Our History

1800s

1870  The first logging road was cut through the dense forest of what is now called Hollyburn Mountain.

1900s

1908  The first ascent of Hollyburn Peak was in 1908 by members of Vancouver Mountaineering Club.

1912 Botanist John Davidson names the mountain "Hollyburn Mountain" while conducting a botanical survey. The mountain's original name is "Mount Vaughen".

1920  The Hollyburn Pacific Ski Club was established with over 100 members.

1922  Decades prior to the construction of the Lions Gate Bridge, skiing enthusiasts would take a boat from downtown Vancouver to the North Shore, and would hike up to Cypress Mountain's Hollyburn Ridge to ski.

1926  The Hollyburn Lodge is built on Hollyburn Ridge, where it still stands today and is enjoyed by many cross-country skiers and snowshoers. The lodge was constructed in 1926 from lumber salvaged from the abandoned Nasmyth mill. The building was 75 feet long and 25 feet wide. Old Growth Logs provided a basic foundation. The lodge had board and batten cladding and a cedar shake roof.

The Hollyburn Ski Camp officially opened on January 16, 1927. During the next two decades, the sport of skiing and ski jumping developed rapidly on the North Shore mountains.

1927 The first ski race on Hollyburn Mountain was held in March of 1927. Organized by the Hollyburn Pacific Ski Club. There were races for both men and women. The race course began at First Lake, climbed to the Hollyburn plateau, and then descended to First Lake.

1930s

1930  During the summer of 1930, swimmers were able to leap off a small diving tower which had been erected towards the south end of First Lake.

1932  In the Spring of 1932, West Vancouver resident Roland D. Brewis conceived the idea of building a ski camp on the shores of West Lake.

1933  The West Lake Ski Camp was officially opened on March 18th, 1933. During the next five years, thousands of Lower Mainland residents visited the ski camp many hiking up a trail built by R.D. Brewis which started at the top of 15th Street in West Vancouver.The lodge had accommodation for 16 people at a cost of $1 per night.

1934  The first Ski Jump was built on Hollyburn Ridge on the North Shore of West Lake. This was a major venue for practice and competition.By March 1934, a back room had been built on the east side of Hollyburn Lodge.

1940s

1946  In 1946, the owners of the ski camp, Oscar Pearson, Ole Anderson and Anders Israel, sold the operation to the Burfield family, who renamed it Hollyburn Ski Lodge.They rebuilt the First Lake ski jump which had collapsed sometime during the early 1940.During the same period, the West Vancouver Police and the First Aid Patrol were established in cabins at the southwest end of First Lake. By 1950 a Ranger Station stood a few meters north of these two cabins.

1948  Norm Deacon installed a rope tow on the 'Popfly' across First Lake From Hollyburn Lodge in 1948.In the fall night skiing starts on Saturdays on Paradise, the Westlake Lodge beginners' hill

1950s

1951  On January 17, 1951, the Hollyburn (single person) chairlift was officially opened. This brought people from Highview Lookout to West Lake from 1951-1965.Hollyburners who had previously relied on a network of logging roads and trails to reach their cabins and skiing grounds could now look forward to a 12 minute ride from Hat-Inn at 300m to Hi-View Lodge at 850m.At one time there were eight rope tows that carried skiers to different area of what is now the Nordic Ski Area.

1960s

1963  The popular run off of Sky Chair (Alpine Area) got its name from a Canadian Forces T-33 training jet that crashed into Mt. Strachan on November 23, 1963. The plane wreckage was left at the site, along with a plaque to serve as a memorial to the two men who perished in that crash. See more Details HERE.

Fred Burfield also installed another tow - the Blueberry rope tow - in a clearing north of First Lake.

1965  The top stations of the Hollyburn chairlift and Hi View Lodge burned down in June 1965. It is believed that this fire was purposely set as gasoline was poured at the top lift station of the chairlift.

1970s

1970  BC Parks designates the area as a Provincial Park and opens the ski hill.

Two double chairlifts open on Black Mountain and Mt. Strachan.

1975  Cypress Bowl highway opens in 1975. This 13 million dollar road allowed easier access to the newly cut Alpine ski area and a revamped Nordic area.

1980s

1984  Fred Burfield eventually retired in 1984 and sold the lodge to Cypress Bowl Recreations Ltd. - the lodge name was shortened to "Hollyburn Lodge". Regardless of its name, Hollyburn Ski Camp/Hollyburn Ski Lodge/Hollyburn Lodge has been a place of memories for many people. 

The Black Mountain Lodge started off as a trailer in what is now the Alpine Area. In 1984 Cypress Bowl Recreations Ltd. purchased the area. A 50 year Park use permit was included in the sale to sustain operation of the ski facilities that included Black Mountain, Mount Strachan and Hollyburn Mountain. 

The area as a whole was now referred to as Cypress Mountain.

1986  On October 20, 1986, the Westlake Lodge burned to the ground after sparks from a chimney landed on the roof.

1987  Sky Chair a double chairlift, is installed to access new runs on the peak of Mount Strachan thus expanding the downhill skiable terrain even further.

On March 15, 1987 Sky Cypress Bowl Recreations is the first ski resort in BC to allow snowboarding!

1990s

1990  A double chair named "Midway Chair" is installed on Mount Strachan.

1997  A quad chair named The Sunrise Chair is installed on Mount Strachan.

1998  The Tube Tow is installed in the Nordic Area to allow easier access to snowtubers.

2000s

2001  Boyne Resorts purchases Cypress Mountain from Wayne Booth.

Sunrise Rope Tow is replaced by the Easy Rider Quad Chair and an easier start for beginners learning to ski/ride.

Eagle Chair is replaced by the Eagle Express High-Speed Quad Chair which would allow faster access to the top of Black Mountain.

More lighting is installed on Cypress Mountain's Nordic ski trails.

2002  Vancouver wins the bid to host the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and becomes the official Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard venue for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

2003  Magic Carpet surface lift installed for Kids Camp Area. This enables children, who are just starting out, to easily save their energy as they learn for the bigger slopes of the Easy Rider run.

2007  New Snowmaking System is installed on Olympic Venue Sites.  Nine new ski runs are built which was the first expansion of terrain on the north shore in 20 years.  Sunrise Chair is moved over the service this new location that allows clear views of Vancouver and the surrounding areas.

The Sunrise Quad is relocated and the lift is renamed the Raven Ridge Quad Chair, this accessed nine new runs in a completely new pod opening for winter 2007/2008.
New Lions Express High-Speed Quad Chair installed on Mount Strachan to replace the Sunrise Quad Chair.  All Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard Venues are completed and are the first of the venues to be completed and competition ready. 

Cypress Hosts their first World Cup Event in Aerials and Moguls on the future site of the 2010 Olympic Freestyle Ski Venue.  CNL Enterprises purchases Cypress Mountain's assets.

2008  New 48,000 sq. ft. Cypress Creek Lodge is opened, which includes the new Crazy Raven Bar & Grill, Cypress Creek Grill, Big Bear Sports retail store, new rental shop facilities, lesson desk facilities and a new corporate/meeting space located on the 3rd mezzanine level.New gladed ski run (Shore Glades) opens off of the Raven Ridge chair. This opening followed the first expansion of the Alpine Area since 1987 when Sky Chair was added accessing the top of Mount Strachan.New night lighting added to Humpty Dumpty and Rainbow ski runs which allow for more night skiing. These newly lit areas have now increased the night skiing terrain and offer more variety to skiers of all levels.Cypress Mountain celebrates 25 years. 

2009  Cypress Mountain hosts six World Cup Events. The Freestyle ski events, Aerials, Moguls, Ski Cross and the Snowboard events, P.G.S., Boarder Cross and Halfpipe competitions were held in February 2009. This World Cup was a run through of all of the events that are to be held at Cypress Mountain during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.Olympic Rings are brought in by helicopter to the top of the Cypress Mountain Olympic Halfpipe in preparation of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

2010s  

Feb. 12, 2010  Opening day of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games at BC Place in downtown Vancouver.First day of competition at Cypress Mountain - The Official Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard Venue of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Feb. 13, 2010  Jennifer Heil wins Silver at the Ladies Moguls event.

Feb. 14, 2010  Alex Bilodeau wins Gold at the Men's Mogul's event. 

Feb. 15, 2010  Mike Robertson wins Silver at the Men's Snowboard Cross event.

Feb. 16, 2010  Maelle Ricker wins Gold at the Ladies Snowboard Cross event.

Feb. 23, 2010  Ashleigh McIvor wins Gold at the Ladies Ski Cross event.

Feb. 27, 2010  Jasey Jay Anderson wins Gold at the Men's Parallel Giant Slalom event at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. This the final Gold medal that broke the world record of the number of Gold medals won by the host country - 14 GOLD medals for Canada in total!  Last day of competition at Cypress Mtn of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

2011 - Cascade and Hutch Ski Runs - Groomed and lit for night skiing.

2012 - Snowmaking Expansion on Black Mountain and Lower Collins

2013 - Night lighting improvements in the Nordic Area

2014 - Added Snowmaking to Easy Rider

2015 - Hollyburn Lodge Renewal Project begins

2016 - The New Hollyburn Lodge Opens in January

2017 - Snowmaking "Phase 4" added snowmaking to the top of Collins ski run.