Crystal gets a ganj-o-la

[Hugh Conway]

I think I remember tickets to crystal being like ~ $35 in the late 80's - not sure what part of the increased price comes from inflation, and what part comes from the capital investment that's gone into upgrading and adding lifts - but I'd guess it's 50-50 or thereabouts

 

was it 07-08 that a day pass was $55 and a season pass was $1000? Far better at skiing for the powderhound then than now. Cheap seaon passes in suck....but not as much as Jacksons $2000 pass sucks

[JayB]

Speaking of suckage:

 

Northway lift gets my vote. Liked it much, much better without the lift and with the shuttle bus that'd take you back to the base.

 

Used to be a pretty reliable stash with many an untracked line to be had even several hours after the opening bell, even on a weekend, and peppered with smallish cliff-drops that were always sporting pillow landings when the skiing was good. Now the untracked lines are a thing of the past by ~9:45 and the landings get packed out all season long.

 

Memories......

[AlpineK]

Yep the Northback used to keep powder for longer. A little hiking plus either a long traverse or a bus ride back to the base was an effective way to keep use down. The new lift changes the characteristics that made that area great.

 

I don't know if the Northway lift increased ticket sales or not. My guess is the new gondola will help boost ticket sales. With the lift it's a lot easier to promote fancy dining and weddings with Rainier as a backdrop. Summertime revenue is a good thing for a ski resort owner. I imagine Boyne wants Crystal to be just like this (4 season resort). Boyne Michigan. Skiing is way down the list

 

It's a cool ski area, it would be nice if they would confine developments to the traditional lift served portion. A new lift in the Southback would really suck.

[dbconlin]

Hmm... I thought you were referring to a pass in Nepal...

 

Lift ticket prices don't bother me - they keep the road open and I ski the backcountry on the other side. The only days I go to the resort are when the avvy danger is too high (i.e. huge powder day).

 

Unfortunately, I don't know how I will be able to teach my kids to ski because, as has been pointed out, you gotta spend at least a solid season at a resort to really get it down. I guess Snoqualmie is a great place to learn though...

[AlpineK]

I grew up skiing at the Snoqualmie Mountaineers then the Meany Lodge. It was way cheaper than public ski areas then, and probably still is now.

 

No more Snoqualmie these days but Meany is still going .

 

You have to ride a 20 mph rope tow of course.