Cypress Mountain

A 30-minute drive from downtown Vancouver, near West Vancouver and on the way toward other outdoor events in the resort town of Whistler, Cypress Mountain is one of British Columbia’s most popular ski areas.

It will host all three snowboarding events (halfpipe, parallel giant slalom and snowboardcross) and all three freestyle skiing events (ski cross, aerials and moguls). The venue will hold roughly 8,000 spectators for the halfpipe competition and 12,000 spectators for the others.

The ski cross and snowboardcross events will take place on the same 1,135-meter (about 3,724 feet) course, using the same finish line as the snowboarding parallel giant slalom. The 22-foot halfpipe, the largest ever for the Olympics, is built next to the finish line.

Aerials and moguls will take place nearby, their temporary venues built side by side.

Cypress Mountain was partly chosen because of its postcard views of Vancouver and English Bay, sure to be a constant backdrop for the televised events. But its coastal location on what is called Vancouver’s North Shore and its relatively low elevation have led to concerns that conditions could be less than optimal.

Last February, the same month in which the Olympics will be held, a test event for snowboarding was canceled at the last moment because the snow was too soft. World Cup snowboardcross events were left undone.

Officials claim that it was a useful learning experience, teaching them how to better prepare the snow for Vancouver’s fluctuating weather. But snowboarders left last February largely unimpressed for other reasons, too. Some criticized the halfpipe for being too short and having walls that were less than vertical. Others said that they were not treated well by Cypress Mountain employees and complained about everything from bad parking to long walks through crowds. The area will be closed during the Olympics, which should alleviate those issues.

While the aerials ramps and moguls course are built to relatively exacting standards, and the dimensions of the halfpipe should be familiar to the snowboarders, the race courses at Cypress Mountain are unique.

Snowboardcross and ski cross will take place on a 0.7-mile course that includes W-shaped zigzags near the top. With four competitors starting simultaneously in a race for the finish line over jumps, berms and banked corners, the top could provide the spills and collisions that make the events attractive for fans. The rest of the course features some roomier straight sections, designed for passing.

The parallel giant slalom, in which athletes race head to head until an ultimate winner is determined, will be contested on an 1,800-foot run carved out of a portion of the snowboardcross and ski cross course. It will feature roughly 25 gates that racers must navigate.

The Vancouver Games are, in many ways, split between two locales: the city of Vancouver (where figure skating, curling, hockey and other indoor competitions will be held) and the ski resort of Whistler (where Alpine and Nordic skiing, bobsled, luge and other ice-and-snow events will occur), about two hours away.

Cypress Mountain is somewhat of a combination. Its events are among the most popular for spectators, with high-flying aerials and roller derby-style races. And when the day is over, the medalists will be taken downhill to downtown Vancouver for the nightly ceremonies. Whistler will have its own nightly ceremonies in its village center.