Crystal Mountain Resort

I had my first skiing experience here last week with my sisters and had an absolute blast. Arrived without knowing how to ski, we took the morning beginner class with Gary and he was awesome! So helpful and encouraging! We left the mountain now knowing how to ski. I will recommend this resort to anyone who asks and will definitely be back. 🩵❄️

I'm new to skiing and to this "resort" and I keep hearing everyone say this place "used to be great before it sold out." Well, I can't speak to that but its basically garbage as it is now. I'm a newer skier, but with traveling for work I get to sample all the places. I've skied Montana, Oregon, Washington, West Virginia, and Canada at this point and this is...honestly probably the worst place I've been to. Even West Virginia had better snow. Anyway, because of their reservation system rules now with the road out currently, I put myself on the wait list for a handful of weekdays and imagine my surprise when I got a ticket for Monday (their 3rd day open this season) Sweet, let's go. I drive all the way there and there's no indication on this parking pass of where I am supposed to be parking. So I follow traffic, and I end up parking in the A lot, and it isn't until I'm getting out of my car and putting on my jacket that I'm asked for a parking pass. And I said, sure, no problem and show him what I have. While I'm pulling this ticket up on my phone, he is like, oh, you'll definitely know if you can park here, cause it costs like $2000 to park here. Um, weird flex from a parking attendant but ok...? Now I get to the lifts, and I'm realizing it's crowded. And the people that are skiing alongside me are not people who are like paying attention or are spatially aware of how close they are to other people so I'm nervous because I've had someone run into me before. Thankfully didn't happen, but that was rather impressive considering the snow was incredibly icy and they were making snow on the lower runs, which was just blowing in everyone's face as they skied through, so it was just sticking to my goggles in icy pellets and I couldn't see by the time I got to the bottom (and I couldn't wipe it off because it was freezing as it stuck). I did an intermediate run, and I took a side run that was definitely open (and marked "easier way") And I was not the only one who was surprised at being stuck in literal mud interspersed with straight sheets of gritty ice, while navigating hairpin turns. I'm feeling pretty good because I got through it and I'm just making the mental note to not go through it again next time when I fall after catching an edge and I think it speaks to the culture of this mountain that someone skied past me, and instead of asking if I was okay, told me I should learn how to ski. I did another run before taking a break at which time they also closed the main lift to the top of the mountain Rainier Gondola, which was access to all of the runs except for a single green run. By the time I had chili and a beer over at Snorting Elk (that was some cafeteria chili for $10 btw), everything was closed except for the beginner's gondola Chinook. So I ended up leaving at 2 PM, although at least I had started my day as they were opening. I still managed to get in five runs, but I didn't leave feeling very good about it. I mean, I guess I'll see if I can fit in some days before I leave again once they get some real snow or at least figure out which of their runs *should be* open, but I only have about another month here, and I've heard that Alpental is better so I'll probably use up my 7 days up there before returning here. I can't really speak to the employee's at the resort, as I didn't really interact with anyone despite them being *everywhere*... oh, and watching One of the young ski patrollers fall on a flat stretch in between 2 lifts, Chinook Express and Rainier Express, which doesn't make me feel good, I'm gonna be honest. If you're coming to help me, you should be a better skier than me (which seems like it shouldn't be hard, at least according the lady who blasted down the mountain like she had a death wish after only slowing down to insult me despite me not even being in her way).

It was our first time here so wasn’t sure what to expect. We signed up for snowboarding lessons and rentals. We booked it online and the lessons included a day pass to the discovery lift as well. When we got there it was easy to navigate and everyone was kind. We got fitted for boots, and rented boards. They also provided a helmet and goggles. Phillip Baker was our instructor and he was very patient, kind, and encouraging. I highly recommended lessons with him!

Awesome resort. They even had skis to fit my 1 year old and a nice kids play area in the snow. Family friendly. Awesome Mt Rainer views from the top of the gondola ride.

We went to Crystal Mountain Resort the second week of August. We rode the Gondola and took the shuttle to the Mt. Rainier Sunrise Visitor Center. The Gondola was a blast, we enjoyed the views and lunch at The Summit. The best part of the trip was the shuttle, though. Getting to see the scenery without having to drive was fabulous. Tony, our driver, was delightful and absolutely made the experience perfect! Highly recommend!

Great first time experience, loved the outdoor seating at the bar behind the glass with overhead heat to hang out and watch my boys go up and down the hills after lessons!

I love this place, such great vibes and a wonderful staff. It may cost a bit, but it's worth it. It takes money to run a business well. I'll be back again and again. Also, lodges have vegan options if you're looking to eat on the mountain. If you need help, ask for it. They will get you what/where/whom you need.

Crystal has always been a great mountain. A little crowded on certain days, but what isn't anymore? The new lodge is great and was a much needed upgrade. Tons of new gear and accessories! Awesome coffee stand and good food. The mountain is cashless these days. Slopes are the same as always. Still some great hidden stashes to find off the main runs! Update...dont forget Summer. Tons of great hiking. Gondola is open, and the views are awesome.

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!!!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

The new mountain commons building is so bad. The first floor is just a sad gift shop. The building is too small to accommodate everyone to sit during lunch time, the bathrooms are tiny, the outdoor table aren't covered, the heaters are too high to be effective, the food is terrible and overpriced. The plans had a third floor with additional seating, but the MBAs at alterra decided the cost was too high and changed the plans. There are no coat hooks anywhere in the building. The outside looks like it was built from plastic and a Home Depot bargain bin. There's nothing good about it. They should be embarrassed. I was told to leave the outdoor seating because I brought my own food from home instead of spending $15 on a cold, CAFO beef and government cheese cheeseburger or only deep fried food. Campbell Basin isn't staffed to serve food during peak times and alterra is trying to force us to eat their crappy food by removing all outdoor seating. The skiing and terrain is great, but alterra and crystal management is doing everything they can to make us feel unwelcome and ripped off at every visit.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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!

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

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

~ 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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

Came for a spring snow day, left because of a horrible live DJ. Someone thought it would be a great idea to blast dance music that tried to be cool 30 years ago. My whole family hated it. On the other hand, if you're over forty, single and still trying to get your groove on, this might be for you.

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!

DO NOT STAY HERE! Our stay was less than 8 hours and was by far the worst camping experience I've had. I booked a tent site at the Rv Park and was sent a reservation confirmation with my site number. When we checked in, we got set up at the tent pad we reserved. All of the tent sites were on top of each other and had no privacy. There was a chair in front of our site, but no sign of anyone's belongings. At 10pm when I was dead asleep another camper started banging on my tent and harassing my partner and I, saying we were in her site. Even though I had reserved the site three weeks ago, she had come in the day before booked a night and took my reserved site and I was not made aware at check in. When trying to resolve the issue with the camp host and security they were not helpful. It took almost two hours and instead of having the people who harassed us after quiet hours move they made us move our tent to the hard gravel without a tent pad. When I asked for a refund, I didn't even get the full amount back! The lack of organization, double booking, and customer service made this a horrible experience. DO NOT RECOMMEND. There are national forest campgrounds and national park campgrounds nearby this resort that are cheaper, cleaner, better managed, and more secluded.

Do better Crystal Mountain. Figure out how to feed hungry and thirsty guests at the base area. You advertise an apres ski event but only have one spot selling beverages, and the line is 45 minutes to an hour. How hard would it be to fill a bin with beer, soda, and Red Bull for sale off to the side somewhere? Happier people, more revenue. Simple.

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.

Waited 45 minutes to get a burger and chicken tenders at the Rafters. People arrived later got their food earlier. Totally chaos and unacceptable!

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!

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.

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!!!

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!

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.

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.

I had an absolutely terrible experience trying to buy tickets. The website wasn't working, and I was struggling to find someone to help me until I visited guest services and they printed them for me right away. But mostly, this 5 star review is for LEO. He was working right by the rental area. I am a breastfeeding mom and while away from my baby I have to pump milk to prevent clogged ducts and infection. Well, I couldn't find a private place to do this and there were no outlets for my pump. I was on the verge of tears when I found Leo but he found me a place to pump comfortably and it saved my health and my whole evening here. He even got me WATER. Gosh if you come here ask to see Leo just to say hi because he will make your entire day.

Won't go here anymore. Used to be amazing. 2020 they adopted a new parking policy to FORCE a reduction in the number of cars and people who have access. Supposedly to save the environment. What this means is people like me (who having been going here for almost 40 years) need to compete for a parking pass (like trying to get concert tickets - be online the minute they drop or your out of luck. This affects "locals" (like us) more than others as folks coming into the PNW are likely to plan their trips way in advance. The days of "hey kids, let's going skiing this weekend" are OVER! Private company - they can do whatever they want but it's extremely disappointing. WA State is more and more all about saving the environment vs allowing people who LIVE HERE to actually enjoy the area.

This rating is for the RV camping during the summer. It's pretty rough and the cost along with invoice and other fees was $65 a night. You're in a giant gravel parking lot with construction vehicles scattered here and there. My bad for not realizing that lots of construction and repairs going on between ski seasons. The RV side of the giant parking lot was almost completely empty and for good reason. None of the RV spots were level, the giant gravel they use for the parking lot is rough to walk on, very unfriendly to children and pets. All the picnic tables were stacked up way down the parking lot and the area immediately behind the spots were mostly bare, dry grass and just plain ugly. Nothing pleasant about it. I can imagine this setup being much more beautiful during the ski season with all the bad stuff covered up and no construction. I would say it was an entire ripoff for summer camping and being adjacent to the Gondola was not enough to overcome the downsides. At $65 a night I would have expected WAY more. A better value would have been $20 a night. Needless to say, I won't be taking the RV to Crystal Mountain during the summer again and I don't recommend you do either.

I came here strictly to ride the gondola to see mt rainier so take this all with a grain of salt. The parking was a bit confusing and there weren't really any signs about getting from parking to where you needed to go but it was okay. I went when they were doing some spring skiing. I bought a timed ticket to the gondola which served to be pointless because the line wrapped around the resort because they were using the gondola for the spring skiing. The resort itself is pretty simple and doesn't have a lot. There were only two options for lunch and the one up at the top was slammed and there was no real availability and the food at the bottom was mediocre. The gondola ride and view was beautiful which is its own review.

After many years of going to Crystal Mountain for thanksgiving, we are done. After a major screw up on our reservation and horrible customer service, we will look elsewhere for a place to spend the holidays. Telling a guest to go to the local Dollar Store to purchase a coffee maker for the condo they rented is inexcusable. I'm not sure if there has been a change in ownership but whatever it is, they need to get it together. Judging by the sparse crowds we observed, something is very wrong.

My husbands's experience this morning: If you ever have the misfortune of needing GUEST (DIS)SERVICES, you need to avoid dealing with Samantha B. I bought an ANYTIME Ikon pass, and I was sent a midweek one. I called ikon, and they told me Crystal Guest Services could issue me the proper pass. I went, and unfortunately Samantha was on duty. I explained to her my situation (including my inability to get 15% discounts at Crystal vendors). She had an attitude, but told me to give her a week and she'd get me a proper pass (also gave me her business card on which she wrote"give this guy his 15%".The restaurant people had a good laugh and told me they couldn't accept it. I laughed right along with them and thought "this woman is in a position of authority? Crystal is going to hell in a hand basket".) Today was one week and a day since I was told "give me a week." She came roaring out of her office and yelled, "I can only do what I can do. They haven't sent me anything." Wow, it's not what you say, it's how you say it. I didn't exhibit any anger toward her at any time, or anything that would merit her throwing such a fit. I decided not to meet rudeness with rudeness and said, "You told me to come back in a week; I did so, and you go crazy on me. All I need from you is what I paid for", to which she answered, "and you need to be nice!" Why didn't she learn basic social skills in kindergarten like the rest of us? I informed her I was now going to management to get some help. I was talking to the manager on duty, when in walks Samantha's colleague who snarls, "are you the one who was just talking to Samantha?" as if he was ready to take her side. I said yes; she was acting like a b---h, so I cut bait and went higher up. He was offended by my use of the B word, and demanded I surrender my pass to him. I proceeded to lecture him on the topic of free speech, and that he had no grounds for demanding my pass. I asked him if he had been privy to my conversation with Samantha, and he said no. I gave him a summary, then asked if he still wanted my pass. He backed down and said no. She sent her little elf to head my off without telling him the whole story, and he ended up being a little embarrassed and siding with me. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO CRYSTAL? I've been a season pass holder for 23 years. The days are long gone when it was a pleasant, low-key, well-run operation. Now the only time they're pleasant is when they take your money; then you're on your own. I ended up calling Ikon. The guy I spoke to was horrified at the description of my treatment at Crystal, and said my pass is now in their system for revision to ANYTIME. Stand by for the next chapter ... This is not the next chapter, but I couldn't help noticing I'm not the first to be talked down to by Samantha - following is from Northwest Ski Pals on facebook:: Ihave a question...these last 2 years of skiing locally have been challenging. A few days ago, I called the local Crystal number to inquire about parking reservations. I had bought my usual Ikon regular pass, but after the season started Crystal changed the rules and my pass was no longer good for weekends. I work during the weekdays, so my pass was effectively unusable. I upgraded to their approx $1000 pass, paying $300 more to be able to ski on weekends. Then they implemented weekend parking reservations. This effectively blocked me from using the pass, as I could not get a reservation for the month of Jan and half of Feb. I work in direct patient contact, so I don't have time to troll the website all day looking for a cancellation. I called the local Crystal number to see if I could get access to parking somehow, or get my pass reduced back to the regular pass, as I am not getting the value of the pass. I have skied twice only so far this season. Normally I am skiing almost every weekend. I talked to Samantha Bostick, some kind of manager at Crystal, who was the meanest person I have had the displeasure to deal with in a long time. She didn't even let me finish a sentence, told me I was not getting a full refund on the Ikon pass (not even what I wanted) and hung up on me. I want to know if anyone has a suggestion as to how I can discuss her behavior to the higher ups at Crystal, or should I be addressing this to Alterra, and just to let them know that I appreciate the difficulties they've had in controlling crowds, but their solution for this year is not working for me. I work in health care and the past 2 years have been stressful to say the least. Skiing was my way to blow off steam and find a little joy in the winter. But having to work so hard to get an opportunity for some recreation is taxing, and this woman's verbal abuse has just left me with a bad taste in my mouth for the local ski areas. I feel like I never want to go to Crystal again, or Steven's, something I never thought would happen, as I really enjoy skiing. Any suggestions for me? Why is Samantha still employed?

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.

This place sucks balls. We came up for Christmas to ski and were under the impression that they enforced masking in the lodge. Unfortunately this was not true. When I walked into the lodge, there was maybe two people wearing masks, and oh yeah, it was me and my husband. Lol it was crowded, and people were getting right into each other's personal space. So with omicron running rampant, I went to the customer service desk and asked if I could have my pass deferred to next year, when hopefully we aren't in the middle of a new variant surge. We were told, politely, that we would have to contact icon directly. One of the guys said that he would talk to his manager about checking the lodge and making sure the people are masking. When he came up, I approached him and explained the situation. He laughed in my face. He told me that they "passively enforce masking" and that if I was "so scared," I shouldn't use the lodge. So I said, is that really fair that I am paying full price for an icon pass, but I can't use the lodge because you aren't taking precautions to keep your guests safe? Then he said "look lady, do you expect all 50 of our staff to follow you around all day to keep you safe because you're too scared to ski?" Then he told me to fuck myself and walked away. This place has gone downhill so much in the last few years. They have less services and amenities, but the price has skyrocketed anyway. They're charging for parking now...on top of their hyper-inflated lift tickets.

Purchased 10 passes total for my son and husband last year. They each used 6. Then Covid made them shut down. Understandable. We get it. Was told they could be used the following season. They open at the beginning of Dec. We found out we could only use the passes during the week. Well we work and son has school! Blacked out the days my son would be out of school during winter break so couldn't use them. Decided to try for January and was told that they expired on the 31st! Basically they said tough luck! We tried to see if we could at least get a discount or something since we were not told they would expire. These are not cheap! I understand that Covid has hit every business hard, but the restrictions on the passes were ridiculous and unfair since we couldn't not work or pull our son from virtual school nor were we given any indication that they would expire at the end of 2020 when told last Match they could be used during the following Season! So basically they stole our money and is refusing to do anything about it! Nice job helping people out during a pandemic! Hahaha! Then they only apologize for THEIR lack of communication! Nice!

First of all I don't know much about ski resorts and what factors are involved that makes a winning combination for skiers. I have come from Wyoming and had my fill of snow and don't go out of my way to go looking for it in a climate where you can easily escape from it... ah.. it's great living in the Pacific Northwest! From what I'm told though for many skiers the snow isn't exactly what they want here and if they want to ski the primo way you go to Colorado but to me that's neither here nor there. I came to Crystal Mountain in just this past weekend which was in the summer. Yes, the area isn't fully operational because it is summer but there are several restaurants that are open in the main area and a sports shop where you can also get your souvenir fix. Lots of ski towns and areas have summer time activities now and the real calling to Crystal Mountain this time of year is riding up the Mount Rainier Gondola. You get some fantastic views up there in the summer. You can also do some hiking around on the slopes and when I was here there were a group of people going down a hill on a ruggedly made skateboard... I'm sure there is a term for this type of non street skating but I'm not aware what that term is. Some places close up pretty early here at the bottom in the summer. There was a restaurant that served hamburgers. I thought I'd come back after my ride to the top on the gondola but by the time I came back down the burger place was closed and that was around 4 pm. The other businesses were still open however despite that one. I had a fun time visiting Crystal Mountain though I realize I did not partake it's actual purpose (which is to ski) but I still had fun. And dare I say if they have intertubes available during the snow season to play around on then I just might be back when it's cold and wintery.