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  1. #226
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    I predict another dramatic increase in parking pass prices at dweebus next year.
    Quote Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles View Post
    If I lived in WA, Oft would be my realtor. Seriously.

  2. #227
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    Feb 2017
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    Quote Originally Posted by nickwm21 View Post
    Took me 4 hours to get to Crystal today. Left my house in W. Seattle at 6:20, rolled into the lot at 10:20.

    Last weekend it was a 6:50–>10:30 drive.

    Weird thing is; I skied knee deep pow, never waiting for more than 10min in a lift line, had a great day, and will do it again.

    It took me 1:40 to get home...


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    Quote Originally Posted by dump View Post
    FIFY - If you are going to Crystal on a powder weekend you need to start really early. Limited parking - people bitch - to me it means less people on the lifts. If you are turned around you started too late. As Nick said earlier, once there and the morning rush, the place basically empties out around noon. With all the young people moving here, high-paid jobs, Ikon and Epic, it's not going to get any easier. Ski mid-week, if not, plan accordingly
    I used tell people to leave Seattle no later than 6 AM on weekends. In reality, I personally leave no later than 5:30am.

    Any earlier than that, I might as well drive to Baker...

  3. #228
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    It was weird to repeatedly hear people ask where to go - on Northway - underneath the chair.
    Merde De Glace On the Freak When Ski
    >>>200 cm Black Bamboo Sidewalled DPS Lotus 120 : Best Skis Ever <<<

  4. #229
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    Oct 2003
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    Warrrrrrrshington
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    Next season they need to blackout all weekends and holidays from Ikon, then create a local Crystal pass (no Ikon benefits) for all access. Price the local pass $1600 or something. With all the wealth in the area it won't solve the problem but it should thin the crowds some and create further incentive for weekday skiing. The weekend experience is so detrimental for out of area visitors that funneling them to only weekdays would also preserve their experience.

  5. #230
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buster Highmen View Post
    It was weird to repeatedly hear people ask where to go - on Northway - underneath the chair.
    I had similar happen to me three seasons ago at Stevens. Maybe once a season somebody would ask where to go, the first Saturday of the year within few minutes of walking through the plaza I had three people ask where the good skiing was. Thanks Bezos.

  6. #231
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    Oct 2003
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    Lapping the pow with the GSA in the PNW
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    Crystal Mountain Becomes Alterra

    Quote Originally Posted by XavierD View Post
    I disagree.
    Seattleites bought Ikon passes to ski at crystal. While Altera’s strategy is about teasing the idea of iconic vacations, this wasn’t the primary reason it succeeded in Seattle. An ikon base pass is cheaper than a Crystal pass used to be by a few hundred dollars, and comes with some summit days too. This significantly changed the value equation for many Seattle area skiers; and it has nothing to do with vacations. It’s now cheaper to ski at Crystal than Stevens. With the handful of days at Snoqualmie, and relative reduced cost, an ikon pass appealed to lots of historic I-90 skiers too.

    Unless folks live significantly closer to Stevens it’s hard to argue there is better skiing on top of the US2 death highway than 25 minutes past sleepy greenwater.

    Even with the added bonus of Whistler we didn’t see the same relative growth in epic pass sales to Stevens pass sales. For the non vacationing family/skier Crystal is now a much better deal than it was. It’s gonna take a significant shift in other experience aspects to start moving people back away from Crystal.

    As for your other point I’m not sure. I’m pretty sure full season pass sales will continue because average use per pass is still likely less than 15 days; and the folks who ski significantly more than that won’t pay much more (on a large scale). The point of high price day tickets and relatively cheap season passes is to get money up front and insulate the balance sheet from bad seasons. $35 trips through the cafeteria really help offset loss in day ticket sales. See Altera’s planned investment in a much larger base lodge at Xtal. $20 Hamburgers and $9 fries are coming if they aren't here already.
    Agree with this perspective. I’m closer to Stevens and have had a pass there for nearly 15-years. I invested in both Epic and Ikon passes since I was going to travel and ski this year and the up front Ikon purchase would reduce that cost dramatically.

    Also, weekends at Stevens aren’t any worse than they have been for the past five years or so, plus you have the option of night sessions on the weekends which have been pretty tame so far. Also Stevens Pass doesn’t have the choke point of CMB so close to the resort and with multiple lot options, I can typically get through any gaper road mess with little delay. However, Crystal hasn’t cornered the Western WA market on cars and drivers who shouldn’t be in the mountains when it snows.

    Only done one day at Crystal so far this year but pretty well convinced from the look of things that I won’t be skiing there on weekends.
    Last edited by Bandit Man; 01-13-2020 at 09:59 AM.
    In constant pursuit of the perfect slarve...

  7. #232
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    My brother said it took 3hrs to get from Enumclaw to the lot on Sun.
    He was pissed enough to write a letter to the resort. It was more likely cathartic than useful, but maybe enough skiers pissed about the experience will provoke some adjustments

  8. #233
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    Bravo to your bro.

    Alterra should be given a load of shit about this. They do not understand the road situation and should have their feet held to the fire about how badly they've managed it, especially in light of the data on pass sales to which they have been gleefully rubbing their little hands together.

    It is after all, our public lands.

    One of the Crustal old guard I know went on a rant about how Crustal is "done".

    I don't agree, too much a part of my dna.

    Yeah, it's changing fast and everything is getting geared away from affordability and access unless people give a shit.

    Mt Baker/Snoqualmie Forest Service contacts page:

    https://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/f...E0IMJREGCQ20K7


    Public Affairs Staff
    Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
    Supervisor's Office
    Tracy O'Toole - Public Affairs Officer - 425-783-6015
    Colton Whitworth - Public Affairs Specialist - 425-783-6050
    Aleta Eng - Partnership Specialist - 425-783-6017
    Merde De Glace On the Freak When Ski
    >>>200 cm Black Bamboo Sidewalled DPS Lotus 120 : Best Skis Ever <<<

  9. #234
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    Dec 2003
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    I can typically get through any gaper road mess with little delay
    Quote Originally Posted by fullStack View Post
    The great irony, of course, is that 2/3rds of these people can't ski for shit, let alone ski
    87.27% of the people clogging Crystal believe they are in the top 20% of both disciplines.

    And I propose a crowd sourced gallows somewhere near Sand Flats where we can hang the bodies of bus drivers who use the downhill lane to pass stopped traffic?

    Skiing was great all weekend and the slopes were nearly empty by lunchtime yesterday.

    Fuck Alterra and the Ikon pass though.
    Last edited by PNWbrit; 01-13-2020 at 10:06 AM.
    Quote Originally Posted by Downbound Train View Post
    And there will come a day when our ancestors look back...........

  10. #235
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    Feb 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bandit Man View Post
    However, Crystal hasn’t cornered the Weatern WA market on cars and drivers who shouldn’t be in the mountains when it snows.
    I would speculate that I-90 gives the 410/CMBlvd a run for its money. You wouldn't believe the Alpental access road shit show yesterday, it made for some pretty cringe worthy entertainment at the bottom of chair 1 while we waited for a delayed opening.

  11. #236
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    Quote Originally Posted by ACH View Post
    I would speculate that I-90 gives the 410/CMBlvd a run for its money.
    ^ absolutely this.
    Quote Originally Posted by Downbound Train View Post
    And there will come a day when our ancestors look back...........

  12. #237
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    There's 2 levers: the FS as your public rep and the almighty $.

    Mt Baker/Snoqualmie Forest Service contacts page:

    https://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/f...E0IMJREGCQ20K7


    Public Affairs Staff
    Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
    Supervisor's Office
    Tracy O'Toole - Public Affairs Officer - 425-783-6015
    Colton Whitworth - Public Affairs Specialist - 425-783-6050
    Aleta Eng - Partnership Specialist - 425-783-6017
    Merde De Glace On the Freak When Ski
    >>>200 cm Black Bamboo Sidewalled DPS Lotus 120 : Best Skis Ever <<<

  13. #238
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    Sep 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by ACH View Post
    Alpental access road shit show yesterday
    Ha, yes. Fave was the shuttle bus, chained up, digging down to dirt. So many good slomo crashes with crescendo from the peanut gallery. School of hard knocks... cmon, retards.

    Some satisfying performances from little chained up hatches. The awd Tesla made the exit easily, too.

  14. #239
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    Jan 2007
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    The Pacific Northwet
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    576
    God Damn, this thread is soul-crushing.

    Grew up in Bel-Kirk in '70s-'80s, cut teeth on I90, really learned to SKI @ Steve & Alpy.
    Sooooooo many great days ( and a few crummy ones...) sooooo many great memories.

    Really didn't get a huge number of days @ Xtal, but when we ventured South, it was typically fabulous...

    Moved to Whatcom Co. 20 yrs ago. Still have a soft spot for Steve/Alpy, but pretty rare to get down that way, with kiddo learning his chops @ Baker.

    I occasionally fantasize of midweek missions to Xtal (or Stevy) on deeeep, special days.

    But reading this, I wonder if I should let those dreams go...
    Enjoy Every Sandwich - Warren Zevon

    .

  15. #240
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    Feb 2008
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    Udapimp
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    972
    speaking of dreams, i want a model X
    embrace the gape
    and believe

  16. #241
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    Oct 2003
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    Found a relevant meme from the Ikon FB page:Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0029.JPG 
Views:	105 
Size:	606.9 KB 
ID:	310475
    In constant pursuit of the perfect slarve...

  17. #242
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
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    80
    Jesus wept, thank fuck I got out there Friday... I'll take 40 knot gusts and a mild cold over this crap any day.

    Echoing what someone said last page, I've been following my usual code of "avoid Saturdays at all costs," even on other days I've definitely noticed more traffic and fuller lots than last year... but I haven't felt that on the hill itself. I basically just don't go into the lodges for more than water, are people just posting up in them all day or something? So many cars but the runs seem the same. Haven't known what to make of it.

    Also Buster, I appreciate where you're going with all this but as a dirtbag in a hand-me-down 2WD sedan, c'mon man, don't screw me over here... the road is rarely worse than the drivers... I've always been impressed with how well they plow it given some of the circumstances, and have gotten the sense that 90 is wildly worse. Getting up there after snowpocalypse was the only time I remember things being truly white-knuckle (though that was a wednesday, and nobody was around, so there's that.)

    Short-term for weekends, if I were them I'd try to set up some kind of mega-lot in Enumclaw and bus people up from there, temp lease and chain up the local school buses or something, make it free or like $5 so people actually do it. I'd probably be fine with using that personally, the drive up usually stresses me out anyway, even on weekdays (tangent, but my fantasy is just a few road widenings to make some three-lane passing sections; it'd be nice to allow the conga line to at least redistribute itself. Sucks when you're 5 cars back from the inevitable slowpoke with the weird braking habits, especially when it's nice out.)

    As far as the passes are concerned, yeah, I skied crystal anyway but getting ikon in May was clearly the deal to be had, so things worked out in my favor. I've got little insight as to the greater math here. Greater expense isn't going to keep these hordes away, if there's anything I've noticed about the young seattle bourgoisie it's that they love spending money on dumb stuff they use twice. My hypothesis is that a lot of these pass sales might be this, the techie version of an unused gym membership purchased just after New Years'. Definitely dreading these infastructure improvements but they also strike me as immaterial in regards to numbers. And like I said the cars in the lots on shitshow saturdays (did one or two last year) just don't seem to account for the relatively quiet mountain, that equation has never really added up to me... moral of the story, I'm spoiled rotten skiing this hill, even on shit days, the problem is indeed the road and the parking. But they've definitely fucked up.

  18. #243
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    Oct 2011
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    Quote Originally Posted by Norseman View Post
    The awd Tesla made the exit easily, too.
    When properly equipped, they're absolute monsters in the snow.

  19. #244
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    Dec 2003
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    Sea Level
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    My predictions… the RV lot is much smaller next year and they start charging for parking if you don’t carpool. And more Honey Buckets.

  20. #245
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    Quote Originally Posted by Afkpuz View Post
    Also Buster, I appreciate where you're going with all this but as a dirtbag in a hand-me-down 2WD sedan, c'mon man, don't screw me over here... the road is rarely worse than the drivers... I've always been impressed with how well they plow it given some of the circumstances, and have gotten the sense that 90 is wildly worse. Getting up there after snowpocalypse was the only time I remember things being truly white-knuckle (though that was a wednesday, and nobody was around, so there's that.), I'm spoiled rotten skiing this hill, even on shit days, the problem is indeed the road and the parking. But they've definitely fucked up.
    It's all about whether people give a shit about one another.

    You can afford chains and the time to put them on, otherwise, you and a bunch of other people are just saying fuck you to everyone else.

    If the sign say chains required, there's a reason.

    And I really do think their road maintenance by Alterra has been orders worse than by Kircher or even by the board.
    Merde De Glace On the Freak When Ski
    >>>200 cm Black Bamboo Sidewalled DPS Lotus 120 : Best Skis Ever <<<

  21. #246
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    Dec 2003
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    Quote Originally Posted by Afkpuz View Post
    Jesus wept... 2WD sedan... c'mon man, the road is rarely worse than the drivers... the drive up usually stresses me out... the inevitable slowpoke...
    Like I said 87.27%
    Quote Originally Posted by Downbound Train View Post
    And there will come a day when our ancestors look back...........

  22. #247
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    Sep 2006
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    Seattle
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    880
    Alterra needs a weekend watching WSDOT maintain SR542 during/after a storm for the weekends at Baker. I can't recall many days where you couldn't get up that road in a RWD pickup with 3/32 tread on some all seasons.

    One of the other issues with CMB is everyone is stopped on the road waiting to go into a parking lot. There has got to be a system to keep all of the vehicles moving forward as long as there is available parking. Kind of like boarding an airplane from back to front (eh, bad example but you get the idea).

    If you really want to "fix" the problem, and no one is going to like this, but single occupancy vehicles that aren't employees are $100 to turn up the blvd. Double occupancy $50, and 3+ is free. Force people to carpool or at least group up in Enumclaw.

    I used to be of the "just get up and leave at 4am", which I have done. But now having a little one to deal with, that just isn't as easy as it used to be so opting to just stay home on weekend powder days is the new norm.

  23. #248
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    Dec 2003
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    Quote Originally Posted by ridinshockgun View Post
    I can't recall many days where you couldn't get up that road in a RWD pickup with 3/32 tread on some all seasons..
    87.27%...

    Single occupancy vehicles that aren't employees are $100 to turn up the blvd. Double occupancy $50, and 3+ is free.
    Have you ever seen how long the line gets at the toll booth for Sunrise on a busy summer weekend... it can be over an hour wait to get though the toll booth.

    You want that at the base of the blvd?

    Force people to carpool or at least group up in Enumclaw.
    Force people to ride share with strangers and then coordinate their departure with same car pool back down or would you have to organize a second down hill car pool separately at the end of day?

    Would I have to car pool with guy on bald tires in RWD truck or a hand me down 2WD sedan?
    Quote Originally Posted by Downbound Train View Post
    And there will come a day when our ancestors look back...........

  24. #249
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    Sep 2006
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    Seattle
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    Armchair quarterbacking is great isn't it? You get to have all the ideas and never have to implement them.

    No need for a toll booth - It can be like good to go, just charges a toll based on how many Ikon passes it detects in the car

    I'm guilty of single occupancy driving a lot but not afraid to admit that it is a big problem. Not really implying to find a stranger and partner up but while it may not make sense to carpool from Seattle or Tacoma or Everett or wherever but it could make sense to meet in Enumclaw, Glacier, Sultan, North Bend etc for the final drive up the hill.

  25. #250
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    Dec 2003
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    So it might be cost effective to buy three Ikon passes so as to avoid the $100 solo vehicle charge.
    Quote Originally Posted by Downbound Train View Post
    And there will come a day when our ancestors look back...........

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