Grouse or Cypress for a local pass?

[mattj]

I think maybe my wife and I should get passes for one of the locals so we can ski in the mornings? Of the two hills in the title, which would you recommend? We like both ski areas for the actual skiing so tell me about the other stuff that I should be considering when buying a local pass. How do the prices compare? Weekday crowds? Terrain available (do the hills not open everything on weekdays to "save" the good conditions for the weekend crowd)? Accessibility during storms? Tenacity (do the hills stay open or open at all when it's dumping)? And most importantly, where do you guys have your passes for? I want to ski with yous.


-m

[kalisto]

How do the prices compare?
Grouse is generally cheaper, better atmosphere all around. Y2play pass is a sweet deal.

Weekday crowds?
They can both get stupid busy. Grouse is definitaly lacking in lifts, so the line ups can get crazy long...

Terrain available (do the hills not open everything on weekdays to "save" the good conditions for the weekend crowd)?
Cypress has awesome terrain, not as difficult as Grouse, but they do get more snow, and they have more to choose from. Also, the park generally sucks there...

Accessibility during storms?
Cypress is almost open all the time... Grouse is closed more often due to tram problems, specially when it's windy... But seriously, if it's THAT windy, do you really want to be sitting on the lift?

Tenacity (do the hills stay open or open at all when it's dumping)?
Both are usually open...

And most importantly, where do you guys have your passes for?
Maybe Grouse...




Cypress is a great mountain, there's a good variety of terrain and decent lifts. That said, it IS expensive, and if you're going to be there on the weekend, you may as well just drive to Whistler...

The people at Grouse are awesome, and during the week it's tons of fun.

[stinky_rider7]

I'll most likely get a pass for Grouse (that's where I'll coach).

Grouse is easier & faster to drive to, but then you spend a bit of extra time going up and down on the tram (I imagine there won't be much of a lineup on weekdays though)

[TheGiggler]

I think maybe my wife and I should get passes for one of the locals so we can ski in the mornings? Of the two hills in the title, which would you recommend? We like both ski areas for the actual skiing so tell me about the other stuff that I should be considering when buying a local pass. How do the prices compare? Weekday crowds? Terrain available (do the hills not open everything on weekdays to "save" the good conditions for the weekend crowd)? Accessibility during storms? Tenacity (do the hills stay open or open at all when it's dumping)? And most importantly, where do you guys have your passes for? I want to ski with yous.


-m


price: cypress = lotsa $$s

crowds: cypress has mad crowds on weekends, most weeknights OK. weekdays are wicked. dunno about grouse.

everything is open on cyps all the time if you dont mind ducking fences and theres lots of us that dont. ill also hike sky chair when its not running to ski it out before the lift is open.

cyps will close during big storms when its too windy for the lifts, especially sky chair. also cyps never has their shit together after a big dump of snow, so next day they're super slow to get the lifts going, sometimes an hour late for the first lift and sky wont open til like 2-3pm.

for whatever its worth, Greg Dave and I will probably be at cyps this winter if there's snow.

[mattj]

Thanks guys and gal.

I should also point out that this will only be used on weekdays when I have to open the store at 2 pm and probably only during foul weather as when it's nice I'll rather go hike (I should probably start saying "skin" for this winter - woohoo) Seymour when the sun's out.


-m

[kalisto]

I'll most likely get a pass for Grouse (that's where I'll coach).

Grouse is easier & faster to drive to, but then you spend a bit of extra time going up and down on the tram (I imagine there won't be much of a lineup on weekdays though)

Oh yeah, way faster to get to grouse, and the Tram is much better than following people going 30 km/h down the Cypress road...

[Dropsonde]

Cypress has 9 new runs (mostly black) one new one brand new Quad lift, and another one replacing the devilishly slow bowl lift.

[TheGiggler]

Thanks guys and gal.

I should also point out that this will only be used on weekdays when I have to open the store at 2 pm and probably only during foul weather as when it's nice I'll rather go hike (I should probably start saying "skin" for this winter - woohoo) Seymour when the sun's out.


-m

well if that's the case, you'll like to hear the cyps is normally pretty quiet during work hours.

but, read my comment above about how they usually take forever to open the lifts after a big dump ... mainly sky, but sky is where the real goodness is normally ...

[apeshape]

I did seymour for 2 reasons. I gots a day job now so it was cheaper and if I'm night skiing I don't want to be paying cypress prices for the pleasure. Unless 20cm+ falls I typically won't ski weekends on the locals because of the zoo factor. On the rare occasions that does happen I'll hit cypress because the terrain is definitely better. Numero 2 reason, the Seymour pass gives me a percentage off at hills around the province and since I ski alot in the interior it made sense to go for a pass that got me 25-50% lift tickets.

I'm investing in a set of Diamirs for my Gotamas and will be dawn patrolling before work if necessary. I gotta charge up my dead body finder and reglue my climbing skins soon I guess 'cause its be snowing at elevation already.

[LeeLau]

I'm investing in a set of Diamirs for my Gotamas and will be dawn patrolling before work if necessary. I gotta charge up my dead body finder and reglue my climbing skins soon I guess 'cause its be snowing at elevation already.

right on! I'll throw up some dates for tranceiver practise parties when Im back in town

[kalisto]

right on! I'll throw up some dates for tranceiver practise parties when Im back in town

I'm in.

[Poz]

Matt, a friend of mine is organizing a corporate rate through his work for cypress. If you want I can get you his contact info.

Im trying to figure out if I want to get in on a one night pass.

I think I leaning towards just spending my mornings doing the seymour backcountry and whistler on weekends and "sick days"... I feel a mighty bad, extra long flu coming on for december/january/february.

[mattj]

Thanks Poz if you have a hookup and wouldn't mind sharing please forward. Both Helena and I would only do a day pass though. Wouldn't be up there on a weekend...

Ape, I'm not hating on Seymour in this thread by any means (not saying you accused me of such, but just thought I'd preemptively clear this up). We live on Fromme and work on Lonsdale and Ambleside, so for both of us we could ski either mountain before our afternoon shift.

Lee, looking forward to it. Helena and I will be there.


-m

[apeshape]

haha. I wasn't defending Seymour. Its a good quick fix type of hill and it makes sense to me for reasons listed. I have friends that live at the bottom so it should theoretically be easy to talk them into a quick rip and if they bail then I mainly just go up and fool around on the banks and practice spins and general horseplay. Line ups at night are usually under a minute too so I get alot of laps in.

[Poz]

Matt, PM sent.

[Ozibatla]

I think maybe my wife and I should get passes for one of the locals so we can ski in the mornings? Of the two hills in the title, which would you recommend? We like both ski areas for the actual skiing so tell me about the other stuff that I should be considering when buying a local pass. How do the prices compare? Weekday crowds? Terrain available (do the hills not open everything on weekdays to "save" the good conditions for the weekend crowd)? Accessibility during storms? Tenacity (do the hills stay open or open at all when it's dumping)? And most importantly, where do you guys have your passes for? I want to ski with yous.


-m

Ive had a pass for Grouse for the past two seasons.
I only ever ski during the week and its great. Weekends suck hard! Stuff is always open after and during storms. Only had to wait a couple times at the bottom of Olympic for them to de-ice....maybe half hour. Easy as hell to get up Grouse aswell.
Hope to go for a rip with ya one day.

[SkunkworkS]

Hey Matt, I've got the PDF forms for the Cypress Group Buy discount. Let me know if you need it.

[JasonM...]

seymour is really short and flat runs and if u dont like terrain park really dont bother, unless you want to hike for backcountry

grouse has more variety, ile admit lineups can get long but on weekdays they usually arnt to bad

[the flying moose]

for reason which i will not bore you with, my choice would be grouse or seymour. cypress will never see one cent of my money ever again.

[Marlowe]

Seeing as our tax dollars paid for two new lifts and a hand full of new runs on Cypress, I believe that we are entitled to at least three free days of skiing up there.

[TheGiggler]

Seeing as our tax dollars paid for two new lifts and a hand full of new runs on Cypress, I believe that we are entitled to at least three free days of skiing up there.



there is ONE new lift which will replace the old slow Sunrise quad, a brand new high-speed quad.

the old Sunrise quad is being moved to where the new runs are on Black.

so at the most we're paying for one new lift really as taxpayers, along with the superpipes, borderX and freestyle courses... and a brand new Baden Powell trail to the top of Black.

[Marvel]

right on! I'll throw up some dates for tranceiver practise parties when Im back in town

I'd totally be into that too! Count me in :)

[Marlowe]

the old Sunrise quad is being moved to where the new runs are on Black.

Ah, well I would still like a couple of free days anyway. Wishful thinking I know.

[forest]

right on! I'll throw up some dates for tranceiver practise parties when Im back in town

I was playing find the beacon on Friday, under the huge pile of winter crap, stuffed in my closet last June. It wasn't easy but I found it. I might get a second one this year to make finding the other one quicker.

Also found a 1/2 nalgeen of wine. It didn't taste so good, made my tummy hurt.