Vancouver Ski Resort Outlines 60 Year Vision With New Long-Term Plan

A new forward-looking, long-term plan shared by the Vancouver, British Columbia, ski resort, Cypress Mountain, proposes overhauling the destination’s lift fleet, along with other changes to ensure that Cypress thrives over the next six decades.

The wide-ranging Ski Resort Development Plan would reshuffle and change Cypress Mountain’s lifts but not push the resort beyond its current boundaries of about 293 hectares (724 ac).

“The proposed Alpine concept focuses on optimizing existing terrain and improving the ski experience, as compared to expanding it,” the plan reads.

The “centerpiece” noted by the plan highlights Cypress Mountain’s shortfall in beginner terrain. To address that, the resort proposed reimagining the existing Easy Rider area by replacing the lift with a series of surface carpets. 

The Easy Rider Quad would then be relocated to replace the aging Midway double chair and be renamed the Lower Bowen Quad, “offering quicker, more comfortable uphill travel to similar terrain,” according to the plan. 

To complement this, Cypress Mountain aims to upgrade the Lions Express, Eagle Express, and the Raven Ridge lifts with additional capacity. 

• Eagle Express Lift: Upgrade from a detachable quad to a detachable six-pack.
• Raven Ridge Lift: Upgrade from a fixed-grip quad to a detachable quad.
• Lions Express Lift: Upgrade from a detachable quad to a detachable eight-place.

Some other winter improvements included expanded snowmaking, more parking, and a new Nordic lodge.

Alongside upgrading and tweaking in-season operations, the plan also emphasized Cypress Mountain’s goal to become “Vancouver’s favorite four-season resort.”

A major element of that is the revival of Cypress Mountain’s lift-served bike park, which is already underway and expected to open next summer. Designed and built by a firm that’s contributed to bike parks around the world, Gravity Logic, the park is also set to include a beginner-focused mountain bike learning area and family zone near the base.

Examples of other new summer activities that could be added included a via ferrata, a zipline course, and a disc golf course.

The wide-ranging Ski Resort Development Plan outlines and shapes Cypress Mountain’s future goals rather than guaranteeing any individual project will be built, and would unfold over multiple phases. The first, which would take place sometime in the next five years, includes improvements like expanded snowmaking and the revamped beginner area with surface lifts. 

“Every project that is approved in the development plan is subject to further individual assessments and review processes when they are pursued,” the resort noted.

Cypress Mountain is now asking for feedback on the plan through the BC Parks website, which is open until November 16. For an overview of the plan and to access the complete Ski Resort Development Plan, you can visit Cypress Mountain’s website by following this link. 

The release of Cypress Mountain’s long-term plan follows a similar move from its neighbor, Mount Seymour, which unveiled an ambitious future vision with ten new lifts and a significantly expanded terrain boundary. 

Both resorts sit above and just outside the Vancouver metro area. They’re joined by Grouse Mountain, while Whistler Blackcomb is further north.

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