Skiing in Vancouver
Even though Vancouver has a mild climate and snow seldom falls in the city, Vancouverites enjoy some of the best downhill and cross country ski facilities in North America. Step out your back door and gaze at the twinkling lights of Grouse Mountain, Cypress Bowl and Mount Seymour. Ski hills so close you can almost reach out and touch them, just minutes from downtown. Many of the city’s residents strap on snowboards or skis and flee the stresses of urban life. You can leave work early and get a few runs in or hit the slopes after dark for a few hours of night skiing.
Cypress boasts the highest vertical drop and superb track-set cross-country skiing, Grouse features tremendous summit views and easy access, while Mount Seymour specializes in lessons for first-timers and offers snowshoe rentals. Although access to the mountain is limited by public bus, many of Vancouver’s local mountains offer shuttle services to link avid skiers with the powdery snow they love.
If you have the time, travel two hours north to Whistler and Blackcomb. Rated the #1 destination ski resort in North America, it attracts skiers from all over the world. You can downhill ski, helicopter ski, or hire a guide and use your leg power and aerobic capacity to climb up the mountains and ski back down.