Brains
When I was asked to write about my hometown mountain article, I was torn whether I should write about Whistler Blackcomb or Cypress Mountain in British Columbia, as they are both technically my home mountains and the places where I learnt to ski and snowboard. In addition, I didn’t want to contribute to the crowds at a place that is still on the quieter side. Where else can you ride a 12-hour day, get ocean and city views, all within a 30-minute drive from downtown Vancouver? Oh, and did I forget to mention that Cypress shares bragging rights with Whistler for being home to the 2010 Winter Olympics? Yeah, that’s right! Not only can one downhill ski and snowboard here, but visitors can also enjoy Nordic skiing, snowshoe trails, tubing, & hiking. If you haven’t picked up on it already, Cypress Mountain has something for everyone.
Located a casual but scenic 30-minute ride from the city, Cypress Mountain is part of the Coast Mountains and tops out at 1,440 meters. Boasting 61 runs across two mountains, six chair lifts, 600 skiable acres, over 600 cm of annual snowfall, and 610 meters of vertical, Cypress Mountain is a decent-sized resort despite often being overshadowed by nearby world-renowned Whistler Mountain. If you’re an IKON Pass holder, you get the luxury of having access to Cypress Mountain at no additional charge (number of access days and blackout dates are dependent on IKON Pass product).
Cypress Mountain is a playground that grows with you. People brand new to the sport of skiing or snowboarding have access to a Magic Carpet that is flat enough for little ones who have just taken their first steps, but there is also a bunny hill nearby for beginners with a bit more confidence. Once you’ve conquered those, well, there’s tons of advanced terrain atop the resort’s Sky Chair that was upgraded to a high-speed quad in recent years.
This mountain truly is a unicorn. Whenever I travel, and people ask where I’m from, they’re mind-blown to discover that a place exists where you can go to the beach, hit first tracks, and attend a Taylor Swift concert all in the same day. Dare I say that there is no other place like this that exists on planet earth, unless you’re a billionaire and have access to a private jet, but even then… I think I am more fortunate counting Cypress Mountain as my home mountain.
