Crystal Mountain Becomes Alterra

**Fishskisurf** · 04-21-2022, 11:41 AM

On another thread someone (I think here) pointed out that between Crystal/Stevens/Snoqualmie, the three day trip hills within 2 hours, there's only 5000 acres for what's a now 4million greater Puget Sound population...

**cstefanic** · 04-21-2022, 11:43 AM

Just bought my pass + the ladyfriend for next year with the Affirm shit and I can't believe it's basically adding a fucking nice car payment to my bills for the next 6 months.

**Buster Highmen** · 04-22-2022, 02:17 PM

Old ski shop, rental, office, ticket booth gone.

Groomers skied great, no lines, sun in the morning, clouds and storm rolled back in at 11:00.

**cstefanic** · 04-22-2022, 02:35 PM

Much nicer view. They should tear down the other one too.

**AK47bp** · 04-22-2022, 03:26 PM

And that piece of shit church

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**Markeyz** · 04-22-2022, 11:27 PM

Paid parking is what all the nw areas are shooting for and why not, it’s like printing$ goes against principles of equal access in the sups but who’s gonna sue?

**altasnob** · 04-27-2022, 12:27 PM

Open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through Memorial Day

**phatty** · 04-27-2022, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by altasnob

Open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through Memorial Day

That's great news. Hoping for some sunny slush laps for my birthday!

**Ørion** · 05-29-2022, 11:14 AM

Did I miss an announcement?

**altasnob** · 06-01-2022, 07:09 AM

Someone needs to pitch a tent in the middle of a corporate retreat being held on National Forest lands

https://crystalskycamp.com/

**L82thegate** · 06-09-2022, 03:19 PM

The outfit running this is "Under Canvas" and they have a presence in many premier national parks. Same gig and tailored to the tenderfoot level camper with $$. Had this been attempted 20 years ago at Crystal, they would have likely been "under water". Just pitching a tent in the midst feels too benign. Blow on a predator call from a hidden location and half the visitors will run for their tent. By time they get home, it will be a Bigfoot sighting with howls, cries, and wailing.

**PNWbrit** · 06-09-2022, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by Stairmaster

All are welcome to disperse camp up there.

Lot of far nicer places to disperse camp around Crystal than in Campbell Basin.

**nickwm21** · 06-10-2022, 01:09 PM

FWIW - I’ve stayed at an Under Canvas before.

It’s overpriced but a good experience. Essentially a canvas tent with a queen bed, wood burning stove, real toilet, and hot shower - immediately adjacent / just outside a national park. It’s a good solution for traveling to a national park via airplane and not wanting to bring your camping gear, or for grandma and grandpa that haven’t pitched a tent in 25 years but want to relive (part of) that experience…

However, at Crystal - I don’t understand the point.

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**altasnob** · 06-10-2022, 01:14 PM

The point for Crystal is to make a fuck ton of money off the clueless 1%ers. It's $1,000 to $1,500 a night to camp there. Crystal, the new Yellowstone Club.

https://inntopia.travel/ecomm/shop/a...ategoryId=1253

**Bunion 2020** · 06-10-2022, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by altasnob

The point for Crystal is to make a fuck ton of money off the clueless 1%ers. It's $1,000 to $1,500 a night to camp there. Crystal, the new Yellowstone Club.

https://inntopia.travel/ecomm/shop/a...ategoryId=1253

Hardly the Y/C. More like a Ritz Carlton under Canvas.

I have worked with UC and work regularly at the Y/C, the two are not even close to the same. The Y/C offers Glamping but you would need to add at least 1 zero to the cost of a place at Crystal.

**B:llyB:lly** · 09-08-2022, 03:32 PM

Alterra's latest acquisition is Ski Butlers, now there can be no doubt the GSA is an Ikon guy.

**XavierD** · 09-09-2022, 01:04 AM

What’s the issue with Crystal charging people a lot of money to camp in prebuilt yurts/tents in Campbell basin?

**oftpiste** · 09-09-2022, 11:13 AM

^^^"because it's there"

**Bobcat Sig** · 09-24-2022, 01:22 PM

I think I’m late to the game here, but have we officialy whined about the Ikon now only having seven days on the pass? Or is this a good thing for the locals and Alterra selling yet more passes to go with their passes? I need to know where to direct my internet outrage…

**altasnob** · 09-24-2022, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by Bobcat Sig

Or is this a good thing for the locals

The whole reason Alterra took Crystal off of unlimited is because the locals bitch and whined enough. The long term pass holders wanted a more expensive season pass, so Alterra gave them what they were asking for. The unanswered question is, in a region where the median household income has hit a record high of $110,000 (in Seattle, which is third to only San Jose and San Francisco in the US) does it even matter that the pass is now more expensive.

I switched to mid-week only, which was a decent deal if you are able to avoid weekends.

**Bobcat Sig** · 09-24-2022, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by altasnob

The whole reason Alterra took Crystal off of unlimited is because the locals bitch and whined enough. The long term pass holders wanted a more expensive season pass, so Alterra gave them what they were asking for. The unanswered question is, in a region where the median household income has hit a record high of $110,000 (in Seattle, which is third to only San Jose and San Francisco in the US) does it even matter that the pass is now more expensive.

I switched to mid-week only, which was a decent deal if you are able to avoid weekends.

That’s what I figured. While it’s been a minute since I’ve made it up to Crystal, based on the chatter here last year, it sounded like a junk show due to overcrowding and difficulties keeping the road open and traffic flowing.

I wish I could swing mid-weeks, but I’m still a part of the working and unwashed masses with only weekends open. But it sounds like if I want to ski up there this year, midweek is the move.

**Ørion** · 09-25-2022, 10:00 AM

Just my hot-take, but I don't think we're going to see a substantial difference in experience when it comes to Crystal this year vs the last. Outside of wind events, which funnels an entire mountain's worth of people onto Forest Queen, lift lines were pretty reasonable through-out the season and the only time capacity ever really was an issue was during deep days.

I expect that during this upcoming season everyone who has a limited IKON pass will save their passes for powder days and we'll be in effectively the same position: 15-30+ min lift lines during "good" weekend days, ski-on and <3 min lines any other day. Maybe some marginal differences on surprise mid-week powder days as people will be less likely to gamble one of their passes on them.

**PNW_Skier206** · 10-02-2022, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by Ørion

Just my hot-take, but I don't think we're going to see a substantial difference in experience when it comes to Crystal this year vs the last.

I expect that during this upcoming season everyone who has a limited IKON pass will save their passes for powder days and we'll be in effectively the same position: 15-30+ min lift lines during "good" weekend days, ski-on and <3 min lines any other day. Maybe some marginal differences on surprise mid-week powder days as people will be less likely to gamble one of their passes on them.

Maybe... I know a number of people ditching Crystal for Alpental since 7 days isn't enough and they don't want to pay the high price for the full pass. But I agree, on weekend powder days the lot will fill and lines will be long.

Even if things improve some, gone are the days where the lot would only fill 2-3 days a year. Doesn't matter how much they raise the price. There just aren't enough ski resorts driving distance from Seattle.