December 30th, almost the end of the year. Its  bright sunny day but getting colder. We decide to go to  Cypress Provintial Park. We're heading for the Southern area of the park called The Cypress Bowl The closest ski and snowboarding slopes to Vancouver and is accessible by road. It was the site of some of the 2010 Olympic events. The route through the Downtown areas of Vancouver and The Lions Gate Bridge crossing the Burrard Inlet to North Vancouver is quite fast today and not too blocked with traffic. We stop halfway up Cypress mountain at the viewing area. From here you can see all the way across the Burrard Inlet to Coal Harbour and the glass high rise blocks of Downtown Vancouver, down to Richmond and even across to Mount Baker in the USA. The views not too clear today as it's quite hazy.

View from Cypress.

Two crazy seniors!

Not a bit of snow to be seen yet though. Onwards and upwards and the snow appears. It's been cleared from the road and is still white and crisp. No slushy mess here. The branches of the fir trees hold a sprinkling of snow. Up at the Parking area we are amazed at the number of cars. They're using overflow parking already. Nancy Lee talks to one of the parking attendants and he waves us through right to the top where the ski chalet is. She drops us off and goes to park. There are three main mountains that form the Cypress Bowl. Mount Strachen, Black Mountain and Hollyburn Mountain.
The air is fresh and cold The sun on the slopes makes the snow sparkle. The slopes haven't been open long as the weathers been too warm for much snow to fall. The slopes are being topped up by the many artifical snow machines. The Chalet area is bustling with adults and children skiers and snowboarders.

The sunny side of the slopes and the easy slopes.

2010 olympic Rings and the Inucshuck.

Snow being blown on the higher ski slopes.

the cavernous Bar and Grill

Lot's of Ravens fly around the Bowl. Hence the name.

Eating again!

Leaving the Mountain we attempted to park at the Park Royal Shopping Village in West Vancouver. But every one around had the same idea! In the end we gave it up and headed back to Richmond. This time the journey took a while as we hit the traffic snarl ups.