Crystal’s new $5.5 million Mt. Rainier Gondola opened January 1, 2011 and it’s worth every penny.  Just ride it once, and you’ll be hooked.

It’s so fast and ridiculously quiet that it’s almost surreal.  The ride to the top takes less than 10 minutes—compare that to about 20 minutes when you ride Chinook Express and Rainier Express to the same point (assuming there are no mid-mountain lines) and you can see how easy our skiing life has become.  We can access our favorite terrain more quickly, stay warm and dry while doing so, and even readjust layers, check text messages,… Read Full Story