Crystal Mountain, WA

Is anyone able to school me on Crystal Mountain, Washington? I'm looking into possibly booking a March trip there.

Grassyass

NEPA home mountain is crystal.  Take a look at the pacific north west conditions.  You lucked out that guy knows his shit and seems pretty cool.

I thought his home Mt was Mission Ridge...

JTG4eva is the resident guru on Crystal..

Yes, nepa is a Mission Ridge guy, although he seems familiar with everything out there.

I've been to Crystal 3 times in the past year, what do you want to know?  Skiing is great, facilities are top notch, and there are a variety of decent lodging options right at the base of the hill.  Solo?  Family?

tjf1967 wrote

NEPA home mountain is crystal.  Take a look at the pacific north west conditions.  You lucked out that guy knows his shit and seems pretty cool.

Thanks TJ.  Jason & JTG are right, my home Mtn is Mission Ridge.

Dr Skimeister.  Would be glad to help, although I think JTG can give you a better run-down on Crystal.  I've only been to Crystal late season.  Mission, Stevens and Alpental are my 3 favorites close to me

In general, there is a ton snow everywhere in the Cascades right now (so much at my house, that my roof has sprung a few leaks).  That said, we're about to enter a dry period (after the forthcoming weekend storm cycle) that typically comes in early January and lasts for 4 to 6 weeks.

With my experience out here so far, March is usually a good month for snow.  Good luck... if you need info, or have questions, let me know.

 

JTG/NEPA Is Crystal a big enough place to keep your interest for multiple days of skiing (in bounds)?  I have some JetBlue credit I may need to use this winter before I lose it...still itching to ski WA state and scratch that off my list...would be an in and out quickly kinda deal...like two days. Maybe 3.

IMO: Absolutely.  

Mike.....yes, and the quick weekend powder chase has been my most frequent Crystal m.o.!  The place is big enough to keep you skiing new lines inbounds every day for 2 or 3 days.....heck, a week!

If you happen to consider using those credits the first weekend in Feb let me know.  I've currently got a reservation into Tahoe, but I'm flexible.  Fares to WA are (currently) cheap.  Just sayin'.....

Thanks for all the rapid responses.

Looking to do a family trip. Teenage kids, one skier, one snowboarder, and wife that will go out just to humor us until her boots hurt her for maybe a 1/3 of the ski days.

I've never skied the PNW, been there non-winter a couple times. Beautiful part of the world, relatively inexpensive place to take ski vacation.

DrSkimeister wrote

Thanks for all the rapid responses.

Looking to do a family trip. Teenage kids, one skier, one snowboarder, and wife that will go out just to humor us until her boots hurt her for maybe a 1/3 of the ski days.

I've never skied the PNW, been there non-winter a couple times. Beautiful part of the world, relatively inexpensive place to take ski vacation.

I think Crystal is a perfect choice.  There is really something for everyone... Good Luck!!

Here are the Northwest Avalanche Center snow metrics for the area... you can watch the snow pile up before your trip:

Crystal Snotel
Crystal Green Valley Snotel

A ski vacation must have lodging, so I'll cover that first.  I'm a fan of slope side, staying right at the mountain, so I'll cover those first.  Nothing better than walking back to your room, being able to walk to dinner, or stumble back from the Elk.   I've always been to Crystal solo, so any of the three properties at the Crystal Mountain Hotels has always worked for me.  Affordable, clean and convenient, although far from fancy.  Furnishings are more Motel 6 than Four Seasons.  Not all rooms have TVs.  The Alpine Inn is the best, and you can get connecting family rooms.  Small, classic, quaint, and serviceable.....and the Alpine Inn restaurant and Snorting Elk, which are the only options once the base lodge shuts down, are right there.  The other two properties are across the parking lot.  The thing the Crystal Mountain Hotels lack, which is always a hit for a family vacation, is a pool.  If a pool and/or hot tub are a desired feature there are a couple of other options.  The Silver Skis Chalets is also at the base of the mountain.  These are condos that provide more room, and they have an outdoor pool heated to 98 degrees.  I don't know anything about their pricing.  Crystal Chalets are another condo property at the base of the mountain, no pool and I don't know their pricing.  Another option is the Alta Crystal Resort, which offers pool and hot tub, and is on 410 at the base of the access road, 15 minutes from the hill.  Cheaper accommodations can be found in Enumclaw, the closest town to the mountain, about a half hour down 410. If you don't need a pool then go Alpine Inn with connecting rooms.  Just a neat place, even though the rooms aren't fancy.  If you need a pool go Silver Skis.

The Alpine Inn restaurant serves an ok breakfast, but nothing fancy.  The Alpine Inn restaurant is decent for dinner, and the Weiner Schnitzel a la Holstein.....to die for.  The Snorting Elk Cellar is perennially in the running for Best Ski Bar.  You can grab food there, which can work with the kids before the bar crowd gets rolling.  The Elk is a great place to throw a few back after the kiddos settle down.

We'll talk skiing later, and there's plenty for any taste.