I am so excited to leave such a positive review! The staff at Crystal Mountain went above and beyond for me during my first ski trip. Before I even got to my ski lesson, the staff fixed me up with rental gear, heard my concerns around my boot fit feeling too tight and allowed me to exchange the gear with ease. I forgot a pair of goggles, and the nice young man assisting me with my skis lent me a pair without charging me. During my lesson they even assisted me with getting my lift pass for me from my locker when I didn't realize I needed it on me. It truly was above and beyond! I took my first ski lesson at Crystal Mountain with Chane. He was knowledgable, patient, and very encouraging. His instruction was clear and had me ready for the slopes by the end of our lesson. I spent the rest of the day practicing and even had lunch in between! Their Fireside Cantina was delicious and hit the spot (try the wings! they were crispy and delicious). Getting to and from the mountain was easy as well-the shuttle from the Enumclaw Expo Center was on on time and a smooth ride. I am so excited to go back and get to skiing again because I know I can look forward to another amazing experience. read more

Crystal Mountain Resort - Ski Resorts Near Me - Enumclaw, Washington

Crystal Mountain can get a bad rap. It's the best in the NW. Lots of options for terrain. Can get busy, but that's everywhere. Grew up skiing her so I may be biased. Beautiful views. Easy in easy out, go early. read more

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My favorite place in Washington to snowboard. The one and only gondola, straight to the top where you can a long run or interconnect to several main chair lifts. Several restaurants at various peaks & summit. Bars and some food trucks. Snowboarding services available too. Snow gift shop. Tickets are not cheap. ~$150 Paid reservation only parking on weekends Very busy on powder weekends. Like don't even bother but werkdsys are promising. read more

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Ive been to many great ski resorts around the US, and I would say Crystal is in my top 3. It's definitely comparable to mountains like Telluride, Vail or Steamboat. One caveat being that I feel like I experienced the entire mountain in one day. Some of the mountains that I rank higher, seeing the whole mountain in a day is impossible. The staff were all very friendly and helpful, and I enjoyed a few really expensive coffees at their wonderful cafe. The view of Mount Rainer was spectacular! The runs they have a wide variety some of which are very challenging black diamonds and double black diamonds. I came on the 23rd of December and while it was crowded, I don't think I ever waited in line more than a few minutes. I'm very thankful to have experienced such a beautiful place! And I highly recommend it!!! read more

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The parking was easy to navigate and all the workers from the ski rental shop to the instructor were all so nice. I took an adult group ski lesson with Devin and he was so patient and encouraging. It was packed, but that's expected in Washington. The green run was a nice length and width for someone who just learned to ski. Some parts got a little icy after the sunset. The food at the lodge was standard (pricy). However, the French fries were exceptionally good. It was also nice to see vegan/veggie options on the menu. I also noticed people bring their dogs. Not sure where they went with them though. read more

Crystal Mountain Resort - Ski Resorts Near Me - Enumclaw, Washington

Out of the regional resorts, Crystal is my favorite. Stevens is nice but it's too far from me and Snoqualmie is close but crowded. During the winter season, get there early for a good parking spot. I usually tagged along with friends and family members who were experienced drivers. I got to sit in the back while I enjoyed the snowy scenery. I gave up skiing though because it was getting too expensive and injuries took a little bit more time to recover from. During the summer the gondola can take you up to the summit. If you have family or friends from out of town, take them up here. It's beautiful at the top and you can hike around. Dress in layers and have good footwear. read more

We had the BEST 4th of July up on the mountain! Stayed 2 nights in our RV.... Our dogs were so relaxed without the fireworks that go off during the celebrations. Got in a few great hikes, the weather was perfect. The camping area was spacious. Thank you! We will be back next year read more

Crystal Mountain Resort - Mt Rainier - Ski Resorts Near Me - Enumclaw, Washington

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A few friends and I planned a snowboarding trip to crystal mountain this season. After my this experience, I don't know if I'll be coming back. My group was unfairly accused of throwing snowballs at people, based solely on the word of random skiers. We didn't do anything wrong, yet ski patrol treated us as if we were causing major problems. Instead of actually investigating, they took hearsay as fact and put us on some kind of safety watchlist, which is beyond ridiculous. We came to enjoy the mountain, not to be wrongly targeted and punished for something we didn't do. If this is how they handle situations--accusing paying guests without real evidence--then they need to seriously reconsider their approach. Ski patrol should focus on real safety concerns instead of making baseless accusations and ruining people's experiences. read more

Crystal Mountain Resort - Ski patrol and a few other crystal mountain employees wrongfully accusing us. - Ski Resorts Near Me - Enumclaw, Washington

Terrible Experience with Epic Pass Auto Renew I am extremely disappointed with the Epic Pass auto-renew system. * The auto-renew box was pre-checked by default when I purchased my pass, and I didn't realize it at the time. * I only received one reminder email on March 5th, and the opt-out deadline was April 6th -- more than five months before the actual charge on September 10th. * After the charge, I tried to contact customer service, but I received multiple refusals for a refund, even though I never actively agreed to renew. * Worst of all, Epic Pass does not allow customers to delete their stored credit card from the system. They only allow replacing it with another, which means your payment data is held without real control or consent. This is a classic example of unfair business practices and forced payments. Be very careful: once you are enrolled in auto-renew, it's nearly impossible to cancel, and refunds are flat-out denied. I strongly recommend future customers to read every detail carefully and think twice before purchasing. read more

3.5 Stars I am not really a ski resort connoisseur so this is mainly based off comments made by my ski resort frequenter friends. Came on a beautiful sunny "blue bird" day. Views are gorgeous all around. Trails seemed relatively well groomed. Not a lot of terrain (lots of double black terrain). Very crowded on a Saturday and pricey (almost $200 for a day pass), Staff is very friendly and I love how easy the rentals were to retrieve / how efficient and well set up the system was. read more

Crystal Mountain Resort - Ski Resorts Near Me - Enumclaw, Washington

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The skiing was one-of-a-kind, but in terms of customer experience, this place has a LONG way to go. Pros: -Fast lifts (except Chair 6 and Northway) -Actual snow -Bowls -Nice staff Cons: -Bathrooms are down 3 flights of stairs at a minimum and there is only 1 location of restrooms -There is no indoor lodge, only a sit-down restaurant indoors and a taco stand outdoors (some heated seating but definitely NOT the same for warming up) -Large pushing of alcohol sales despite the fact that the mountain's main activity requires awareness and coordination -No free storage space, only small lockers that cost $10 each -Large empty building that seemingly has no plans to open despite the fact that it would make a great indoor lodge The natural snow and conditions are definitely unique to 'out West' but even significantly smaller resorts in New England have the customer experience beat. read more

My story is almost unbelievable. I was casually coming down the mountain by myself and a ski patroller motioned me over. He insisted I cut a rope but I did not. On trying to exit the interaction one of the patrollers grabbed and bear-hugged me. I was not physically released until I agreed to surrender my $1300 pass. Ten days later I was finally allowed to meet with mountain management. At said meeting and because there are ample cameras on the mountain, they acknowledged I was in the right and did not cross a rope...ski patrol had dropped it. That said, for another 10 days every time I tried to ski, the security office had to be called as they still had me HARD REDLINED and I couldn't ski!! Who does that??? What Steamboat and Alterra don't understand is that the ski patroller who assaulted me committed a federal crime on federal land; it's not okay and is not just going to just go away! Steamboat agreed (at a 2nd meeting) to a comp pass for the season, etc...apparently it was nothing more than a bait and switch in the most classic way. Steamboat only cares about their bottom dollar; they're petty, unprofessional and mean spirited. Similarly, and much much worse my friend was bushwhacked by some renegade snowboarders. She had a terrible tibial plateau fracture; extremely painful. Ski patrol flipped her over on the way down the mountain. I'm filing a complaint with the FTC. I'm seriously considering filing a lawsuit, both in the state of Colorado and a federal lawsuit because it happened on federal land. Steamboat thinks they're above normal, civil decency!! This is a big corporation trying to exert and exploit their power and position!! The next step is to expose them via social media for who they are!! Steamboat is nothing and backwoods compared to Vail in many people's opinion. My buddy is a CPA Steamboat treated him like dog doo. He went down to Vail because he lives south of town and he said it was night and day the level of professionalism and appreciation by the corporation. Feel free to comment and contact me if you've had similar situations and you knew you were getting the short end of the stick by Alterra and/or steamboat resort. There are so many more details to the story. It will make your hair curl and make your stomach churn. You will shake your head and say is this the mountain I'm giving my hard earned money to?? Is this the community that I want to live in? To be continued...this is just the beginning because, again, there are many more details to expose them for who they really are. They are nothing but a façade. Thank you for reading my review and I look forward to hearing from anybody else who has similar stories because these people need to be held accountable for their actions and their sloppy and unlawful ways. I have First Amendment rights and I am going to utilize them. I have names of people who specifically have done these things but unlike Steamboat, I have integrity and am not going to stoop that low. I am excited to hear from others, please reach out! Steamboat deserves a first/world class ownership. These are our federal lands and the Alterra Mtn Co. is unscrupulous in their business policies! They don't care about skiers but instead care about their own wealth and maximizing shareholders' wealth. They don't give a damn about the locals or the people that really spend their hard earned money. People are coming in from Chicago and Miami, Atlanta and LA and the list goes on...they deserve a corporation who has their back not just their dollars!! To be continued... -Jeff read more

Universal Electrical Vehicle car chargers available! Driving up the mountain rapidly drained the battery and we were almost out of charge on the Tesla with the nearest Tesla charging station being over 20 miles in the opposite direction. Luckily there were 8 universal electrical chargers located next to the Silver Ski Chalet (location did not show up on Tesla map). Apparently reservations are required for a charging slot on weekends and holidays through https://www.crystalmountainresort.com/plan-your-trip/ev-charging-stations It was our first time driving up here and had looked at renting a shuttle from Seattle but we weren't able to find any viable options. We had snow chains just in case (we were told it was a state law) but luckily during this visit, did not need it as the roads leading up were clear. The view is breathtaking! We visited after the MLK holiday so it was not crowded at all. Almost no line for the ski lifts! There were a couple of food trailers and outdoor benches to grab a bite. Most closed at 4 pm and the indoor restaurant, Rafters, closes at 6 pm. The nachos from the taco stand were cold. Instead, I'd recommend the chicken sandwich from the Lunchbox which was pretty good. read more

Crystal Mountain Resort - Ski Resorts Near Me - Enumclaw, Washington

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Be careful driving up this mountain when you come here! Pros: + Fun trails to get up + Great view from the gondola's + Friendly staff + Great for photos Cons: - Not enough to get IG: QueenOfAdventureNYC read more

Wapow (washington powder) is pretty solid. Went here this weekend and the snow was pouring in. Kinda packed so lines were kinda long but it is what it is. Also there were quite a few inconsiderate snowboarders who crashed into people in the smaller sections of the traverses which was kinda annoying and demonstrates their lack of skill and consideration towards others. I straight up saw a snowboarder accidentally run into a beginner snowboarder and push her down the mountain. read more

Long time Crystal skier, coming up on 40 years. I have to say recently the overall experience here has gone to crap. Specifically, the dining options. I hate the weekends here so try to go midweek. But apparently in a profit boosting motive they have decided to shut down the decent dining establishments (Rafters) and limit options at others (Campbell basin lodge). Rafters is now closed midweek. That means you are now stuck with cafeteria style dining. Campbell basin lodge: They no longer serve any hot food midweek. Just refrigerators full of pre-made stale flavorless cold gunk. Think 7-11 sandwiches, thats what this is. Even the bar is closed. The new base lodge. Their vaunted 'grap-n-go' approach is sleezy, they don't have a grill and microwave the burgers. Which sit in a warmer, which doesn't keep them warm. So you get stale, tepid $25 burgers. Plus, inside seating is very limited now (great planning with the new lodge, dips**ts) so you get to sit outside have your already tepid fries be cold in 60 seconds. My advice, save your money, and take a week and travel to a real destination resort, you will have a much better experience. These guys just don't care because they figure the hordes will come anyway. read more

It's like the management team is purposely trying to be bad. Whoever approved the design of the new lodge should be fired -- not enough seating, overpriced and terrible food, no brown bag space, bathrooms are limited. Then the old lodge has been turned into some money robbing operation -- really, two tier of locker payments: with and without benches. The food options all over the mountain are atrocious! All this assumes you don't crash trying to park! Who thought it'd be a great idea to put a giant light aimed right at drivers approaching the parking area and sticking at parking person on the road... seriously! The only great thing is the snow, which they have to try even harder to eff up. read more

Crystal Mountain Resort - Let's blind drivers as they approach and see if they hit anything or anyone?! - Ski Resorts Near Me - Enumclaw, Washington

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Howard is the best!!! Seriously.... He made my day. What an experience Howard at Crystal Mountain is not just a guide; he's the embodiment of an exceptional experience. From navigating the slopes to showcasing the latest updates, Howard's expertise elevates every aspect of your visit. His passion for Crystal Mountain is infectious, and his dedication to ensuring your day is nothing short of spectacular is unparalleled. With Howard at the helm, your journey through Crystal Mountain is transformed into an unforgettable adventure. read more

Crystal Mountain Resort - Ski Resorts Near Me - Enumclaw, Washington

Terrain is great. Patrol and lift operations are amazing. thats pretty much it. The lodge and mountain infrastructure is lame. The prices for what Crystal is are absurd. Classic profit over people. We love skiing here but will not be participating in the lodge. If you use Crystal just for the area itself it is a great place to ride. read more

~ this is for the summer gondola experience~ My family and I had visited Mount Rainier itself years ago, but my uncle wanted to give us a different vantage point and a different experience recently. So we drove out to Crystal Mountain Resort and was immediately greeted with a view reminiscent of the Sound of Music. Check in for gondola tickets at the time I went was at the storage container, turned general store. Tickets for each of us adults were ~$44 each. Each gondola was able to hold up to 8 adults and had big, clear glass windows for viewing. The ride up top took ~15 min and afforded views of Mount Rainier, Mount Saint Helens, and the mountain range it was on. Free walking sticks were provided up top for ease when exploring. There was also a cafe/diner up top for hungry explorers. We took photos and videos galore- it really was so nice! read more

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my favorite spot to ski in PNW. Great trails, not usually too crowded, lots of variety, and competitive pricing. They also have a good selection of performance skis for rental. They also the have great kids lessons. It's $250 for a full day. That gets you a 2-hour at Snoqualmie. The kids lessons are great and the staff is really good with them. My 6 yo daughter was ready for the big lift after 2 days of lessons. Beware! You now have to pay for parking in lots where didn't used to have to. We came back to a ticket on the car (ended up being a $0 courtesy notice - we didn't know, so that was nice). Finally, the customer service is good. I called the night before I had a big ski trip planned and had to cancel because of a family medical emergency. The woman on the phone was very understanding and cancelled everything without an issue. I was able to reschedule for my daughter and I later in the week without a problem! Recommended! read more

Learned how to ski on this mountain when I was 5 and have been coming consistently ever since. I have finally reach my limit with this organization. Management has no idea how to run this place! Some tips if you plan to come to this sh*t hole: - give yourself 4 hours to get to the mountain. Crystal doesn't plow the roads or inspect for chains so people will get stuck cause massive pileups. - if you bring your own food, they won't let you eat inside. - wait for lodge food is ~30 min for a $30 bowl of luke warm chili. - sometimes lifts aren't running because there are not people to work the lifts. - tag an extra hour to get their early cause parking fills up fast and there's no other parking besides a shuttle from enumclaw. TL:DR - this mountain is a classic example of corporate smut read more

Crystal mountain has become a favorite destination for my family and I for the last couple of years. All staff I've encountered are friendly and helpful. It's newly renovated in some areas. Due to weather conditions I'd recommend to always look online before buying tickets to see if gondolas are opened. Highly recommended read more

Crystal Mountain Resort - Rentals available there and picnic style tables outside. Other indoor food options too - Ski Resorts Near Me - Enumclaw, Washington

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After reading several of the most recent reviews, I am here to write a review on setting yourself up for a successful day skiing/boarding at Crystal. I am an Ikon Pass holder this season and there has been a huge gripe about how the parent company, Alterra, has sold too many season passes and that all Crystal is, is money hungry. I have gone the past 4 weekends in a row (including MLK weekend), and have been able to ski every day I have gone. My Tips: 1) download the Crystal Mountain app and turn on notifications. Crystal Mountain sends out messages constantly about parking, weather, chair lifts open or on hold, etc. (you do need phone service to get the notifications, I personally have Verizon and pick up cell service in Enumclaw, then I lose it for a bit, and pick service back up in Greenwater, and I also get service when I am at Crystal) 2) They say the lifts open at 9 AM, but majority of the time, they will start the lifts before then, usually around 8:30 AM, so walk over early 3) leave early and aim to get to the Crystal parking lot before 8 AM. I tend to leave my house in Lynnwood around 5-5:30 AM, making a few stops on the way and ideally past Enumclaw before 7 AM. I took a ski lesson the other day, and my instructor comes from Sammamish, and he said his goal is to get to Enumclaw by 6 AM. So as you can see, the earlier the better 4) Crystal just announced they will not be selling tickets at the window on the weekends, so you need to pre-purchase them online ahead of time, have a friend who has the ikon pass and use one of their buddy passes, or buy the Amazon 5 pack deal 5) if you don't want to deal with driving to Crystal, they have buses that run from Enumclaw Expo Center and will transport you to the lifts (I think you need to buy a bus ticket for this option, I am not sure) 6) I personally think the lodge food is overpriced, so I have been bringing my coleman 2 stove burner and cooking them on my tailgate in between runs! (saves you money too) Saturday of MLK weekend, traffic was 41 miles backed up all the way to Enumclaw, it ended up taking me 4.5 hrs from Lynnwood that day, but I still got a parking spot in B lot, and I left my house at 5:15 AM that day, picked up a friend in Seattle, and also picked up another friend at the expo center. So it is not impossible to park in the lots, you just gotta give yourself a head start. Lift lines do get crowded, but there's multiple lifts you can take to get to the same place, so read the lift maps and go to the lifts with shorter lines! Hope someone finds this helpful, and happy skiing! read more

Crystal Mountain Resort - Chinook Lift - Ski Resorts Near Me - Enumclaw, Washington

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Beautiful day, mountain was out. But the most amazing part was the service! We brought our own food for lunch, and I asked the employee, Howard, if there was a place to warm up food. He said yes, then offered to do it for me! He took the food, and a few minutes later came out with it steaming hot. Amazing service from him and the crystal team. read more

I thought they were changing their service as well as the phisical renovations they are making. But this was a bit of disappointment again. Staff at the Gondola were very helpful and nice. They even helped us to keep the stroller. Be aware that you can't use it here as it can be dangerous. You will have to carry baby. This beautiful place makes it worth the drive but please take into consideration bringing your own food. It is really a hassle getting something here. Restaurants are always packed! Few fir too many people. We thought it could change on a weekday. Unfortunately, it wasn't the case. On the other side, it must be difficult being understaffed. And more if you are the front face. Totally get the key roll of this young lady on the deck. I asked for a cup of water 3 times nicely. She even helped another party with water and ice infront of me. Didn't say a thing until she was only waiting for something to come out. She aggressively told me that people had been waiting for half an hour for their stuff and I should wait. Obviously I said back that I was waiting with all of them and water was for baby. She almost throws the cup on me. Thanked her and proceed to keep waiting. Worst thing is she started complaining about me with another two customers. One of them being part of my family! Hahaha Another basic Service Rule. Customers move your Business. We all help and need of others. So rude. A group of elders was waiting only for a hot dog for one of their party! Everybody under the sun. Was very friendly. Atmosphere was nice with everybody being patient. So my reflection was: I know it is hard when people are hungry and waiting for too long. Wouldn't it be better to give a cup of water or to say kind words to your customers? If having problems in the kitchen, maybe send fries or manager visit tables. Something! Instead, a young lady with no experience managing people on the front. She even was telling her manager about the situation. Manager was inside not helping her. Took about an hour and 15 minutes to get lunch. Kitchen didn't know which dish was for whom. We were almost the last ones to receive our food. We were mentally prepared for this. But kids are different. So be very ve-ry prepared!! It is such a shame that they don't realize customers pay a high price and drive a long way for this terrible service. I will remember this time! read more

Crystal Mountain Resort - Ski Resorts Near Me - Enumclaw, Washington

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We went to Crystal Mountain and met the most amazing helpful guest services employee Ellie. She was very generous with her time and information. Thank you Ellie read more

I once thought I knew how to speak Spanish because I studied it for 4 years in high school in the midwest, then I moved to Southern California and was like "ohhhhh nevermind". I once thought I knew how to ski because I went to small resorts in other states, then I went to Crystal Mountain and was like "ohhhhh nevermind" again. This mountain is NOT MESSING AROUND. It is giant, and steep, and gorgeous. When I first looked at the trail map, I thought "oh cool, I can coast on blues all day" (I'm beg-intermediate level), but then I got on my first green, and well, it was a surprise hahahaha! The greens here are like blues at most resorts. The blues are like black diamonds. The black diamonds are like skiing I dunno, the Matterhorn?!?! And the double black diamonds??? I'm guessing that's just like pretty much the Olympics and straight up skiing off Mt Everest! My noob self stayed to the greens, and even those kind of handed my ass to me. However, it was SUCH a cool mountain, and it was super fun to see so many advanced skiers and boarders tearing it up. Lots of very well behaved little kids were around too, all of whom were far better skiers than me! LODGING: We were some of the lucky few who grabbed a hotel reservation at one of the hotels by the main parking lot (pro-tip, book early and on hotels.com and you'll potentially get 1 night free). The hotel was very meh and run down, but it was right across from the resort, and it came with a parking pass that allowed us to literally park RIGHT in front of the entrance to Crystal Mountain. FOOD: food situation was decent, nothing mind-blowing, but enough warm food and drink to keep us toasty. SHOPS: after I realized that I was a complete newbie compared to everyone else on the mountain, and when my legs were angry, I ended up spending some time shopping around in the shop, and the staff was super friendly and helpful. LIFT TICKETS: this was one area that was kind of a mess (and worth docking a star). The gal at the window we went to on a Friday told us we should get 3-day wildcard passes online bc it would cover us Fri-Sat-Sun and would save us money. So we did. Worked great on Friday, but then on Saturday, our passes no longer worked. We then found out that Sat/Sun were blackout dates, and the wildcard pass wouldn't work. We went back to the same employee on Saturday to ask what the deal was, and her answer was "oh, sorry I didn't know". We then went to a manager, who fixed things for us and gave us complimentary lift tickets for Sat/Sun (we had already paid $500 total for 2 three day wild card tickets). We appreciated her fixing the mistake, but their staff should be better informed about their lift tickets, bc that is some COIN to throw down. GONDOLA: even if you don't ski that gondola ride to the summit restaurant is SO worth it. The views are UNREAL. The food was tasty, but just being up there even without skiing down (wasn't skilled enough) was amazing! Highly suggest that alone even for non-skiers. read more

Crystal Mountain Resort - Ski Resorts Near Me - Enumclaw, Washington

Their parking issues causing delays for EVERYONE to get on the mountain are ruining every person's day. FIX THIS.

gonna start this out by saying im autistic and angry 1. safety: rules have been posted, yet im having people cut it close way more than before. I only go on green runs, why am i in fear of being injured by people? in addition, the little yellow signs for guidelines are too small to read, and the 15ft guideline is unrealistic, most runs don't allow for that kind of manueverability or for people to go different speeds. i do appreciate the higher patrol of staff on the mountain, however. bumps it from 2 to 3 stars. 2. this is petty, but i just turned 21. i was excited to attend the bar/21+ nye party. i have a vertical ID, which they don't accept. would have been nice to know beforehand. i was really looking forward to it. 3. No sensory safe havens. Outside is cold and crowded, any inside places are crowded and noisy/smell like food, which is an assault on anyone with sensory sensitivies. Skiing isn't typically as accessible of a sport, but changes like this could open it up to more people. And it would also benefit your everyday non-autistic joe, too; if done right, it leads to quieter and less crowded spaces. 4. parking and accomodations are extremely limited. i don't know if thats the parks fault or someone else. 5. all staff ive interacted with have been amazing and fantastic. kind and supportive and helpful. its the people making the rules and guidelines that im attempting to criticize. the staff's behavior and presence help me to affirm my decision of 3 stars. read more

I will definitely give Crystal mountain a 5 star, just because it was so perfect for me. The fresh powder of snow, the mountains and just the view, in awe of God's creation! Me and my husband don't ski or snowboard either, came here for my birthday adventure and the highlight was riding the gondola. I would love to come back during spring or summer season for a different view, view of Mt. Rainier. I would recommend this place to any one because it is really worth the visit. read more

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I grew up snowboarding here, so Crystal Mountain Resort holds a special place in my heart; therefore, I can't say too many negative things about it. But snowboarding during COVID-19 has definitely made the experience different, which frankly, is out of the resort's hands. Get your ticket ahead of time! And if you have a season pass, you need to make a reservation ahead of time, as part of their new guidelines to manage how many people visit during the pandemic. My friend and I bought night tickets three weeks in advance. When we waited in the ticket booth to get our lift passes, we overheard many others in the line who wanted to get a lift the day of and they were sold out for most of the weekends. Dang! If you do get a night ticket, they will only allow you to pick up your lift pass at 2PM or later. Not any earlier. My friend and I arrived 20 minutes early and waited in the line, only to be told that for night tickets, they could only issue it right at 2PM. Fair enough. If you plan on renting skis or snowboards, expect a line, as always. We visited on a Saturday and started snowboarding right at 2PM. There was barely a line for the lift, which is the first I've seen. In the many years of snowboarding, there's always been quite a line to get on the lift, but we never waited longer than five minutes. I dig it. Because of the pandemic, the lodge is closed. They do have outdoor fire pits, but you can bet your ass that people will claim their stake at every table with a fire pit as soon as they're lit. We unfortunately boarded on a bad day where it was practically rainy with wet snow; therefore, everyone was getting soaked, so taking a break by the fire pits was the obvious choice. It was miserable if you didn't have your own table with a fire pit. First come, first serve. The store was open, as well as the bathrooms. Food was takeout only (but I always think you should pack your own meal because the food is pricey at all mountain resorts!). For parking in the further lots, they are still running their free shuttle service. And since I mentioned we went on a miserable, rainy day, a storm fell upon us a couple hours later, which means they closed down the other lifts that were higher. But that's understandable. We had a fun time snowboarding, but I will say that it was so incredibly hard to snowboard with a mask on. You're basically breathing hard already when you board, so imagine having a mask on during. Ugh. But everyone was wearing a mask here, so no issues with that. And yes, it's mandatory here. They're doing all they can to be safe here, while still allowing people to enjoy winter sports. I'll be back for some snowboarding Saturdays! read more

3 times going to Crystal Mountain. Twice in April and once in July. Got to see amazing and scintillating views of the mountains in the Snow and also without it. Took the Gondola up all three times and the views are simply grand! Definitely my favorite being up in the mountain and seeing all of the Cascades and Mount Rainier across the horizon. The cold, winter time being up on the mountain and seeing all the Snow everywhere was just beautiful and wicked awesome! Took a whole lot of pictures and videos. Being on top of the summit, walking around and looking at all of the greenery was very nice in the warmer weather, too! Very good, scenic views everywhere around the mountains. Will be back over and over!!! read more

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From the perspective of someone who wasn't there for winter/snow activities, this was a great little spot to take in the views of Mt. Rainier and escape the city. The driving was perfect - we didn't hit any snowy or icy patches. The roads were dry and well paved. This was a nice ~2 hr drive from the city and the views were well worth. The parking was abundant - you might just have to walk a bit depending on which lot you are in. It looked like there was a shuttle going between the lots and the main area, but I am not sure if you needed tickets. The price for the Mt. Rainier tickets were kind of steep at $60 for two people considering there is only a restaurant at the top to go to (if you aren't skiing/boarding), but it was worth doing once. The restaurant at the top stops seating people at 1:45pm, so when we got there around 1:40, we thought we would be able to get our name on the list before they stop taking names. Apparently 1:45 really is for seating the last people on the list, so I would suggest getting up by ~1:20 if you want to eat there! read more

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I've skied all my life, skied competitively. Had a season pass for years. Overrated. Beginning of the end of this resort. First off, if traffic is bad during peak weekends, it'll take 4 hours to get there. Just go to Whistler at that point lol. This is not the resort for you if it's your first time, or you don't have a few seasons under your belt. The greens are actually fairly steep above the base, and there is little learning area. (Those greens are easy blues at Steven's or snoqualmie). The worst thing about this resort is the management. Ive always thought of crystal as a cute little local mountain, but this year it's "crystal clear" that they want to be a big boy resort, with all its social media activity, when it is clearly incapable of it. They have zero business charging over $100 a day for lift tickets like their big brothers mammoth/Squaw/park city/snowbird/whistler with Crystal mountain infrastructure. The mountain report isn't run by ski patrol anymore, (who used to post accurate, detailed, descriptive conditions at 4AM) so they literally write a page of fluff and you don't actually know what conditions are going to be like. They rephrase weather. com but nothing about the snow conditions, visibility, or anything relevant to skiers. Plus, it comes out at 830 which is like... Why even do it at that point. I don't know any other resort that allows this kind of unprofessionalism. Furthermore, earlier this season, they projected "all lifts spinning" via app only for people to go up to the mountain, buy their day ticket, to find that only 2 lifts were open. They weren't stopped because of weather because there was no snow to begin with! Be careful. Really irresponsible. They also sent an app notification that they had a flood at base, and no running water. 20 minutes later, they say business as usual, with 8 lifts spinning. Super Sketchy. There are also frequent fights in the lift line because the lifties don't group 6 for you. I've seen grown adults attack teens because they didn't group the way he wanted. They expect guests to do it on crowded days, and of course, it is a sh1tshow. Parking is a nightmare. They ran out of parking this past weekend, and you have to park an hour drive away (and a shuttle comes to pick you up). Because of this, the parking attendants allow people to park so they blocked you in. I saw at least 20 cars have to reverse the entire row in order to leave. Unacceptable. For the past few seasons, I've also seen cars in ditches, and even 4wd cars get stuck in the parking lot. I think Stevens and snoqualmie are much more family friendly and less headache. read more

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Do not buy a ski pass here. It's absolutely not worth it. Their reservation system is based on parking spots rather than actual skiing spots, and it "sells out" in 5 minutes. Like so many others, I spent nearly $1k on an Ikon Pass that is essentially useless because I will never get a parking reservation. It's so disappointing that they care more about overselling the mountain and overselling these passes to the point where nobody can actually use them. Take a lesson from the management at Steven's Pass: they actually listened to customer feedback and made changes accordingly that actually improved the customer experience. I usually get the Epic Pass, I took a chance by switching this year and it was clearly a mistake. read more

Come see Howard! He made our day! Howard is literally the best best Customer Service friendly. He knows everything about the entire mountain. he gave us a great tour and explained all the new updates and renovations. It's icon pass this year. read more

Personnel: My husband and I chose hard mode for our wedding. We got married at Crystal Mountain Resort in early September 2023. However, we reside on the east coast. We had to be able to rely on our vendors to be communicative, clear, and honest. We worked with Kalela Robinson and Andria Wunder for our wedding. They were a real delight to work with, especially in the final days leading up to our event where my nerves were frayed due to impending bad weather. Thank you to Kalela, Andria, and their incredible staff all over the resort (from gondola workers to their kitchen and serving staff) for the outstanding support we got on our big day! You all were amazing! Pricing/Admin: Getting married here is expensive, so expect to spend big, not just for your venue fees, but for everything else. If I had a criticism, it would be that I wished I got more thorough pricing at onset. Taxes owed for our 2nd half of venue fees really hurt - this was not included in our original agreement (it just said plus tax). I also wish there were a tool to play with catering costs, headcount, etc. Location: We selected the Mt. Rainier platform for our ceremony site and the Rafters as our reception site. If you're looking for an adventure wedding with that wow factor, this is the place for you. Mt. Rainier holds a special place in our hearts, so it was important for us to have a wedding with a view. Unfortunately, weather impacted our view on the day of. However, Kalela, Andria, and their team did a fantastic job of keeping us moving and our guests comfortable. Food & Drink: Crystal Mountain does not allow outside caterers (except for dessert, I think). They were not cheap but food was great and drinks were awesome. After tasting, we opted for the most expensive buffet option just to get the halibut and prime rib, which was out of this world! Our guests loved it. Instead of cake, we opted for their ice cream sundae bar. Guests loved this too. Definitely get the seasoned fries. They were amazing as a late-night snack at the end of the evening. Overall, we had an incredible experience getting married at Crystal Mountain Resort. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us and our guests, many of whom flew over from the east coast to watch us tie the knot. Thank you so much! read more

First ski trip to Crystal Mountain this season, and do not know where to start with the level of disappointment. Based on the cost of admission, one would think Crystal Mountain offers a superior experience compared to other skiing locations. However, their parking process is not thought through, they have full construction occurring (that was not announced during ticket purchase), bathrooms in the lodge were functioning intermittent and overall communication surrounding these inconveniences was non existent. One more gripe. We had a couple green level skiers in the group that wanted to see the peak, but not experienced enough to ski down from the top. After waiting in the Gondola line, we were told they "just" made a decision skiers not skiing down were not permitted on the Gondola because it slows the process. Again, nice communication, and how does someone not loading/unloading skis slowdown the gondola process? This long-time WA skier will be skiing Mt Baker, Stevens, Alpental or Mission Ridge until Crystal can demonstrate an experience equal to or better than other WA mountains. read more

First time as Family Ski Trip. Stunning view of Mt. Rainier, the Cascade Mountains, the clouds. Not too many skiers on week days though it's in Christmas holiday period. So we have a wonderful time! Check the prices of the daily pass online, which are different day by day. Or you can purchase 3 times/5 times passes from Amazon, or with Ikon pass by 25% off of the window ticket. Compare which is much cheaper. read more

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