Mount Cain
Mount Cain ski resort is the off the beaten track ski resort found on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Don’t let that image fool you into thinking this resort shouldn’t be on the bucket list for any keen rider though. Whilst the locals would prefer the resort remains a secret it’s slowly becoming more well known for its laid-back vibe and deep powder.
We don’t know exactly how big the ski resort is and that’s what makes it so special, what we do know is that there are 21 marked runs and probably a lot more tucked into the trees. 2 T-Bars are all that you will find here but what really makes this place shine is the 15m of annual snowfall.
In true Canadian style there is a handful of ski in ski out accommodation options found all throughout the tiny village at the base of the ski resort which range from small lodges with shared accommodation to a handful of private houses that can be rented.
Video credit - Matchstick Productions YouTube
This video perfectly sums up what makes Mount Cain so special! As the ski world continues to push so hard for the next biggest chairlift or most vertical, Mount Cain allows visitors to step back in time and really appreciate what makes skiing and snowboarding so special.
Mount Cain Lift Tickets
Riders at Mount Cain resort can access the resort with very very reasonably priced tickets. Day tickets can be purchased at the resort and there are a handful of combo options for riders who commit to the weekend stay or riders staying over the Christmas holidays.
Keep in mind, the ski resort only operates on the weekends as its run by the local community.
All pricing is shown in CAD $
DAY LIFT TICKETS
| Ticket Type | Adult (19-65 years) |
Youth (13-19 years) |
Senior (65+ years) |
Children (6-12 years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day Pass | $55.00 | $35.00 | $35.00 | $21.25 |
| Half day | $38.00 | $27.75 | $27.75 | $13.50 |
| 2 Day Weekend Pass |
$100.00 | $65.00 | $65.00 | $38.00 |
| 5 Day Christmas |
$218.00 | $135.00 | $135.00 | $77.00 |
SEASON PASS
Being a local resort its highly likely the only riders who are looking for a season pass are people who live in the area, however we love the reasonable price of the Mount Cain season pass. $650 for 15m of annual snowfall, sign us up!
| Ticket Type | Adult (19-65 years) |
Youth (13-19 years) |
Senior (65+ years) |
Children (6-12 years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Pass | $650.00 | $435.75 | $435.75 | $246.75 |
Mount Cain Lift system
In keeping with the local mountain vibe this small resort has two T-Bars, yes just two T-Bars. So if you can’t ride the T-Bar then there will be no powder stashes for you.
The aptly named Lower and Upper T-bar lift riders from the base area through 420m of vertical to a summit of 1,610m. The Lower T-Bar has the green and blue runs covered with the Upper T-Bar serving up the advanced terrain which covers 35% of the runs.
| Lift Name | Length | Vertical | Type | Opening Year | Ride Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower T-Bar | 945m / 3,100ft | 196m / 643ft | T-Bar | 1980 | 6:00 min |
| Upper T-Bar | 732m / 2,402ft | 245m / 804ft | T-Bar | 1987 | 4:50 min |
Mount Cain Resort Stats
- Summit Elevation: m / ft
- Base Elevation: m / ft
- Vertical Drop: m / ft
- Beginner: %
- Intermediate: %
- Advanced: %
- Expert: %
- Number of Runs:
- Number of Lifts:
- Avg Annual Snowfall: cm / "
- Resort terrain: ha / acres
- Pass Type:
Mount Cain Snow
Mount Cain ski resort gets hammered every season with around 15m of incredible BC powder. One of the many benefits of this unique ski resort is that they only operate on the weekends, so as those wild pacific storms spend Monday to Friday lashing the resort with fresh powder it’s all there waiting for you come the weekend.
Being a south west facing ski resort means when the storms do roll in the powder is dumped hard however with Mount Cain being a coastal ski resort it also means the powder is best when fresh.
Seasons
OPENING AND CLOSING DATES -
The official opening and closing dates for , BC for current and past seasons. These dates are subject to change at Ski Resort discretion based on weather and snowfall. Estimated dates are based on historical averages or advice from the resort and retrieved from the resort website.| Season | Opening | Closing |
|---|---|---|
| 23/24 | ||
| 22/23 | ||
| 21/22 | ||
| 20/21 | ||
| 19/20 | ||
| 18/19 | ||
| 17/18 | ||
| 16/17 | ||
| 15/16 | ||
| 14/15 |
*Closed early due to COVID-19
Where is Mount Cain
When people say they have been to an off the beaten track ski resort we ask, have you been to Mount Cain?
Mt Cain is situated towards the north end of Vancouver Island in British Columbia Canada near Schoen Lake Provincial Park. It is about 75km northwest of Sayward, 400km northwest of Victoria, and 287km from Nanaimo where the main ferry from the mainland comes in.
Approximate Distances and Driving Times
Port McNeill to the Mount Cain turn off is approximately 77km; about 50 min on Island Hwy 19 by vehicle
Nanaimo to the Mount Cain turn off is approximately 270km; about 2 hours 45 min. on Inland Hwy 19 by vehicle
Campbell River to Mount Cain turn off is approximately 121km, about 1 hour 15min. on Hwy 19 by vehicle
Sayward to the Mt. Cain turn off is approximately 55km; about 30 minutes by vehicle
From the Highway 19 turnoff to the Mt Cain parking lot is 16km on a gravel road; about 30 minutes by vehicle
When travelling from the south
DO NOT use your phone for instructions, Google Maps, iMaps, etc. will have to turn off the highway too soon.
The Highway 19 sign saying "Woss 14 km" is 6 km south of the Mount Cain turnoff.
The small blue sign, "Mt. Cain Ski Area", is about 200 meters south of the turnoff.
Mount Cain’s unpaved access road is on the left side of Hwy 19 as you are heading up island toward Woss.
When travelling from the north
The Mt. Cain turn-off is about 50 min south of Port McNeill and about 5 minutes (8 km or 5 miles) south of the Woss turn-off. Look for the blue Schoen Lake Provincial Park and Mount Cain. Turn-off highway signs on your right. Now you're on the access road, follow the signs to Mount Cain.
Mount Cain Snow News
The 23/24 winter season was the polar opposite to the 22/23 season in by way of the fact that there was far less snowfall across the whole country. We take a look at which resorts in United States saw the largest snowfall during the 23/24 winter season. All the total snowfall reports have been taken directly from the ski resort websites as of the 25th of April 2024.