Skip to main content Scroll Top
Whistler Above the Clouds

Comparing Lower Mainland Ski Hills and Snow Conditions

Wondering what the snow conditions are like on Vancouver’s ski hills and how Grouse, Cypress, Mt. Seymour, Sasquatch and Whistler compare?

How do the Lower Mainland’s five ski hills compare overall? Which ski resort is the most expensive and which typically gets the most snow? Which Vancouver mountain has the most runs, lifts and terrain? And which resorts are locally-owned? Continue reading and you’ll find out.

 

This article contains information about the following topics:

Current Ski Conditions | Ticket Price Comparisons | Ski Runs and Lifts Comparisons | Mountain Ownership | Typical Ski Conditions | Other Information

(Note: Exact details may vary. Information given is accurate to the best of our ability and understanding as of the latest updates.)

The Lower Mainland is home to five major ski hills. Within Metro Vancouver there is Grouse Mountain, Cypress and Mt. Seymour. All three are on Vancouver’s North Shore. Less than a two-hour drive up the Sea to Sky Highway is Whistler Blackcomb. A couple of hours in the other direction, in the Fraser Valley, there is Sasquatch Mountain.

All five ski hills are great for different reasons. A couple of the resorts are larger, others are more affordable, some have more challenging terrain, most but not all offer night skiing, and some are better for beginners and young families.

Most Lower Mainland ski resorts offer extra activities ranging from tubing to sledding, snowshoeing, skating and even movies. Also, depending on where you live, some are closer and more accessible than others. Between the five, there is something for everyone.

 

2026 Ski Conditions

The first day of the 2025/2026 season for Whistler Blackcomb was November 21. Grouse opened on December 19, while Cypress and Seymour opened on December 20. Lastly, Sasquatch opened on December 23.

The latest reported conditions from each resort as of March 13 are below.

 

North Shore Mountains

  • Grouse Mountain: As of March 13, 2026, 28 cm of fresh snow had fallen in the past two days. The mountain received a total of 452 cm of snowfall so far this winter. Snow depth measured 116 cm at the plateau and 183 cm at the summit.
  • Mt. Seymour: As of March 13, snow depth was 145 cm at the base. Total snowfall for the season measured 503 cm with 78 cm in the last week.
  • Cypress Mountain: As of March 13, there was 41 cm of snowfall in the previous 48 hours. A total of 512 cm of snow has fallen over the season with 228 cm remaining at the base.

 

Other Lower Mainland Ski Hills

  • Whistler Blackcomb: as of March 13, there was 8 cm of new snowfall in the previous two days and 25 cm in the previous week. 234 cm remained at the base and total of 696 cm had fallen over the season.
  • Sasquatch Mountain: as of March 13, there was 224 cm of snow at the base with 14 cm of fresh snow in the previous 24 hours.

 

How Vancouver’s Ski Hills Compare

Below is a snapshot of how the five Lower Mainland ski hills compare in a number of categories.

 

Ticket Prices in 2026

Below are the price ranges from early 2026.

As you’ll see, Mount Seymour is usually the most affordable with Sasquatch and Grouse close behind. However, most prices are based on demand so these relations may change depending on the day. As one might come to expect, Whistler is by far the most expensive of them all.

  1. Sasquatch Mountain: $69 to $109
  2. Mt. Seymour: $39 to $99
  3. Grouse Mountain: $94 to $104
  4. Cypress Mountain: $96 to $127
  5. Whistler Blackcomb: $210 to $329

 

Numbers of Ski Runs and Lifts

Below is a snapshot of the number of runs and lifts at each of the ski hills serving Metro Vancouver.

  1. Whistler Blackcomb: 290 runs and 25 chairs and gondolas with over 1,600 metres of vertical drop and close to 8,200 acres of terrain.
  2. Cypress Mountain: 61 runs and six chairs with 600 acres of terrain and 610 metres in vertical drop.
  3. Grouse Mountain: 34 runs and six chairs with a vertical drop of 365 metres and 212 acres of terrain.
  4. Mt. Seymour: 40 runs and three chairs with 330 metres of vertical drop and 200 acres of terrain.
  5. Sasquatch Mountain: 36 runs and three chairs with 335 metres in vertical drop and around 200 acres of terrain.

 

Who Owns the Mountains?

Three out of the Lower Mainland’s five ski hills are locally-owned and managed. The two largest ones, however, are both owned by multinational corporations.

Located in a provincial park, Mount Seymour has been owned and operated by the Wood family since the mid-1980s. Sasquatch Mountain is another locally-owned ski resort. It’s run by Berezan Hospitality which is a family-owned business based in Langley.

Grouse Mountain used to be a family-owned business until a few years ago. It was purchased by GM Resorts Limited which is a partnership between a group of Canadian investors and a Chinese investment company. In 2020, however, Vancouver-based Northland Properties Corporation bought the resort, so it is once again locally owned. Controlled by the Gaglardi family, the company also owns the Sandman Hotel Group, Sutton Place Hotels, Moxie’s restaurants, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, and the Dallas Stars NHL team.

Cypress Mountain is located in a provincial park but the resort itself is owned by Boyne Resorts which is a major American ski resort company based in Michigan.

Vail Resorts is an American company based in Colorado. It owns Whistler Blackcomb.

(Note: The above information is subject to change and may be different at the current time.)

 

Learn More

Articles on other websites that might be of interest include: