More about Crystal Mountain

Boyne's most noticeable contribution thus far is the installation of the Northwest's first six-passenger high-speed chairlifts - the Forest Queen and Chinook Express. Forest Queen - a state-of-the-art Doppelmyer lift - replaced the Rendezvous chair that serves much of Crystal's beginner and intermediate terrain. The lift transports 3,600 guests per hour and travels 1,000 feet per minute. The Chinook, boasting the same lift time and capacity, replaced the Midway Shuttle lift. The lifts are big enough to sleep two comfortably on each chair, and fast enough to keep snowriders from catching their breath. Consequently, surrounding trails have been expanded to accommodate the increased activity. Don't sweat the long weekend lines. The new "six packs" move even large crowds swiftly.

The rental shop has also undergone major reconstructive surgery, doubling its size. Other scheduled projects include development of a new restaurant in Campbell Basin, paving of the upper parking lot, expansion of the heated plaza in the base area, and reconfiguration of the Quicksilver chairlift to create more space on the beginner slopes.

The downside of all the renovations and upgrades is increased lift ticket prices. Prior to the new ownership, Crystal offered a skier guarantee in which guests not satisfied with their experience could return their tickets within 75 minutes and receive a voucher good for another day of skiing. Not any more. Additionally, the resort said goodbye to midweek discounted tickets, which used to cost about 60 percent of the weekend price from Monday to Thursday. Crystal is one of the state's highest-priced areas, and yes, it's a pretty good trek from Seattle. But don't let that be discouraging. A bad day at Crystal is better than most good days elsewhere.

The improvements will certainly attract more skiers, but Crystal Mountain's biggest draw is, and will probably always be, its breathtaking vantage of Mount Rainier. The perennially snowcapped mountain is visible from just about anywhere in the state. But from Crystal, located on the northeast edge of Mount Rainier National Park, the 14,000-foot peak is up close and personal. The view from the Crystal Summit House - which at 6,872 feet is Washington's highest restaurant - is so grand that skiers often find themselves crowded out of the lift lines by sightseers. Lift operators are frequently heard politely asking the crowds to move away from the lift. Young and not so young alike can't seem to get enough of Washington's prized natural wonder.

Aside from serving as the ultimate backdrop, Mount Rainier is responsible for Crystal's unusually light snow. Ask any Washingtonian about their snow and the answer is sure to include the term "Cascade Concrete." And generally speaking, this is justified. The low altitude of Washington's ski areas and the Northwest's tendency for rain tends to produce heavy, wet snow. But Crystal lies in a weather pocket. Mount Rainier, just 12 miles southwest of Crystal, tends to catch most of the heavy snow on its west side, allowing only light snow to fall over and around the mountain, and on the slopes of Crystal. Though the snow quality is good, snow levels can be on occasion low, relative to other Washington resorts. When the snow is low, be sure to look out for rocks hiding just under the snow at the top of Green Valley and High Campbell Basin.

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