Enjoy the Last Days of Winter in Vancouver

Celebrate the last days of winter by enjoying the snow on skis, snowshoes, or a sled. Bundle up to say farewell to the chilly season with a winter walk, special apres ski menus, and lots more end of winter activities.

Outdoor Ice Skating

There is still time to squeeze in one last spin around an outdoor rink. The Shipyards Skate Plaza in North Vancouver is open for outdoor skating until mid-March. You can skate for free if you bring your own skates. They also have inexpensive skate rentals. The rink is undercover so you can skate in any weather.

For a true winter wonderland experience, head to the Mountaintop Skating Pond at Grouse Mountain to skate in the crisp mountain air. It's open until late March or early April. Skating is included with your Mountain Admission Ticket and you can rent skates on site.

Skiing and Snowboarding

You'll find spring flowers down in the city, but up in the mountains, the snow is still hanging around. Head up to Mount Seymour, Grouse Mountain, or Cypress Mountain to ski or snowboard. The mountains are typically open until early April. Take advantage of longer days and illuminated runs to experience the thrill of night skiing.

Don't miss end-of-season events like the Ski Ballet and Retro Day on Mountain Seymour, held this year on March 29th. Competitors attempt ski ballet routines for a chance to win a 2025/26 season pass. Close out the season at Mount Seymour with the Puddle Party on April 12. Embrace the sloppy spring conditions with a contest to see who can skim their way across the giant slush puddle.

Cypress Mountain is holding its annual Brewski event on March 15 and 16. Stop by their patio to enjoy tastings from local breweries while a DJ spins.

Apres Ski Dining

After a day on the slopes, kick back and relax with food and drinks. All three of the North Shore ski hills have on-mountain apres spots. At Grouse Mountain, grab a plate of their famous nachos at Altitudes Bistro while you enjoy views of the city. If you're skiing at Cypress, don't miss the Aguila Cantina patio near the bottom of the lifts. It's a great spot for margaritas in the late winter sunshine.

You can also enjoy apres ski specials at restaurants around the city. Honey Salt at the Parq Casino has a special apres ski-inspired menu that includes slopeside favourites like fondue, french onion soup, and s'smores. Our guide to apres ski dining has lots of options.

Snowy Winter Walks

Take your winter boots out for one last walk in the snow. Ride a gondola up into the mountains to enjoy crunching around in the white stuff.

At Grouse Mountain you can experience an enchanting winter scene on the Light Walk. This short snowy trail is decorated with thousands of twinkling lights. Access to the Light Walk is included in your Mountain Admission ticket.

Or ride the Sea to Sky Gondola for incredible views of icy peaks towering over the blue waters of Howe Sound. Rent microspikes at the lodge, then head out on the snowy trails for even more views. Brave the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge on the Spirit Trail and then trek out to the cantilevered Chief Overlook Viewing Platform on the Panorama Trail.

Snowshoeing

There are still a few more weeks left in snowshoeing season. Grouse Mountain, Mount Seymour, Cypress Mountain, and the Sea to Sky Gondola all have marked snowshoe trails with on-site rentals open until late March or early April.

You can tackle the trails on your own, but it's more fun to go on a themed tour. At Grouse Mountain, sign up for the New Moon or Full Moon snowshoe tours to experience the tranquil quiet of the trails at night as the stars sparkle overhead.

Enjoy an old-growth forest strung with thousands of twinkling lights at Lights to the Lodge at Cypress Mountain. The easy one-kilometre snowshoe trek heads through the illuminated forest to the historic Hollyburn Lodge where you can warm up with hot chocolate and snacks.

Or sign up for a snowshoe fondue tour. You'll follow your guide through the snowy forest before finishing the evening with fondue. The Chocolate Fondue Tour at Mount Seymour includes chocolate fondue served in a hand-carved snow lounge. At Grouse Mountain, the Snowshoe Fondue experience includes a guided snowshoe tour followed by a two-course cheese and chocolate fondue dinner at Altitudes Bistro.

Sledding and Tubing

We rarely have enough snow to go sledding in Vancouver, but the nearby mountains have sledding and tubing hills open until late March or early April.

Gnarly's Tube Park at Cypress Mountain has six groomed chutes for tubing, plus a tube tow to pull you back up to the top. Visit on Friday evenings until the end of March to enjoy their Friday Night Lights events. The tubing lanes are open late and you can enjoy apple cider, hot chocolate, and s'mores around the bonfire.

The Sea to Sky Gondola has a low-tech Tube Park near the Summit Lodge. Slide down the hill on a tube, pull it back up to the top, and then repeat. Tickets for unlimited tubing are just $5. On Fun Fridays kids under 18 can tube for free and the tube park is open until dusk.

Mount Seymour has a tube park with groomed runs and a tube tow as well as a toboggan area where you can bring your own sled or purchase a sliding mat.

Located near the Skating Pond, the Grouse Mountain Sliding Zone has two groomed lanes for sliding. Sled rental is just $5.