Gear Up and Enjoy Vancouver’s Local Mountains This Winter

There’s a saying you can hear being uttered across the Lower Mainland when a flurry of clouds part and we can see the gorgeous snow lines appear on the North Shore: “The mountains are out!” While they make for amazing photo ops and Instagram opportunities, they are also ready to ride and this season you’ve got plenty of chances to enjoy these snowy winter wonderlands, no matter your skill level.

Photo courtesy of Grouse Mountain

Take a lesson then apres in the Hollyburn Lodge and enjoy live music every Friday night at Cypress, lace up some skates for the Grouse Mountain Pond Hockey Classic in February, or test your skills at Mt Seymour’s Youth Progression Jam or Vans Hi Standard snowboard series.

Each of the local mountains has unique terrain, amenities, and views:

Cypress has 6 Chair lifts (2 high speed) and 3 surface lifts, 53 runs (the most on the North Shore), and the longest run combo is 4.1 km (T33 into Collins). It has 600 acres (240 hectares) of skiable terrain, a vertical rise of 610m (2010 ft), and night skiing on Black Mountain and Mount Strachan, the two mountains that make up the resort area.

Mt. Seymour has 200 acres of downhill ski and snowboard terrain with 40 trails and 5 lifts. There are 4 terrain parks with 12 trails, 4 snowtubing lanes, 8 toboggan runs, a vertical rise of 330m and a longest trail reaching 1.6km.

Grouse Mountain has 26 ski and snowboard runs, 14 night runs, 4 chairlifts, 2 terrain parks plus the Cut Jump Line, 10km of snowshoe trails and the North Shore’s most extensive snowmaking system.

Photo courtesy of Mt. Seymour

Our local mountains always host fun, family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebrations and this year you can enjoy an early countdown, live entertainment, fireworks, skating, sliding, snowshoeing and more at Grouse Mountain’s New Year’s Eve celebration. Family First Night at Mount Seymour will have tobogganing, fireworks, s’mores, and more!

Ride in Style

Having the right gear is always key, and last year I upgraded some of my equipment as I have done every few years since I was a young teen: Buying second hand. Whether you’re the seller, or the buyer, Canada’s #1 online classifieds platform, Kijiji is a top destination for Canadians looking for great value year-round, reaching more than half of the country’s online population.

With more than 2 new ads posted on Kijiji every second of every day, users can find almost anything imaginable right in their own communities. Browse or sell snowshoes, snowboards, skates, and skis.

Kijiji’s Top Selling Tips:

• Thorough titles. Include important facts such as brand name, product name, size, and price in your title in order to get people to read your full ad.
• Detailed descriptions. Provide as much detail as possible. Where applicable, include measurements of the item, history of the item, and the condition (new vs used). Be honest; don’t be afraid to say the item is scratched or damaged. If this is a holiday gift, is it unopened?
• Pictures. Images are everything. Don’t use stock pictures or images from another web site. Buyers want to see the actual item if they are interested. Think about good lighting, close ups and clarity.
• Set the right price. Research a fair selling price based on similar ads and/or retail prices to maximize interest. If you’re eager to sell, indicate you’re listing price is flexible (“OBO” for “Or Best Offer”).
• Conditions of the sale. Is your item “first come first serve”? What form of payment do you prefer? When is full payment expected (upon pick up)? Is the price negotiable or firm? It’s now even easier as you have the option to quickly send and receive money via PayPal through the Kijiji app, on iOS or Android, at the meet-up.
• Respond promptly to inquiries about your ad. Buyers lose interest quickly. Reply to every inquiry. If you are holding the item for someone, let others know that you will get back to them if the sale does not go. Use the Kijiji App (available for download on iOS and Android) to easily post your ad and communicate with potential buyers in real-time on your mobile device.
• Pro Tip: If you’re in a rush to sell or aren’t getting any bites, you can pay a small fee to boost your ranking.

Photo courtesy of Mt. Seymour

Kijiji’s Top Buying Tips:

• Set up an alert on Kijiji (your desktop or app) based on your specific search terms to be notified when new ads are posted in your area that fit the bill. From there, you can easily inquire with sellers immediately and review the newest options in real-time!
• Use in-app messaging via the Kijiji app (and website) for real-time responses to show the seller you’re serious about the purchase and so you don’t miss out!
• Use specific key terms in your search to find exactly what you’re looking for, including any model numbers or features that will help you narrow down your search.
• Do your research to verify you’re getting a fair deal. Take a look at similar listings and retail prices to compare and evaluate the offer.
• Negotiate the selling price to save even more. Sellers will include a listing price in their ad, but are often open to negotiation and may even indicate “OBO” (or best offer) in their listing, so don’t be shy. You can even offer other incentives to bring down the selling price, like offering to meet at a location that most convenient to them.

Now that you have the event info, and access to the right gear, there’s no stopping your winter adventures this season on those amazing local mountains.