Crystal Mountain Becomes Alterra

[altasnob]

Frank seemed completely out of his league from day one. His back ground is Snowshoe West Virginia, which couldn't be more different than Crystal. Snowshoe has a bunch of East Coasters who dabble in skiing. Where as Crystal has as passionate and savvy customer base as any ski area in North America. On top of that, the average Crystal customer is rich. Extremely rich. Most are Bellevue attorneys, doctors, dentists, and computer programmers. They are used to taking shit from no one and certainly were not going to take shit from some buffoon from West Virginia. Frank and Alterra were treating Crystal like just another shopping mall ski area not realizing the average Crystal skier is there for one thing, to ski. Not buy shit and be pampered, like at big resorts back East, in the Rockies, and even Whistler. It seems like a terrible job because you are never going to make everyone happy and everyone will hate you no matter what. Who's on deck?

[eSock]

There's also goats that range in Norse Pk, Cement / Lake basin area that wouldn't appreciate the intrusion. Too many would have easy access to some of the best and noteworthy, most dangerous touring terrain around there. Unless the Forest service gets greased and approve a lift to the upper reaches of East Pk, it will terminate near the old lift top. Having to work to get there is why it's still special albeit getting more crowded. If Crystal does develop the old lift-served area and move the current ski area boundary, the cat track access out of the base will likely be regulated as in the flashing light / no uphill travel rule. On the snowshoe trail map, they already note it as vehicle only. My first trip to the top with skis was around 1978 and at least 40 since so mixed feelings about Crystal potentially managing the primary access. Yeah, you can park down the road a ways in one of maybe 3/4 spots and climb in that way. Upper "C" lot or behind the ski clubs maybe, maybe not once a lift is in and uphill travel is under their purview. As was said; in time, appetite and opportunity will drive changes.

Excuse my ignorance since I've only been up there a few times, but what makes cement basin so dangerous? Seemed like pretty mellow terrain off the east peak ridgeline at least.

[goCougs]

Frank seemed completely out of his league from day one. His back ground is Snowshoe West Virginia, which couldn't be more different than Crystal. Snowshoe has a bunch of East Coasters who dabble in skiing. Where as Crystal has as passionate and savvy customer base as any ski area in North America. On top of that, the average Crystal customer is rich. Extremely rich. Most are Bellevue attorneys, doctors, dentists, and computer programmers. They are used to taking shit from no one and certainly were not going to take shit from some buffoon from West Virginia. Frank and Alterra were treating Crystal like just another shopping mall ski area not realizing the average Crystal skier is there for one thing, to ski. Not buy shit and be pampered, like at big resorts back East, in the Rockies, and even Whistler. It seems like a terrible job because you are never going to make everyone happy and everyone will hate you no matter what. Who's on deck?

I'll give it a stab, pay is good and I can ski daily right?

Here's my platform:
- Cancel the hotel project, divert funds to Snorting Elk expansion
- Eliminate parking fees, first come first served
- Move aggressively on laying track for xtal xpress (Bullet train departing every 30 mins from Enumclaw)
- Every third gondola will be painted green and 420 friendly moving forward

[PNWbrit]

Here's my platform:
- Cancel the hotel project, divert funds to Snorting Elk expansion

Alterra doesn't own the Snorting Elk.

And long may they never.

[ptavv]

- Move aggressively on laying track for xtal xpress (Bullet train departing every 30 mins from Enumclaw)
- Every third gondola will be painted green and 420 friendly moving forward

If you want to compete with real ski meccas like Little Cottonwood you need to pitch a gondola that runs along the White River from Mud Mountain Dam to the Boulevard, then up the Boulevard to the base area. Every third gondy rule will apply here as well.

[bfree]

Excuse my ignorance since I've only been up there a few times, but what makes cement basin so dangerous? Seemed like pretty mellow terrain off the east peak ridgeline at least.

I'll offer two theories:
1. Being an east facing ridgeline at high elevation, it can be pretty wind loaded.
2. The amount of low angle terrain is fairly small, so people inevitably push further down the ridgeline to steeper start zones.

I don't know that a chair would make much of a difference though. You still have to skin back up regardless, and that will severely limit who does it. It's not a traverse out like other lift-served slackcountry areas.

[altasnob]

Excuse my ignorance since I've only been up there a few times, but what makes cement basin so dangerous? Seemed like pretty mellow terrain off the east peak ridgeline at least.

I wouldn't call Cement Basin more dangerous than any of the surrounding areas. A bit more prone to wind loading as bfree mentions.

Lets face it, the only realistic "zones" you can backcountry ski within two hours from Seattle are Stevens, Alpy, and Crystal. A lift to the top of East Peak would essentially kill all backcountry touring from Crystal. Who wants to have to skin up a ski area 2,000 feet only to find the place you intend to ski tracked out from people taking the lift and touring? And then the run back down at the end of the day will be packed out moguls. There would be little reason for a backcountry skier to waste their time at Crystal (what Crystal seems to want).

And unless they cut a massive amount of trees and groom daily, an East Peak chair would be even more of a ghost town than Northway. The idea screams boondoggle.

As it stands, Crystal has permission to build a lower Bullion Basin lift. They don't have permission to build East Peak lift. To do so, they would have to submit a new master plan to the Forest Service, which would require a whole new Environmental Impact Statement, be open to public comment, and I assume there would be litigation. That's why I say I don't ever see it happening and if I am wrong, it certainly wouldn't happen quickly.

[RichV]

The Crystal webpage say 39 inches of snow. No mention of an opening date yet.

[altasnob]

That's 39 inches of total snowfall for the year, not base. The Green Valley telemetry says 31 inch base. Paradise (which will almost always have more snow than Crystal) is showing a 31 inch base.

[Ørion]

Crystal is opening with three lifts (Chinook, Quicksilver, and Disco) starting next Friday, 10/18.

Not worth burning an IKON pass but the season is officially upon us.

[jackattack]

Crystal is opening with three lifts (Chinook, Quicksilver, and Disco) starting next Friday, 10/18.

Not worth burning an IKON pass but the season is officially upon us.

Crystal and Ikon Passholders only https://www.crystalmountainresort.co...-first-to-open

[The AD]

Did you see Crystal had the balls to claim "last to close and first to open in the Pacific Northwest!" I guess Timberline doesn't exist, not to mention 49° North opened today.

[Huskier]

Pay parking. Fuck, fine. Shitty half-finished lodge. Guh, whatever. Today Altera crossed the line: "Our tap system is down, sorry no draft beer".

This does not bode well.

[Buster Highmen]

Parking pass registration for pass holders also fails, at least on Edge.
https://www.parkcrystal.com/registerplate.

All for only $1900!!!

FYI: No parking reservations and no paid parking is required prior December 26th.

[vonn]

Looks like it's going to be dumping all night, anyone have predictions on how bad the road might be in the morning? Trying to decide if I should head up tonight and camp.

[PNWbrit]

Looks like it's going to be dumping all night, anyone have predictions on how bad the road might be in the morning? Trying to decide if I should head up tonight and camp.

High to Very High chance of complete clusterfuck. Good chance of some trees down on 410 too.

[BaseFloopy]

The road itself won't be too bad, but the legions of "A minus" personality types (with Ikon pass in hand, screaming 'yeeeewwwww' all the way up) should make it pretty vibrant.

[vonn]

The road itself won't be too bad, but the legions of "A minus" personality types (with Ikon pass in hand, screaming 'yeeeewwwww' all the way up) should make it pretty vibrant.

Vibrant is a good way to put it. Looks like we'll be leaving around 5:30am so hopefully we clear my fellow Seattleites.

[counterfeitfake]

FYI I think Crystal often sucks on heavy storm days. High winds can close all the important lifts and then it's a really small mountain.

[ptavv]

Just saw this video for the first time, felt like it needed to be in this thread (maybe it already is, but I'm not going through 68 pages to look)

[Buster Highmen]

Just saw this video for the first time, felt like it needed to be in this thread (maybe it already is, but I'm not going through 68 pages to look)

That's Mo Scheiblehner handing off a pitcher at the Snorting Elk. Mo ran the restaurant and bar with help from her kids while Leo took care of the infrastructure. When overnight rooms were $35 and Mo made a killer tapanade that cost $5 for dinner and filled you up.

Their kids Matt and Heidi were ripping skiers and smart kids.

https://crystalfoundersclub.com/uplo...14_corrock.pdf.

[greenmachine]

That video is legit !


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[greenmachine]

I continue to be baffled by the lack of effective management by alterra. Wouldn’t you assume a corporate takeover would improve management effectiveness. Examples - b-lot reservations were cancelled due to something involving employee housing ? Cambell lodge overrun with customers since there’s no cafeteria in base lodge . They have one ketchup container that never gets refilled ? One employee leaves register at 12:20 when there are large lines to pay? It’s not that hard …


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[californiagrown]

I continue to be baffled by the lack of effective management by alterra. Wouldn’t you assume a corporate takeover would improve management effectiveness. Examples - b-lot reservations were cancelled due to something involving employee housing ? Cambell lodge overrun with customers since there’s no cafeteria in base lodge . They have one ketchup container that never gets refilled ? One employee leaves register at 12:20 when there are large lines to pay? It’s not that hard …


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Kudos to that employee having their priorities straight.

At some point folks up here need to stop expecting resort amenities for the resort prices. The price may change to be inline wiht the UTs and COs and CAs of the world, but the culture will forever be a grungier, rougher version. From the grooming, to the toilet dungeons, to the food. Bring your own food and beer, pee in the trees, ski in the sleet on steep ungroomed gnarly terrain. But now, you also have to pay through the nose because its the only game in town and target clients have cash to burn.

[Fishskisurf]

To be expected, there'll be a lodge/food issue this year with the base renovations.
Not surprising there's staffing issues when they made employee housing another parking lot.

I make it a point now to spend as little as possible.
Used to love getting up early and having a coffee/breakfast sando in the base lodge (pre-alterra) now the program is to ski thru lunch and either elk it at end of day or head down for grub elsewhere.

I'll pass on the 2 fish sticks and lukewarm fries for $24 handed out of a shipping container.