Crystal Mountain Ski Vacations

If you are in or near Washington State, you should

definitely check out Crystal Mountain. With an

elevation of 7004 feet and a vertical drop of 3102 feet,

Crystal Mountain actually sits below Mount Rainier,

which has a top elevation of 14,408 feet. Between

the months of November and April, several feet of

fresh powder falls on Crystal Mountain, due to the

cold Cascade storms common to the area.

This is rough terrain, and there is little offered to

beginners as far as the ease of the trails go. But

lessons are available, as well as rentals for ski’s and

other equipment. At Crystal Mountain, there are more

than 2300 acres and fifty trails, making this the largest

ski area in the state of Washington. There are ten lifts

available: 2 high speed six passenger lifts, 2 high

speed quads, 2 triple chairs, 3 double chairs, and 1

children’s surface lift.

The season runs from the middle of November to the

middle of April, when the most snow fall is

experienced. There are several places to choose for

lodging, meals, and nightly entertainment, but the

biggest attraction is the skiing, of course.

The Crystal Mountain Express Buss service runs on

weekends from the middle of December to the middle

of March. You will be picked up from your lodge and

dropped off at the base plaza – where you can begin

a full day of fun on the slopes. After a day of skiing,

you should definitely head over to East Peak

Massage & Fitness to take advantage of the hot tub,

sauna, showers, and even the game room. Massages

are also available, with a reservation.

If your kids aren’t quite ready for the black diamond

trails – but you are – you can register them in the

Kid’s Club. The Kid’s Club is open from 8am to 4pm

each day for children aged four to eleven years old.

The kid’s aged 4 – 11 will be supervised while they

ski on a ‘kid appropriate’ slope, and snowboarding

is also available for children aged 7 – 11 years old.

Your child will have fun, while being supervised and

taught. The cost of the care includes a four hour

lesson, a lift ticket, lunch, and supervision. Rental

equipment is available for the kids for an additional fee.

Everyone has fun at Crystal Mountain. It is a great

place for a family vacation, but again, the slopes are

more for intermediate skiers and expert skiers –

although beginners will have fun as well. Just use

good sense, and avoid trails that you don’t feel like