Gondolas are not just for wintertime skiing and snowboarding.
That’s why for the first time ever, Cypress Mountain Resort is opening up its Mt. Strachan gondolas for summertime sightseeing.
Starting in early July 2024, the resort has opened its Lions Express Quad Chair and Sky Quad Chair to enable visitors to enjoy breathtaking 360-degree views of the North Shore mountains, Burrard Inlet, and downtown Vancouver, as well as the further reaches of Metro Vancouver, Strait of Georgia, and Vancouver Island.
Summer at Cypress Mountain Resort. (Cypress Mountain Resort)
Visitors will ride the Lions Express Quad Chair and then transfer at the mid-mountain elevation to the Sky Quad Chair for their remaining journey to reach the peak of Mt. Strachan — a peak elevation of 1,440 metres (4,720 ft). Completed in 2022, the Sky Quad Chair is Cypress Mountain Resort’s newest gondola.
On the Eagle Express Quad Chair, on a transfer-less ride, visitors will ascend Black Mountain, reaching its peak elevation of 1,200 metres (3,940 ft). Snacks, drinks, and retail items are available at the top of this gondola.
Mount Strachan map of Cypress Mountain Resort. (Cypress Mountain Resort)
Black Mountain map of Cypress Mountain Resort. (Cypress Mountain Resort)
Single-visit “Scenic Ride” tickets for all three gondolas on both mountains cost $30 for adults and $20 for children 12 years old and under. Alternatively, there is also the $99 season pass for all ages for unlimited sightseeing gondola rides all summer.
The resort will donate $1 from every ticket purchased this summer to the BC Parks Foundation.
Another major summertime offering at Cypress Mountain Resort is the return of the Eagle Coaster — the gravity-fed mountain coaster that begins at the top of the Eagle Express Quad Chair on Black Mountain. The thrill ride features a vertical drop of 279 metres (900 ft) over its 1. km (5,600 ft) distance. Riders can expect speeds of up to 40 km/h (25 mph). The low-to-the-ground design offers stunning views of the riders’ surroundings and a hand break so that they can control their own speed.
Separate tickets for the Eagle Coaster start at $35, which includes the gondola ride up the Eagle Express Quad Chair.
Eagle Coaster. (Cypress Mountain)