of 63 runs, Cypress Mountain has the second largest acreage out of all the local resorts. To add onto its already impressive size, the diverse terrain—ranging from the bunny hill to double black diamond runs such as Top Gun—is suitable for all skill levels. Cypress caters particularly well to families with its multi-level cafeteria, outstanding snow school, and discounts for family and youth. For example, youth skiers/boarders save an additional $15. Additionally, with the arrival of winter break, youth camps are a major attraction for students looking to pick up a new hobby or refine their technique. Even if downhill skiing isn’t your cup of tea, tubing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing are some of the other activities offered at the mountain. With all these attractive amenities, it’s no surprise that Cypress gets quite busy, even during weekdays! Parking spaces are immediately filled up and visitors may end up having to park outside of the main parking lot. In cases like these, the trek to the ski hill is quite laborious—especially in full ski gear. In addition, lift lines can sometimes take up to half an hour on busy weekends. The drive to Cypress itself can prove to be inconvenient to those without winter tires as well due to the icy and snow-covered road up the mountain despite snow removal efforts.
2. Grouse Mountain
Known as the peak of Vancouver, Grouse Mountain offers breathtaking views of nature and the Vancouver skyline. The drive to Grouse is more convenient in comparison to that of the other local mountains with the added bonus of being located only 20 minutes away from Sentinel. This accessibility is in part due to the fact that visitors don’t have to drive all the way up the mountain; instead, they take a gondola from the base parking lot to the actual hill. This, in turn, eliminates the need for winter tires. In terms of its physical features, Grouse is recognized for its 6 excellent terrain parks, which are frequented by teenagers and freestyle lovers. The resort panders to tourists and families with its multiple eateries (including a Starbucks), ice skating rink, animal habitats, and a theatre. Additionally, Grouse offers the standard family and youth discounts, such as $20 off on day passes for youth.
3. Mount Seymour
The resort is located about 40 minutes away from Sentinel, which makes Mt. Seymour the furthest away of all the local mountains. Just like Cypress, visitors must drive up mountain roads in order to reach the ski hill. However, Seymour’s roads are especially icy due to lesser maintenance, so winter tires are a necessity. Moreover, the bathrooms and chalet are located quite far from the chairlifts, making a simple trip to the bathroom an arduous journey in the cold. On the other hand, although the resort has less terrain when compared to that of the others, its smaller size contributes to its welcoming and laid-back atmosphere. Visitors with special diets can benefit from the cafeteria’s wide variety of food options, and most recipes can be made using alternative vegan ingredients. Plus, another advantage of a smaller ski resort is that it’s less busy. Parking is relatively easy to find, and lift lines are almost never a problem. Finally, on top of the typical youth discounts, Seymour boasts the most affordable lift tickets out of all the local mountains, with day passes for youth being around $50.
4. Whistler Blackcomb
Home to the 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler is a world-renowned ski resort, attracting 3 million tourists annually. It’s the largest ski resort in North America, and over ten times larger than the other local resorts previously mentioned. This huge size comes in conjunction with a vast range of different terrain, including massive terrain parks and backcountry. Whistler and Blackcomb are the two mountains that make up the resort, with Whistler being slightly more geared towards beginners and families. Perhaps the most obvious downside to Whistler is its accessibility as the drive from Vancouver takes at least an hour and a half. However, the mountain offers a seemingly endless range of facilities; from snowmobile tours to Scandinavian spas, there is no room for boredom in Whistler—both on the slopes and in the village. Naturally, Whistler’s fame and various amenities attract quite the crowd, making one of the biggest complaints about the ski hill its incredibly long lines, which take around 20 minutes. Additionally, hotels and cabins are sold out instantly during the busy holiday season, which makes overnight trips difficult. Furthermore, ticket and season pass prices have skyrocketed in recent times, with lift tickets being around $150 (which is twice as expensive as those of the other local resorts).
To summarize, Cypress may be optimal for a more authentic skiing experience, but it’s busy. Visitors can, however, avoid the long lineups and lack of parking spaces by purchasing a ticket for night skiing instead, which typically takes place from 5 pm to 10 pm. If you’re a seasoned skier/snowboarder looking for a wider range of terrain, this is the place for you. Grouse panders to tourists, so it’s more commercialized and offers the most amenities. If you’re visiting with children or wanting to experience a wider range of winter activities, Grouse will offer the most entertainment. Seymour, although the smallest, has a friendly staff, laid back atmosphere, and lower prices. This mountain is perfect for those that are hoping for a more personalization and comfortable skiing/snowboarding experience. Finally, Whistler is on a completely different level when it comes to facilities and terrain variety, but it doesn’t have the advantage of being in close proximity to the city, and it’s vastly more expensive. If you’re planning to go backcountry skiing/snowboarding or considering an overnight stay, Whistler is what you’re looking for.
No matter the skill level or purpose, there’s a mountain for everyone. We hope that the information we provided can help you make a more informed decision about which resort to visit. Happy skiing and boarding!
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