Gibson Pass Ski Area facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gibson Pass Ski Area
Gibson Pass Ski Area as seen from the easternmost slopes.
Location	Manning Park, British Columbia, Canada
Nearest city	Vancouver Hope Princeton
Coordinates	49°4′6″N 120°54′59″W / 49.06833°N 120.91639°W / 49.06833; -120.91639
Vertical	417 m 1417 ft
Top elevation	1789 m 5868 ft
Base elevation	1357 m 4451 ft
Skiable area	57 acres 140 hectares
Runs	34 total 8 – Easiest 11 – More Difficult 16 – Most Difficult
Longest run	Horseshoe 2.1 km (1.3 mi)
Lift system	5 total 1 double chairlift 1 quad chairlift 1 T-bar 1 handle tow 1 Tube Cable Tow
Snowfall	546 cm 215 inches
Website	Manning Park Resort

Gibson Pass Ski Area is a fun place to ski and snowboard. It is often called Manning Park Ski Area. You can find it inside E. C. Manning Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. Even though it's in a park, it's run by Manning Park Resort, not the government. They use the land through a special agreement.

The ski area has five different lifts to take you up the mountain. These include two chairlifts, a T-bar, a handle tow, and a tube cable lift. At the base of the hill, you'll find a day lodge with a restaurant, a guest services building, and a ski patrol cabin. There is also a daycare for younger kids.

This used to be the rental shop and the bottom of the Orange Chairlift. It was taken down later.

History of Gibson Pass Ski Area

How the Ski Hill Started

The Hope-Princeton Highway was built in 1949. This made it much easier for people to visit the park. A small motel was built close to where the Manning Park Resort is now.

Over the years, people tried different ideas for the ski hill. They even thought about hosting the Winter Olympic Games here! But in the end, the Gibson Pass spot worked best. Before the current ski hill, there was a smaller one between Blackwall Road and the resort.

The very first lift at Gibson Pass was a twin rope tow. It's not there anymore, but the old building for it still stands. The first chairlift, called the Blue Chair, opened in December 1967. It was officially named Gibson Valley Chairlift No. 1.

New Lifts and Changes

The Orange Chairlift was built in November 1970. This was the main lift for many years. It was also called Gibson Valley Chairlift No. 1.

The provincial government used to run the resort until 1986. Then, it became privately owned, like other ski hills such as Cypress Bowl and Mount Seymour. The private owners were given a 50-year permit to use the land.

In 2013, the ski hill and resort closed for a short time. But soon after, a new owner bought it, and it reopened the very next season. In the summer of 2019, the Orange Chairlift was replaced. It was upgraded from a two-seat lift to a modern four-seat chairlift.

Facilities at the Ski Hill

All the main buildings are at the bottom of the chairlifts. There are eight buildings at the ski hill, not counting the small buildings for lift operations. You can't stay overnight right at the ski hill, but there are spots for RVs (Recreational Vehicles). The parking lot has two levels and is not paved. Manning Park Resort keeps it clear of snow.

The ski hill gets its power from a diesel generator. This generator is located near the Blue Chairlift. When the new quad chairlift was installed in 2019, some old buildings were taken down. These included the rental and ski school buildings. A new guest services building was built in their place.

Here are some of the main buildings and what they are used for:

Ski Lifts at Manning Park

Manning Park Resort has five lifts to help skiers and snowboarders get up the mountain:

• Blue Chair: This is a double chairlift from 1967.
• Quad Chair: This is a newer four-seat chairlift installed in 2019. It replaced the old Orange Chair.
• Handle-Tow: This lift is in the upper part of the beginner area.
• T-bar: This lift is in the lower part of the beginner area.
• Cable Tow: This lift is used for the Polar Coaster tubing area.

The beginner area is split into two sections. Both chairlifts have safety bars to keep riders secure.

This was the top of the old Orange Chairlift. It was replaced by a new quad chairlift in 2019.

Ski and Snowboard Trails

The ski area has many trails for different skill levels. Trails are usually marked with colors:

• Green Circle: Easiest trails, great for beginners.
• Blue Square: More difficult trails, good for intermediate skiers.
• Black Diamond: Most difficult trails, for advanced skiers.

Alpine Trails (Downhill Skiing)

Nordic Trails (Cross-Country Skiing)

Getting to Gibson Pass

The ski hill is about a ten-minute drive from the main Manning Park Lodge. It's located just off Highway 3.

There is a free shuttle bus that runs every day between the lodge and the ski hill. This makes it easy to get around without your car.

In 2018, a bus company called Greyhound stopped its service on the Hope Princeton Highway. But in 2019, a different bus company started offering some service to the resort again.

The free shuttle bus takes visitors between Manning Park Lodge and the ski hill's day lodge.