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 
your ready for.

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