Trip out west on the cheap, Crystal Mountain

Before I started buying season passes to Gore and pre-kids, I use to go out west to Utah for 4 days on a direct flight from Newark, NJ.---I tried to keep the cost at $1000 total and airfair at $350 MAX.  I would Ski the first day I arrived, at Deer V  for free.   We would stay in Salt Lake a a Marriott Spring Hill Suites for a resonable rate of $89 per night.   I usually left on a night flight at 5pm on Monday.  Thats a ton of skiiing in 4 days.   I tried to see if this was doable, but it seems that Delta is the only direct option and their prices are nosebleed levels.  I guess SLC is not pushing Delta to have reasonable fares to and from NYC.

A pal told me about how their are good flight deals into Seattle, so I checked it out $286 round trip say Feb 7th weekend, tons of flights to choose from.  Crystal is 1:45 from the airport which is not as good as the UT resorts but doable.  

Any thoughts or opinions on skiing Washington state.  

Sir Skier

It's all good right now.

You can't go wrong with either Stevens or Crystal from Seattle. Crystal is more of a destination resort than Stevens, but they both offer a wide variety of terrain.

I live on the East side of the Cascades at Mission Ridge. If you happen to come over to the East side of the mountains, I'd be glad to show you around at Mission.

Good Luck. It's been a great season so far... hopefully you'll luck out with a big PNW Pow cycle for that week

Just remember, Seattle is a long way away. Much longer than SLC.

 I was planning on heading out to seattle end of Fed beg of March
I usually end up going to Mt Baker for a fews days and head to Whistler / Mt Baker is tricky weather . I noticed a few forecasts for Jan drying out and possibly mid Feb becoming active again in PNW. Is it possible to hit crystal and stevens pass in same area?and do you have to head back to seattle to drive up to Mt Baker from Leavenworth
hard to plan this trip month in advance but the airfare is cheap / looks like the exchange rate is great in canada .. thanks !!!

Check out Southwest to SLC. I found RT fares as low as $360 around that time. Plus you can check 3 bags for free ( 2 bags of ski equipment count as 1 bag). So that may lower a comparative price where you are paying to check bags.They are not on the travel sites. You have to go to southwest.com to check fares.
I have stayed here several times and highly recommend it. http://www.crystalinnmidvalley.com Although their prices are getting higher.

CMT80 wrote

Is it possible to hit crystal and stevens pass in same area?and do you have to head back to seattle to drive up to Mt Baker from Leavenworth

If you want to get both Stevens and Crystal in one trip, you definitely want to stay in Seattle as opposed to Leavenworth.  Crystal and Baker are both a long drive from Leavenworth.  Typically, people who stay in Leavenworth will hit Stevens and Mission Ridge (both about a 45 minute drive).

Just priced out SLC on SW for $1400 from EWR 3 tickets, 1 stopover in DEN.  Sale started today with DEN nonstop for $1000 for 3 tix.  Compelling, but I have free lodging potentially for Powder Mtn.

Jet Blue Non stop JFK To Reno/Tahoe airport. 45 minutes to Squaw/Alpine, less to Mt Rose first day. Lots of snow and more on the way. Check it out. Get the Bronze pass(basic) for Squaw/alpine for about $. pays for itself in 4 days.

I thought it was also------but only 6 hours there and 4 hours back all direct and tons of flights.  SLC has very limited direct  flights and they are sky high.

Great Intel,  

the stop over in DEN is not too bad Ill check out SW  they don't get picked up on Orbitz

For our PNW friends.  No mention of Summit/Alpental in this thread.  Any good?

Rate in order the following (in terms of powder, bowls, skiable BC gates):  Baker, Stevens, Crystal, Alpental.

Looks like Crystal and Alpental have gated BC that is part of the Designated Area.  Less maintained and lots of dangerous obstacles and cliffs, but anyone know if it is avy controlled, being part of the designated area?

International Mountain Guides runs backcountry tours at Crystal.  Expensive, but could be quite an experience?

JTG4eva! wrote

For our PNW friends.  No mention of Summit/Alpental in this thread.  Any good?

Rate in order the following (in terms of powder, bowls, skiable BC gates):  Baker, Stevens, Crystal, Alpental.

All 4 are equally good in all of those categories.  All of them provide very efficient access to the BC.  Crystal is probably the best in terms of Bowl selection.   Your best chance for Dry Snow at any of these 4 is Stevens as it is the farthest East.  The farther East you go, the colder it gets.

You have to make the distinction between Alpental and the Summit complex.  They are 2 completely different animals.  The Summit Complex is 3 separate adjacent areas all skiable on 1 ticket (that same ticket includes Alpental which is across the street).  Summit Central and West in my opinion are like the Mountain Creek of the PNW.  Summit East (also called Hyak) is the best of the complex, but still nothing like Alpental.

If I try and make the trip Alpental would be in the running.  Would be the last week of Feb, if that makes assessing possible snow conditions easier.

JTG4eva! wrote

Less maintained and lots of dangerous obstacles and cliffs, but anyone know if it is avy controlled, being part of the designated area?

Nope.. No avy control beyond any of the gates.  

JTG4eva! wrote

If I try and make the trip Alpental would be in the running.  Would be the last week of Feb, if that makes assessing possible snow conditions easier.

February is usually good in a normal year... There was 194 inches at the pass in December... that's a bit above normal (record breaking in fact), so who knows what you'll get.  That said, your chances of a good cycle at the end of February are pretty good.

nepa wrote

JTG4eva! wrote

Less maintained and lots of dangerous obstacles and cliffs, but anyone know if it is avy controlled, being part of the designated area?

Nope.. No avy control beyond any of the gates.

Alpental differentiates between Gated BC in the Designated Area versus the BC beyond the Designated Area.  Any idea what the distinction is?  Maybe patrol services of some sort in the Designated Area BC?

If conditions are right I'd definitely want to take advantage of the backcountry and I'd bring my avy gear.  However, I'd want to minimize risk.  Any of the areas any less avy prone that you are aware of?  Wonder if private lessons take you beyond any of the gates.....probably not, but it'd be worth a call.  The Slides are essentially uncontrolled, lift served gated BC, in which patrol provided services, and I've seen instructors take clients, so it's not a crazy idea.  Of course the stakes are upped out west.....

JTG4eva! wrote

nepa wrote

JTG4eva! wrote

Less maintained and lots of dangerous obstacles and cliffs, but anyone know if it is avy controlled, being part of the designated area?

Nope.. No avy control beyond any of the gates.

Alpental differentiates between Gated BC in the Designated Area versus the BC beyond the Designated Area. Any idea what the distinction is? Maybe patrol services of some sort in the Designated Area BC?

Lot's of easily accessible backcountry in general around Snoqualmie Pass. I'm not sure on what the difference is for the "designated area", but your assessment certainly sounds reasonable. There is some lower angle stuff in the Snoqualmie Pass area, but not within the Alpental designated BC area. The vast majority of the stuff around the ski area is very steep These vids give a pretty good idea of what it looks like around Alpental

wife informed me my new MTB is my western trip..