Crystal Mountain

The third stop on this winter's "IKON pass ski tour" was Crystal Mountain Resort, in the neighboring state of Washington.  After flying to our destinations the previous two ski junkets, I was happy this trip didn't require air travel - the resort was a relatively short four-hour drive from home.

Enjoying adult beverages at the bar

It was round three of the "Adventures of Kim and Linda."  Leaving on Valentine's Day, we abandoned our hubbies for this ski trip.  Taking a leisurely drive up Interstate 5 and then eastward through a few Seattle suburbs, we arrived at our destination by mid-afternoon.  After checking in to our very small (and expensive!) base area hotel room, Kim and I wandered across a large parking lot to check out Crystal Mountain's day lodge.  At the bar, we celebrated our safe arrival with a round of adult beverages.

Cute, alpine-themed buildings

The wind had picked up during the last leg of our drive and by the time we arrived at Crystal Mountain it was absolutely howling.  I felt sorry for the folks who were still out skiing!  With that wind it had to be absolutely bone-chilling cold.  Not long after sitting down in the bar, we began to notice snowflakes swirling in the air.  By the time we walked back across the parking lot to find dinner, the skies were dumping snow.

There wasn't much for dining options at Crystal Mountain's base area.  Kim and I had the choice of an expensive German-themed restaurant or a deli.  Naturally, we chose the lower-priced deli, but it still wasn't cheap.  We shared a mediocre plate of nachos and washed them down with $12 beers. (Yes, each!)  

This is what 10 inches of overnight snow looks like

The next day dawned to a thick coating of fluffy powder snow.  I was pleased to see that a whopping 10 inches had fallen overnight.  It completely covered my car, parked along the road outside our hotel.  I was giddy.  Can you say powder day?  

Like many of the Pacific NW ski resorts this season, lower than normal snowfall had plagued Crystal Mountain.  As a matter of fact, upon reading a few dire conditions reports from their website, Kim and I almost pulled the plug on this trip.  But being within the "7-day no refund" window on our hotel by the time we thought about cancelling forced us to carry on.  Now I was glad we did!

It had snowed every day Kim and I had been in Utah, and we joked that now we'd also brought the snow to Crystal Mountain.  (Maybe they need to pay us to come here more often!)

Can you say powder day?

Crystal Mountain's parking lots were strung along their long entrance road.  A shuttle bus picked up skiers from each lot and ferried them to the lodge.  However, the lot closest to the lodge didn't offer any such transportation.  Unfortunately for us, that's where our hotel was situated.  Reaching the lifts would require a long trek across this icy parking lot in our ski boots.  I considered moving my car into the first lot to make a shorter walk, but a nearby resort worker told us this area was reserved for paid parking.  Apparently people pay $2,000 to park here for the season!

Kim and I were both miffed that our hotel didn't offer any kind of skier transport (especially for the price we paid!)  Although I opted to brave the walk in my ski boots, Kim wisely decided to carry her boots and change at the lodge.  (I've often joked that walking across an icy parking lot wearing ski boots and carrying your ski equipment should be an Olympic sport.)

Yes, the snow was great!

Fortunately we both made the trip across the parking lot with zero mishaps.  Kim went into the lodge to change into her boots and rent a locker to store her shoes.  I was practically salivating at all the fresh powder snow, so Kim told me to go ahead and take a couple runs and she'd catch up.

I jumped on Crystal's gondola and it whisked me to the very top of the mountain.  Having skied here twice in 2017 and '18 I remembered where to go upon disembarking.  Skies were cloudy and a bit foggy so the wonderful views this place was known for were practically nil.  But the snow amount and quality more than made up for that.  Although the early-bird skiers had tracked up most of the slopes already, I started down a run and had a great time swishing through the fluffy goodness.

Clouds parting at the summit

I did have one minor mishap - approaching the chairlift base, the slope began to flatten.  Being in fairly deep snow, I wasn't going fast enough to cut through it and something tripped me up (I blame a "snow snake!")  Before I knew what was happening, my skis stopped abruptly but my body continued forward and I skidded face-first into the snow.

Ugh - not a good way to start the day!  I picked myself up, dusted the snow off my goggles and helmet, and scooted uphill to retrieve my poles.  Luckily, nothing seemed to be hurt except my pride.

The nearby mountains were gorgeous

Kim rode up the gondola and we reunited at the top.  After a run here, we headed for the "Forest Queen" chairlift and spent most of the morning making laps down its powder-filled slopes.

Although the two areas we skied that day seemed to have adequate snowpack, I noticed the lower part of the mountain was a different story.  Grass and bushes poked up from a scant snow layer.  The lifts in the bottom third of the resort weren't running at all - despite the previous night's snowfall, there still wasn't enough coverage to safely ski.  Low snow amounts seemed to have affected the skier traffic coming to the resort.  Due to lack of skiers, we encountered scaled back services throughout - only one mid-mountain lodge was open, and the base area had just one dining establishment serving food and drink.

Cold temperatures kept the snow in good shape

Another thing Kim and I observed at Crystal Mountain - people were rude.  We were shuffling through the lift line when two young men on snowboards barged through, cutting in front of us so they could ride up with their buddies, without so much as an "excuse me."  And several times when Kim and I would stop at the side of a run to take a quick break (which is where you are supposed to stop instead of the middle of a run), skiers and boarders would fly by at high rates of speed, often missing us by inches.  The only ski patrol I saw the entire two days we skied at Crystal was a group working on someone who'd crashed and injured themselves.  Not sure if the resort cut back on ski patrol too?  Kim and I have skied at many different resorts, and we'd never witnessed such bad behavior as we did here.

Sunny skies the next day meant Mt. Rainier views

By midafternoon we both began to tire and the snow started to transform into bumpy moguls from all the skier traffic.  Moguls wear out already tired legs, so Kim and I decided to call it a day.  Following the designated run with adequate snow coverage all the way to the base got us safely back.  We ate a very early dinner in the day lodge and then spent the rest of the evening in our hotel room, watching the one channel we could get on our TV, and reading (me) or doing puzzles (Kim).  There wasn't much else to do unless you wanted to hang out in the dingy bar next to the deli (which we did not care to revisit.)

Another great mountain capture

The next morning dawned with clear skies.  Hooray - no visibility problems!  Kim and I traveled to the mountaintop once again because I wanted her to see the killer view of Mt. Rainier from the gondola's upper terminal.  And yes, it was a beautiful panorama of snowy peaks.  Mt. Rainier looked spectacular decked out in her finest white.  Unfortunately, the wind was absolutely howling across the ridge, blowing snow into our faces, so I stopped just long enough to snap two photos, before quickly descending to a lower, more wind-protected elevation.

The slopes were nicely groomed

Temperatures stayed cold enough overnight to preserve that the nice fluffy powder snow we'd enjoyed the day before.  Resort workers had transformed yesterday's bumpy surfaces into smooth groomed corduroy.  No moguls today!  It was easy skiing all morning, as we zipped effortlessly downhill.  The skies were bright blue, and the scenery spectacular.

Gotta get a ski selfie!

Today happened to be Friday.  Although we enjoyed short lift lines to begin with, it didn't last.  Word of new snow and people getting a jump on the weekend brought out the masses, and soon Kim and I found ourselves standing in long lines.  The slopes were also getting really crowded.  I don't care for lots of people flying by while I'm trying to ski.  I'm always afraid someone will plow into me.  Tired of fighting crowds, and knowing we had a long drive ahead, Kim and I decided to quit at noon and head home.

The weather was so nice, I didn't want to leave!

Crystal Mountain Resort got mixed reviews from both Kim and I.  Although it had lots of great - and very steep - terrain, a lot of the slopes weren't open due to lack of snow.  And a lot of the dining areas weren't open either.   It was like they'd already given up on the season.  The base area lodging didn't impress us at all.  Our room was old, worn, and extremely tiny - not worth the big bucks we spent.  It didn't even have a microwave oven, so we had to eat all our meals at the resort, which was expensive.  Breakfast options were extremely limited, and dinner wasn't much better.  We had to walk a far distance to get to the lifts, with no shuttle option.  And we found many of the people who recreate here rude, with no visible ski patrol presence to keep folks in line.

So, although we got to use our IKON passes again on a nearby Pacific NW resort, I doubt we'll return anytime soon.

Weekend at Crystal

Crystal Mountain.....the largest ski area in Washington State....known for it's steep, gnarly terrain and breathtaking mountain views.  For years I've wanted to come here.

Crystal Mountain base area

This season I tried to convince one of my friends to join me for a mid-February trip, but she was busy.  Then I decided why not go by myself?  Coincidentally, the weekend of choice also happened to land on my birthday, so I told the hubby this could be my gift.

Rainier Express lift

In the days leading up to my ski trip weekend, I watched the weather like a hawk.  Although the Cascade Mountains suffered a bout of rain all week, Saturday promised clearing skies.  That morning, I loaded my car and pointed it north, hoping for the best.

Mt. Rainier Gondola

Located in the Northeast corner of Mt. Rainier National Park, Crystal is a 4-hour drive from Portland (roughly the same distance as my fave Oregon ski area, Mt Bachelor)  Aside from some traffic through Olympia and Puyallup, it was a fairly uneventful trip.  I arrived at the resort with enough time to check into my hotel and drop off my skis to be waxed.  Then I chilled slopeside on the base area's large covered patio, listened to a good live band, people-watched, and enjoyed a cold Porter.  Aaahhh!

And the grand mountain herself!

Although I studied the resort's trail map that evening, the following morning I boarded the Chinook Express Lift with no concrete plan.  Luckily, I got buddied up with one of the resort's volunteer hosts, and he was more than happy to share recommendations.  Head swimming with information, I disembarked and decided to check out the Forest Queen Express.

Fancy restaurant on the mountaintop

Although today's weather was mild, a week of rain and overnight cold temperatures had frozen the snow into an icy crust.  I found the first few runs fast and challenging.  Luckily, most everything had been groomed.

Spectacular views everywhere!

One of my first impressions of Crystal - their runs were steep!  What's considered an intermediate (blue) run here would be classified a black diamond (expert) trail at my home hill.  Now I'm not one to shy from a gnarly slope, but the day's icy conditions (and the fact I was by myself) made me a bit more cautious.

Lots of people taking in the scenery

Riding single, I got paired up with lots of interesting people.  I learned very quickly asking my lift-mates "Where have you been skiing today?" brought a plethora of trail recommendations, snow condition reports, and valuable local advice.  Plus I enjoyed some great conversations.

After spending most of the morning exploring the terrain off of Forest Queen, I decided to broaden my horizons.  A man on the lift recommended riding the Rainier Express, which took you to the very summit.  He said the views on top were amazing.  So off I went!

Nice place to mountain-gaze

Although the forecast was for sunshine, skies remained overcast most of the morning.  By the time I disembarked from the Rainier Lift, things were just starting to clear.  And there on top, staring me in the face, was massive Mt. Rainier.  My oh my, what an incredible view!  

Cool cloud beside Rainier

A fancy restaurant was perched on the summit.  On one side of the building was a snowy patio area offering low-slung lounge chairs.  Chairs and people lined the edge, all taking in the amazing mountain panorama.  Snowy peaks stretched out in all directions.  It was totally breathtaking.

Apres-ski action

After soaking in the scenery (followed by copious photo-taking) I followed the crowd down Lucky Shot trail.  After a couple of laps on that and a super-steep black diamond run called "Middle Ferk," I could feel my tummy rumbling.  Time to break for lunch.

The Alpine Inn

Taking a long, winding cat track back to the base area, I skirted a steep slope with three tiny avalanches, and ended up barrelling down another steep bump run (but it was fun!).  After a bowl of chowder from the outside dining area, I hoofed it back to my room at the Alpine Inn to shed a layer and use the bathroom.  My hotel was a mere 200 yards from the lifts.  I've only ever booked slopeslide lodging once before and I must say, it was worth the extra bucks.

Morning gondola ride

Then I hopped on the Mt Rainier gondola for a cushy ride back to the top.  I spent the afternoon exploring more trails both off the Rainier Express and Green Valley lifts.  Although the sun finally made an appearance, it wasn't enough solar power to soften the snow much, and by 3:00 the trails were beginning to ice back over.  Deciding my legs had had enough for one day (and wanting to save something for tomorrow) I decided it was time for beer-o-thirty.

Had the views all to myself

I enjoyed yet another good glass of Porter on the base area sundeck before heading back to my room for a shower.  The Alpine Inn offered both a nice German-themed restaurant and a casual bar and deli on the premises.  I chose a burger and beer in the bar, and both were quite tasty.  Before heading back to my room, I was tempted enough to grab one of the deli's  huge brownies for dessert (hey, it was my birthday!)

Looking down on Silver Queen

After a good night's rest, I was up and at 'em the next morning for more skiing.  The day dawned with clear skies and sunshine.  Perfect!

Good morning, Mt Rainier!

First thing I jumped on the gondola for another scenery-packed ride to the top.  Taking advantage of the morning light, I wasted no time capturing a few more mountain photos, especially of massive Mt Rainier. 

Looking towards Green Valley

Then it was back down Lucky Shot for a few laps.  The adjacent peak, Silver Queen, had a recent avalanche on one of it's slopes which was quite visible from above.  As a matter of fact, one of the trails went right by it's debris field.  Very sobering to stop and look uphill at the huge volume of snow that came crashing down!  Some of Crystal's slopes are so steep that inbounds avalanches are quite common.  As a matter of fact, an avalanche in March 2014 took out one of Crystal's chairlifts (luckily no one was hurt and the lift has since been replaced).

Lucky Shot run

The day's copious sunshine quickly turned icy groomed runs into wonderful soft snow.  Perfect for carving some turns!

Avalanche aftermath

I played all morning, alternating between Rainier Express and the Green Valley lifts.  Since it was a Monday, the slopes were practically deserted.  Sunshine, good snow, fabulous views, and no people.  Happy birthday to me!

Gondola car

Towards late morning, the winds picked up on top, and blew hard enough to shut down the gondola.  Luckily, it didn't affect the slopes much - just at the very top.  I had to batten down the hatches for the first couple of feet, but once I'd skied a short distance, the wind quickly died down.

Lots of photo ops for this mountain

For today's lunch, I decided to check out the Campbell Basin Lodge, an on-mountain cafeteria located atop of the Forest Queen lift.  A beautiful structure, it appeared to be quite new.  I loved the inside decor, with rustic log furniture and Warren Miller cartoons adorning its walls.  I especially liked the drawing titled "Northwest Skier" showing a man skiing on ice in a rain slicker.

Campbell Basin lodge

Although it was a fabulous day, I had to cut my afternoon short.  Not only fatigued from yesterday's full day of skiing, I had a long drive back to Portland and hoped to beat some of the traffic.

Warren Miller artwork

So what did I think of Crystal Mountain?  Loved the variety of trails, but the weekend's icy conditions kept me from trying some of the super steeps.  I'd love to come back on a powder day and explore more terrain.  But on the flip side, the sunny weather enabled me to enjoy the fabulous mountain panoramas Crystal is famous for - totally one of the better ski area views I've seen.

I thought the on-slope lodging was expensive for what you got.  I paid big bucks for a tiny single room.  And the Alpine Inn, although clean and cozy, was sort of run-down and noisy (my room was right next to the stairway - thump, thump, thump all night!)  Crystal being a remote location, is a 45 minute drive from the nearest town, and a two hour drive from Seattle.  Visitors can either spend their money on lodging, or spend time driving back and forth down a sometimes treacherous road.

I'll be back!

But I was thrilled to finally experience Crystal Mountain for myself.  A perfect way to spend my birthday weekend.  Two ski poles up - I'll be back!