Crystal Mountain (Washington) facts for kids
{{Infobox ski area | name = Crystal Mountain | logo = Crystal Mountain WA logo.svg | picture = Crystal Mountain WA.JPG | caption = Crystal in March 2015 | location = Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Pierce County,
Washington, U.S. | nearest_city = Enumclaw
40 mi. (65 km) north | pushpin_map = Washington#United States | pushpin_relief = 1 | coordinates = 46°56′N 121°29′W / 46.93°N 121.48°W | pushpin_label_position = right | map_caption = Location in Washington##Location in the United States | status = Operating | owner = Alterra Mountain Company | vertical = 3,100 ft (945 m)
2,592 ft (790 m) - lifts | top_elevation = 7,012 ft (2,137 m)
6,992 ft (2,131 m) - lifts | base_elevation = 3,912 ft (1,192 m)
4,400 ft (1,341 m) - lifts | skiable_area = 2,600 acres (10.5 km2)
lift serviced:
2,300 acres (9.3 km2)
inbounds backcountry:
300 acres (1.2 km2) | number_trails = 80 (57 designated trails)
- 11% easiest
- 54% more difficult
- 35% most difficult | longest_run = 2.5 mi (4 km)
"Northway" | liftsystem = 1 gondola
10 chairs
1 magic carpet | lift_capacity = 19,888 / hr | terrainparks = Yes, 1 | snowfall = 350 in (29.2 ft; 8.9 m) | snowmaking = Yes (added in 2015) | nightskiing = Limited, until 6 p.m. or 8 p.m. | external_link = |} Crystal Mountain is a popular ski area in Washington, located in the Cascade Range. It's the biggest ski resort in the state and is part of the Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest. You can easily reach it from the Seattle and Tacoma areas by driving on State Route 410.
Crystal Mountain is mostly used for day trips. It has nine chairlifts, many places to eat, and several hotels. It's also home to the Mt. Rainier Gondola, which takes you to the top of the mountain all year round. This gondola, built in 2010, is the only high-speed gondola in Washington state. In 2018, Alterra Mountain Company became the owner of Crystal Mountain.
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Exploring Crystal Mountain's Location
Crystal Mountain is easy to get to from Enumclaw. You drive towards the Sunrise entrance of Mount Rainier National Park, passing through the small town of Greenwater.
The ski resort sits in the Silver Creek valley, which flows into the White River. It's on the east and northeast sides of Crystal Mountain itself. The main peak, called Silver King, is 7,002 ft (2,134 m) high. Other peaks nearby, like Silver Queen (about 6,990 ft (2,130 m)) and Grubstake Point (about 6,875 ft (2,096 m)), can be reached by ski lifts. From the top, you get amazing views of Mount Rainier, which is less than 13 miles (20 km) away.
A Look Back: Crystal Mountain's History
Starting Out in the 1960s
Crystal Mountain Resort first opened its doors in December 1962. It had two double chairlifts. One of these, Miner's Basin, was removed in 2011. The other, Iceberg Ridge, was taken out when the Rainier Express lift was built. The area was chosen because some skiers from Tacoma couldn't build a resort inside Mount Rainier National Park. More lifts, like Green Valley and Quicksilver, were added soon after.
In 1965, Crystal Mountain hosted big ski competitions. These included the collegiate ski championships and the U.S. Alpine Ski Championships. Famous skiers like Karl Schranz, Jimmie Heuga, Billy Kidd, Jean-Claude Killy, and Nancy Greene competed here. Crystal hosted the national championships again in 1968, right after the Winter Olympics. Local skier Judy Nagel won titles at just sixteen years old!
Growing in the 1970s
The Campbell Basin chairlift opened in 1970. This new lift made it possible to ski in the Campbell Basin area for the first time. It went all the way from the base to where the Campbell Basin Lodge is now.
In 1972, Crystal Mountain hosted the World Cup ski races. Top skiers from around the world competed in downhill events. In 1974, Crystal added its first triple chairlift, Bullion Basin. Then, in 1976, High Campbell was added. This became the highest lift at Crystal, giving access to Silver Queen and other challenging areas.
Changes in the 1980s
In 1984, the Bullion Basin lift was moved and renamed Gold Hills. That same year, the Rendezvous and Discovery triple chairlifts were also installed.
A big change happened in 1988 when Washington's first high-speed detachable quad chairlift, the Rainier Express, was built. This lift replaced an older one and made it much faster to get up the mountain. A new fixed-grip quad, Midway Shuttle, was added to connect the base area to Rainier Express. These improvements were paid for by investors who became part of the Crystal Mountain Founder's Club.
Improvements in the 1990s
By the mid-1990s, Crystal Mountain needed more money for important upgrades like new lifts and lodges. In 1997, Boyne Resorts bought the area. Boyne promised to spend at least $15 million on improvements over ten years. In the first two years, they built two new high-speed six-person chairlifts: Chinook and Forest Queen Express. They also improved rental facilities, paved parking lots, and bought new snow grooming machines.
Modernizing in the 2000s
In 2000, the Green Valley double chairlift was replaced with a high-speed quad. In 2007, Crystal expanded a lot by building the Northway chairlift in what used to be the North Backcountry. This increased the developed ski area by 70%, adding 2,300 acres (9.3 km2) of terrain. The Summit House restaurant was also updated.
New Features in the 2010s
In 2010, a terrain park was built for snowboarders and freestyle skiers. The amazing Mt. Rainier Gondola was also installed, opening on New Year's Day 2011. This gondola takes you directly from the base area to the Summit House. In 2014, an avalanche destroyed the High Campbell chairlift. It was quickly replaced with a new Skytrac double chairlift, renamed Chair 6. The Quicksilver chair was also replaced with a fixed-grip quad. The top of the Quicksilver run was lowered to make it easier for beginners.
In 2017, John Kircher bought Crystal Mountain. Then, in 2018, Alterra Mountain Company bought it.
Plans for the 2020s
In March 2022, Crystal Mountain Resort and Alterra Mountain Company announced a huge $100 million plan for the future. This plan includes a new building for food and shops, a 100-room hotel, and more parking areas.
Skiing Stars from Crystal Mountain
Many talented alpine skiers have come from Crystal Mountain. Some of them include:
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Future Plans for Crystal Mountain
After Boyne Resorts bought Crystal Mountain, they shared a big plan for developing the mountain with the U.S. Forest Service. This plan included several ideas for how to improve the resort. The U.S. Forest Service approved many of these ideas in 2004. This plan is the biggest in Washington's history, costing an estimated $40 million.
Projects Already Finished
- Northway (C-12): This lift, built in 2007, gives direct access to an area north of the main ski resort. Before, skiers had to travel a long way to get back to the base.
- Mt. Rainier Gondola: Finished in 2010 and opened in 2011, this gondola goes directly from the base to the summit. It allows people to visit the summit all year, whether they are skiing, hiking, or just enjoying the view.
- High Campbell "Chair 6" Replacement (C-2): The old High Campbell chair was destroyed by an avalanche in 2014. A new fixed-grip double chairlift, Chair 6, was quickly built in its place. It still takes skiers to Silver Queen and other challenging areas.
- Quicksilver Replacement (C-4): The old Quicksilver chair, from 1964, was replaced in 2014. The new fixed-grip quad chairlift makes the Quicksilver run easier for beginners by lowering the top station. It also loads skiers faster.
Future Ideas and Approved Plans
- Kelly's Gap Express (C-13): This new lift would go west from a new base area called Bullion Base.
- Bullion Basin (C15): This lift would go east from the Bullion Base. It would also allow expert skiers to reach the East Peak backcountry area.
- Park N' Ride (C12): This lift would connect the new Bullion Base with the current main base area.
- Two new surface lifts (like magic carpets) are planned for the old base area (Ptarmigan) and the new Bullion Base (Pika).
- Plans also include replacing the Quicksilver and Discovery chairs with faster lifts, without adding new trails.
