Alta Crystal Resort | Blog

Crystal Mountain is now open!!

2012-11-25T00:48:37+00:00

Yippee! Crystal is now open for the 2012/2013 winter season—with world class skiing, snowboarding and Mt. Rainier Gondola scenic rides.

This is Crystal’s 50th anniversary, and it’s shaping up to be a great one. Most of the mountain is already open, and more snow is in the forecast.

Click here to see photos from Crystal’s opening day.

Gorgeous Views and Wildflowers on Shriner Peak

2012-08-01T16:56:40+00:00

Shriner Peak is a trail most people miss on their visit to Mt. Rainier National Park. The total trail is 8.4 miles roundtrip with 3400 feet elevation gain—so it’s steep! So why take it on? Well, right now, there are gorgeous flowers, served up with incredible views of Mt. Rainier and views of a lake far below that’s the summer home to a large group of elk. Shriner Peak itself boasts a 70 year old brown lookout tower that’s rarely staffed these days, but you can still climb up on the balcony for panoramic views that will take your breath away.

Click here for photos from the Shriner Peak trail on July 25, 2012 courtesy of our friends at Visit Rainier.

Click here for a full hike description and directions.

Happy trails everyone!

Grand Park is full of wildflowers!

2012-07-24T03:24:41+00:00

Thanks to our friends at Visit Rainier for sharing these incredible photos from Grand Park. So many visitors miss this part of the Park because it’s a long-ish hike—but if you’re an intrepid hiker, now is a great time to go!

Click here to look at all the photos from this hike. Pretty incredible!

Ready to go? Click here for directions. We especially like the route that starts off Forest Service Road 73 (very close to us) as it’s shorter and Lake Eleanor is pretty wonderful.

Enjoy!

Sheep Lake July 14, 2012

2012-07-15T23:13:28+00:00

A great hike for early season wildflowers.

We decided to head up to the Sheep Lake hike yesterday with our dogs to check for early season wildflowers. This is a great hike, about 2 miles each way, and the wildflowers usually are among the earliest in this area.

Well, we found lots and lots of flowers! They’ll probably be at their peak in the next couple of weeks, so it’s a great time to come up. Click here to visit our Facebook page for more photos. And then “Like” us to stay in the know!

If you’d like a more detailed description of this hike, with even more photos, click here.

Sunrise on July 9, 2012

2012-07-10T17:24:10+00:00

Ask anyone who lives around here, and they’ll tell you Sunrise is their favorite area of Mt. Rainier National Park. It’s the highest point to which you can drive in all the Cascades (6400’)—with awesome panoramic views and great hikes. It is also much more exposed than Paradise, and tends to melt out really quickly once summer arrives.

In fact, we took a quick jaunt up to Sunrise yesterday to see the snow melt for ourselves. Last week, we sent some people snowshoeing by the Visitors Center—and this week, the area called Sourdough Ridge is almost all melted out! Several of our guests did the Frozen Lake and Shadow Lake hikes over the weekend, and even though there’s still snow, both trails are easily hikable in decent hiking boots.

Click here to visit our Facebook page for more photos.

Looking for more trail descriptions? Visit our Mt.… Continue Reading

Cayuse Pass is now open!

2012-05-09T03:48:19+00:00

Come up and visit Mt. Rainier! The Pass opened today (May 8) and noon, and even though there’s still lots of snow at the summit, you’ll be amazed at how little snow there is at this entrance and in the Ohanapecosh area. Can you say hiking anyone?!

Click here to see some photos from today, and then click here to read more about springtime hiking in the Ohanapecosh.

Welcome back, Mt. Rainier!

It Looks Like It’s Going To Be An Awesome March!

2012-02-24T19:34:23+00:00

We’ve always said that March and April are our two favorite months to ski: longer days, lots of snow and no crowds. What could be better?!

Read this article from Ski Washington for the March forecast. It looks like it’s going to be an awesome spring.

Even better, our Spring Ski & Stay Deals are available every day—even weekends—starting March 16! Just in time for a lot of Spring Breaks! Click here to learn more.

Crystal will be open every day until April 15, and for skiing on weekends after that until the snow melts (probably sometime in June). So pick some dates and come on up!

The Winter Storms Continue

2012-02-19T00:05:30+00:00

La Nina has been kind to us this winter. In fact, Crystal Mountain has received 26 FEET of snow already this season. That’s amazing!

Here are just a few pictures from the latest storm. Alta Crystal Resort is blanketed in a beautiful new white coat, just in time for Presidents weekend and Mid-Winter Break. In fact, we were able to snowshoe the loop trail today and our tracks were the only ones we saw.

We’re always said that March and April are our two favorite months to ski up here, and this year will be no exception. Wonderful new snow, no crowds, and incredible Ski and Stay Deals—even weekends—starting March 16. In our opinion, a trip in March or April is kind of a no-brainer.

Hope to see you soon.

A Nice Day For A White Wedding

2012-01-24T09:01:43+00:00

After a crazy weather week, we woke up this morning to new snow and gorgeous bluebird skies. Just in time for a winter wedding.

Actually, the wedding itself was up at the Summit House—and the whole wedding group was treated to incredible views. The weather gods couldn’t have been nicer to this wonderful couple.

But the views at Alta Crystal Resort weren’t too shabby either. In fact, we sneaked out in the morning to take a few pictures. It was that beautiful!

Yes. It was a pretty nice day for a white wedding.

The New RDL Test Center At The Top Of The World

2012-01-15T08:33:57+00:00

We got a chance to go to the Grand Opening of the RDL Test Center yesterday, and all we can say is “Wow”.

We arrived at the top of the Gondola just in time for the sunset. Beautiful colors everywhere! You, too, can experience this view at Apres Ski at the Summit House, or by making reservations for a Summit Dinner. Both are offered on Saturday nights throughout the ski season.

The real reason we were up there was to visit Crystal’s new demo shop, and it is amazing. RDL stands for Rossignol, Dynastar and Lange—and Crystal has teamed up with these ski manufacturers for a one-of-a-kind demo center. Switch your skis out easily as often as you like, or “test drive” a new pair of goggles. The Test Center is located at the top of the Gondola with ski-in, ski-out ease.

But it’s worth poking your head in the… Continue Reading

“Major Dumpage to pile up in the Cascades”

2011-11-12T02:37:55+00:00

Larry Schick, the self-proclaimed Pubah of Powder, issued a Powder Alert today! That’s great news for all Pacific Northwest skiers, as he’s predicting snow accumulations of a minimum of 2-3 feet (and possibly as much as 3-5 feet) in the next 9-10 days!

Follow the link below to read the full report—then go in your closet and pull our your snow boots, coats, mittens, skis, boards, snowshoes, poles and hats, and come up to the mountains! See you soon!!!

http://skiwashington.com/larry

It’s beginning to look a lot like winter!

2011-11-04T02:18:51+00:00

It’s beginning to look a lot like winter! Check out Crystal Mountain’s Facebook page for more photos from today.

Opening day is coming soon…..

La Nina returns this winter

2011-10-29T02:24:50+00:00

Hip, hip, hooray!

In case you missed it in September (with all our gorgeous weather), NOAA officially issued a La Nina advisory on September 8, 2011.

Look for an active winter ahead, with above average snowfall in the Cascades. Last year was an awesome La Nina, with over 600 inches falling at Crystal!

We’re looking forward to lots of winter white. Sounds like you should plan a winter trip now:)

Click here to learn more.

Emmons Moraine Trail Via The Glacier Basin Trail

2011-10-10T18:54:45+00:00

A fabulous Fall hike for all ages, and still easily accessible from the White River Campground—halfway up the Sunrise Road.

Mt. Rainier National Park and over 400 volunteers invested upwards of 18,000 hours rebuilding this trail, after it was ravaged in the 2006 flood. Now the Emmons Moraine trail is a relatively easy 3-mile roundtrip hike to great views of the snout of the Emmons Glacier (the largest glacier in the lower 48 states) and Mt. Rainier.

The road to the White River Campground will be open until October 30 this year (weather permitting). Just park in the Day Parking area and start off of the Glacier Basin trail. The first mile of the trail climbs gradually through beautiful forests, across bridges and past waterfalls. When the trail was rebuilt, the decision was made to build it higher than the old trail—and volunteers and the Park did an incredible… Continue Reading

Noble Knob Trail

2011-10-04T19:27:54+00:00

This is a great Fall hike for huckleberries, wonderful Fall colors and incredible views of Mt. Rainier! It’s one of our favorite trails, and one to which we often escape on our days off.

You can actually hike to this trail from Alta Crystal Resort via the Deep Creek Trail (right behind the resort) but the trail is steep (lots of switchbacks) and it about 6 miles each way.

Most guests prefer to drive up the (rough) Corral Pass road, the next Forest Service road up from us. The road is 6 miles each way on a gravel road that is not well-maintained so high-clearance vehicles are suggested. At the top, you’ll find several wonderful trails. The Noble Knob trail starts from a U-turn at the top, and is clearly marked. The trail itself is relatively flat since it goes along a ridge line, and you’ve already done most of… Continue Reading

Naches Peak Loop: September 3, 2011

2011-09-04T19:43:35+00:00

We had heard rumors that the wildflowers were incredible on the eastern side of this loop trail, so we grabbed the dogs and headed up to Chinook Pass. Wow! We’ve hiked this trail many times before and we’ve never seen it more beautiful.

Since we didn’t have a lot of time, we decided that we’d just hike the first mile to a gorgeous tarn (temporary mountain lake) where the dogs could take a quick dip. Surprisingly, although there were a lot of cars in the parking lots, the trail felt uncrowded and peaceful. And the flowers! Fields of beargrass, lupine and paintbrush everywhere you looked! Plus a few sections of the trail that mostly stay in shade with a few early avalanche lilies.

It’s best to hike this trail clockwise, starting from the pedestrian overpass about 1/4 mile to the east of Tipsoo Lake. This way, if you do… Continue Reading

Palisades Lake: September 1, 2011

2011-09-02T18:05:31+00:00

Another gorgeous hike with flowers, flowers everywhere. Enjoy great photos courtesy of our friends at Visit Rainier.

This trail starts from Sunrise Point (the large switchback on the Sunrise road, about 3 miles before the Visitor Center). The views from Sunrise Point are exceptional, and worth a stop on their own, and there are always people in the parking lot taking pictures. However, not many of them actually take the time to hike down to the lakes even though they’re visible from the viewpoint.

There are actually a string of 6 alpine lakes, and you can hike to all of them (7.5 miles roundtrip), or just go as far as Sunrise Lake about .5 miles each way. However, be aware that you’ll descend sharply for the first half mile or so, meaning you’ll have to climb back out—so save some energy!

View photos from September 1, 2011 by Continue Reading

Dewey Lakes Hike: August 29, 2011

2011-08-30T20:12:05+00:00

Our friends, Abbie and Ian, did this hike with Ziggy and Gonzo on August 29 and took these great photos! Check out all their photos on Alta Crystal Resort’s Facebook page by clicking here.

To get to this dog-friendly hike, take the Naches Peak Loop trail from the Chinook Pass pedestrian overpass about 1.5 miles to the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail. You’ll see a sign for Dewey Lakes to the left. Follow the trail for about 1.3 miles to the first lake, descending about 600 feet. You can continue about a mile along the PCT to a more deserted part of the lake, or for an even longer hike, go to American Lake. This is also a great spot for anglers since this lake is periodically restocked with trout.

This is a great time to visit the Lakes since the wildflowers are incredible, the lakes are peaceful… Continue Reading

The Sunrise wildflowers are at their peak!

2011-08-28T20:30:28+00:00

Check out these photos courtesy of Visit Rainier! The flowers are Sunrise are incredible and the hiking is fantastic.

Come up after Labor Day for sunny skies and fewer crowds. (We first visited Washington 21 years ago in September and we were hooked—the weather is that fantastic!) There are gorgeous flowers along the road up to Sunrise, and the Silver Forest Trail from the main parking area is an easy walk for all ages with wonderful flowers.

If you’re willing to venture a little farther afield, we particularly love the Summerland, Berkeley Park and Glacier Basin trails for huge meadows of flowers and marmots, marmots everywhere!

Click here to see Visit Rainier’s August 27 photos. While you’re on Facebook, make sure to like us to stay in the know.

Summerland Trail on August 9th—flowers, views, marmots and more!

2011-08-13T22:36:53+00:00

We’re not sure we’ve ever seen Summerland looking more beautiful! This is a fabulous hike for anyone looking for flower-filled meadows, incredible views and marmots practicing their boxing skills.

We started out early on Friday morning, August 12th. The dense old-growth forest gave way in about 2 miles to a narrow canyon on Fryingpan Creek, the perfect photo opportunity. We started to see some peak-a-boo views of Mt. Rainier as the terrain transitioned from old-growth to subalpine at around 3 miles. At about 4 miles, we reached the beginning of the meadows of Summerland—with flowers that were thigh-high in places and marmots playing everywhere! We stopped to rest at a backcountry cabin at about 4.2 miles and thought about going further (up to Panhandle Gap and true alpine terrain), but we were having too much fun taking pictures of flowers and marmots—and quite honestly, couldn’t imagine any place in… Continue Reading

Wildflowers, views and snow-free trails at Sunrise!

2011-08-01T23:41:17+00:00

Summer has arrived. It’s really that simple! The Sunrise area is now a hiker’s delight, no matter what your age!

In the past 10 days, our guests have been exploring further and further afield and we get new reports of great trails every day! Everyone is coming back with great stories to share—about wildflowers photographed, animals seen and incredible shots of Mt. Rainier. There really isn’t a better time to visit up here!

We decided to take a quick hike on the Shadow Lake Trail on July 30th just so we could compare conditions with a short 9 days prior—and what a difference we found. Flowers, flowers everywhere with fields of glacier lilies, gorgeous phlox, lupine and more. There were happy people everywhere—picnicking in the sunshine, enjoying Ranger programs and enjoying the snow-free hiking trails.

These pictures are of the Shadow Lake trail (click here for more)—but there are… Continue Reading

More Signs of Summer at Sunrise!

2011-07-21T21:43:45+00:00

The winter’s record snow will soon be a distant memory, as the trails throughout the Sunrise area of Mt. Rainier National Park continue to melt out!

We decided to go for a hike and check out updated conditions yesterday, July 20. So many changes! It’s now very easy to hike the short distance to the Emmons Vista viewpoint, with incredible views of the mountain. In fact, we know many guests who have taken pictures for holiday cards here!

We continued on the Sunrise Rim trail towards Shadow Lake and found a trail that was at least 50% melted out. The trail was easy to follow, and even the sections with snow (very small amounts, by the way) were boot-packed and easy for anyone in hiking boots.

Shadow Lake itself still had a thin layer of snow covering it, but with the warm weather in the forecast for the next few… Continue Reading

Last Day Skiing at Crystal Mountain: July 16, 2011

2011-07-16T18:59:40+00:00

What a season! Over 600 inches of snow at Crystal since November 2010 and a brand new Gondola to help us enjoy it! But all good things must come to an end, and we don’t know about you, but we’re actually ready for summer!

The snow was getting pretty thin, but we had to go up one last day —just because we could! We had some great runs (one down Snorting Elk where the snow completely petered out) and a delicious lunch at the Summit House. The sun and Mt. Rainier even came out to help us celebrate the day!

Take a look at our Facebook photo album for lots of photos. Click here. While you’re there, “Like” us and stay in the know!

Sunrise Visitor Center Opening: July 8, 2011

2011-07-09T18:31:24+00:00

The newly remodeled Sunrise Visitor Center opened yesterday, for the first time in 2 years.

It’s gorgeous with new exhibits that will take your breath away. The original Visitors Center was built in the 1930s and is a gorgeous log lodge (the kind you wish you could live in). The 1970s era gray painted floors were replaced with beautiful Douglas Fir flooring. The old information desk and sales area were replaced by cabinetry and counters built from cedar. The old exhibits from the 1970s were replaced with wonderful, informative exhibits the complement the building’s architecture.

Summer ranger programs and interpretive walks are now available through July and August, and are a great way to learn more about this incredible volcano. And, of course, the view from Sunrise will take your breath away!

The snow is rapidly melting. And, wildflowers are sprouting up along the road signalling that summer is here! … Continue Reading

A Wonderful Dog Day at Crystal Mountain

2011-06-27T03:18:29+00:00

Crystal’s new Mt. Rainier Gondola is now pet-friendly, so we decided to take advantage of an absolutely gorgeous day and take our dogs for their very first gondola ride! We grabbed their leashes, a water bottle, a plastic bowl and zipped up the road a quick 10 minutes from Alta Crystal.

We were actually a little surprised at how easily the dogs got on the Gondola. Georgia hopped on like she was a pro, and Jebbie just took about 15 seconds of coaching. (You could tell he was trying to get the timing right—kind of like the first time a human rides as escalator.) The Gondola crew was great—they greeted the dogs enthusiastically, like they were old friends. Once inside, Georgia just sat and admired the view, while Jebbie decided he liked the floor a little better but, since there are floor to window ceilings, he still got to watch… Continue Reading

Wonderland Trail from White River Campground to Sunrise

2011-06-21T05:38:14+00:00

We were up at the White River Campground a few weeks ago with our nephew who was visiting from out-of-town and thought, at that time, that we might hike the Wonderland Trail up to Sunrise. A little too much snow to do it then, but we had seen a lot of melting in 2 weeks, so on Father’s Day, we decided it would be a fun adventure to try again.

What a difference 2 weeks make! There was virtually no snow at the White River Campground (!!) and the Park had done a nice job marking the Wonderland Trail so we took off. The first 1 1/2 miles were snow-free, through trees and over small streams. In fact, the sound of water was everywhere, as the mountain melts out from its long winter’s nap.

We started to see small amounts of snow after a while (still easily hikable as it… Continue Reading

Grove of the Patriarchs.

2011-06-04T23:13:43+00:00

While we were at Silver Falls (see the blog article in this section), we decided to check out the Grove of the Patriarchs—always one of our favorite hikes.

To many, the Grove of the Patriachs is almost a sacred place, and on a cloudy day, entering the Grove feels almost like entering a cathedral. It’s hard to comprehend that these trees were around when the Magna Carta was being signed. To others, the Grove of the Patriarchs is simply a wonderful short (1/2 mile each way) hike that’s good for all ages. Regardless of which camp you fall in, you’ll love it here.

The trail starts off gently from a bathroom and picnic area next to a small parking area just inside the Stevens Canyon entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park. Take time to read the many interpretive signs. They’re really well done and you can learn a lot… Continue Reading

Silver Falls Hike in Mt. Rainier National Park

2011-06-04T22:38:23+00:00

Saturday, June 4, 2011 is the day summer officially arrived in the Pacific Northwest. At least, that’s the way we see it!

Our nephew was visiting from Texas, so we decided to take him on one of our favorite hikes in the Ohanapecosh area of the Park (about 20-25 minutes south of here). When we arrived at the trailhead, the car thermometer registered a comfortable 75 degrees, making it a perfect day to explore.

Silver Falls is the largest volume waterfall in Mt. Rainier National Park and, like all the waterfalls out here this time of year, it’s wonderful to visit it in the spring. The hike is an easy 1-mile roundtrip hike from the parking area at the Stevens Canyon entrance, or a steeper .6 mile hike roundtrip from a small parking area on Highway 410. It’s an easy hike for all ages, although parents (of course)… Continue Reading

Cayuse Pass Opening May 26, 2011

2011-05-27T17:24:41+00:00

Cayuse Pass opened yesterday, May 26, 2011.

Cayuse Pass is the main north/south route through Mt. Rainier National Park, so now our guests can easily visit Packwood & Paradise, and it’s faster and easier to get to Eastern Washington as well! We are very happy!

Check out the photos Steven took yesterday when the Pass opened at noon. There were about 15 cars in line waiting for the Pass to open, but as soon as the sign went up saying the Pass was opened, more and more came!

Notice how there’s very little snow at the gate and huge walls of snow at the summit. That’s why you can easily hike and bike—and just as easily ski and snowshoe. Kind of the best of both worlds.

The Sunrise road to the White River Campground is scheduled to open June 1 (and possibly sooner) and Chinook Pass should be opened… Continue Reading

Crystal’s Extended Spring Season

2011-05-03T17:49:07+00:00

Mother Nature has been kind to Crystal this spring, with an incredible amount of snow! Over 10 feet in March and another 4-5’ in April so conditions are awesome!

Of course, sun is nice to have too—and we’ve been blessed with sunshine for the past couple of weekends. Check out our photos from May 1. We have to admit that we were having so much fun skiing that we had to remember to stop and take photos, but we think you’ll get the idea.

Crystal will be open on selected days for skiing at least until June 12, and possibly longer.

Not a skier? Take a scenic Mt. Rainier Gondola ride to the top of the world—on selected days now, or every day this summer starting June 17.

Click here to check out Crystal’s spring skiing schedule.

Then grab your sunscreen and come on up!

An Email That Blew Us Away!

2011-04-13T19:06:22+00:00

Every once in a while, we get something that blows us away. That’s what happened today.

Thank you, Jack, for your kind words and for giving us permission to share this. You have no idea how much this means to us.

“I often speak of my visit to Alta Crystal Resort though it has been well over a year. I was re-activated by the Army in June 2009 for another tour to Iraq and was training at Fort Lewis. We had a few days to ourselves and one thing I desperately needed to do was get away from the rest of the unit. Though I had only been assigned to the unit for a couple of months I knew right away it was going to be a long year.

So these few days of September I was to have to myself had become very important to me. From the… Continue Reading

March roars in like a lion!

2011-03-02T18:23:37+00:00

Oh my goodness! We’ve always told people that our best snow is in March and April, and I guess the universe really decided to deliver this year. We woke up March 1 to the most incredible winter wonderland ever!

Snow, snow, snow everywhere. More than 2 feet fell overnight, and probably another foot or so during the day. And it is the wonderful, white fluffy stuff!

Everyone came back from skiing with huge smiles on their faces and those who know Crystal said it was probably their best day ever! And the forecast calls for more snow every day in the foreseeable future.

Seriously, this is a great time of year to ski! March is the busiest month at practically every ski resort across the country, so it amazes us that so many people hang up their skis for the season this time of year. You OWE it to yourself… Continue Reading

Apres Ski at the Summit House

2011-02-02T07:07:36+00:00

What a incredible experience! Everyone should experience apres ski at the Summit House at least once in their lives—and we plan to go back again and again.

Last Sunday, we decided to take a break from work in the afternoon and ski a few runs. The weather forecasters had predicted snow in the morning, followed by sun in the afternoon, but it snowed pretty much all day (sweet!). Even though we just had a few hours, we got a lot of exercise, skiing top to bottom runs. In fact, we were having so much fun that we caught the last gondola up for skiing at 3:25 p.m.

When we got back down to the bottom around 4 p.m., we looked at the gondola still running so we dumped our skis and gear and hopped back on so that we could try apres ski at the Summit House for the first… Continue Reading

We love the new Mt. Rainier Gondola!!!

2011-01-16T07:28:01+00:00

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, etc. while doing so.

So the gondola’s pretty cool for skiers and riders—but perhaps the coolest thing is that non-skiers (or less experienced skiers and riders) can now experience one of the best views of Mt. Rainier anywhere! The view as you reach the top plaza is pretty amazing. … Continue Reading

IT’S SNOWING AT CRYSTAL!!!

2010-10-25T20:38:39+00:00

All the rain that’s falling in the lowlands is falling as snow at Crystal, and it’s starting to look like a winter wonderland! Time to wax your skis and boards, and start doing those lunges!

There’s so much happening at Crystal for this winter. The new 8-passenger gondola is on schedule, and it’s going to be really cool! Skiers and boarders will love being able to bypass mid-mountain lines and get to the top faster, but one of the best things about the new gondola (in our opinion) is the fact that non-skiers will be able to enjoy Crystal’s winter wonderland as well. (In the past, foot passengers could not go to Crystal’s summit in the winter.)

The scenic ride itself can be enough, or you can enjoy lunch at the Summit House Restaurant every day. On weekends, ride the gondola for sunset drinks and hors d’oeuvres, or have dinner… Continue Reading

Hike the Noble Knob Trail now for huckleberries

2010-09-15T20:08:41+00:00

We love the Noble Knob trail, and hike it several times each year. The views of Mt. Rainier are glorious any time of year. The wildflowers are incredible in the summer. And now (in September) the huckleberries are everywhere.

You can actually hike to Noble Knob from Alta Crystal Resort, It’s about 4 miles each way. The first 3 1/2 miles is forested (with some great spots for views of the White River Valley). At about 3 1/2 miles, you come to a clearing with an incredible view of the mountain! Breathtaking.

At this point, the trail gets steep for about a 1/2 mile, when you’ll come to an intersection where you’ll see a sign for Noble Knob (to the left). Noble Knob is a big granite “knob” (for lack of a better word), and a fabulous destination spot! It’s actually the site of a former fire lookout, and if… Continue Reading

June Waterfall Hikes

2010-05-06T19:37:06+00:00

Waterfall lovers everywhere—rejoice! This is your time of year!

We’ve been spending many weeks already exploring trails we haven’t walked since the fall.

The waterfalls, in particular, are pretty wonderful right now! Right behind Alta Crystal Resort (a whopping 10-minute walk), you can check out Deep Creek Falls, a gorgeous 15-foot waterfall. Along the way, you’ll probably take picture after picture of Deep Creek since it literally looks like someone must have planned it to be so beautiful.

You can also hike 3 miles roundtrip to Goat Falls. This hike is listed in The Mountaineers’ Book, “Best Hikes With Kids” and it deserves its kudos! Click here for photos and a detailed description in another blog article. Skookum Falls and Snoquera Falls are also running in full snow melt glory! You can actually get some incredible pictures of Skookum Falls from the viewpoint on Highway 410. An absolutely gorgeous… Continue Reading

Easter Sunrise Service 2010

2010-04-13T05:19:30+00:00

Easter has to be one of our favorite weekends of this year, and 2010 was no exception!

On Friday night, we kicked off the weekend with a cupcake decorating and crafts party. Lots of Easter cupcakes, lots of decorations and all sorts of springtime crafts. We even showed the classic, “It’s The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown”.

On Saturday afternoon, after skiing, we hosted our annual Easter egg hunt with prizes for everyone. Some years we’ve had snow and some years we haven’t, but it’s always been fun! After dinner, we had our 13th annual Easter bonfire, complete with s’mores, hot chocolate, beer & wine—and Peeps to roast, of course.

Sunday morning brought Crystal’s Easter Sunrise Service. This is one of those things you ought to do at least once in your life. Trust us—it’s one of those experiences you will be talking about in your 80’s. It is just so… Continue Reading

Snowshoe Tour At Crystal Mountain

2010-01-28T23:56:35+00:00

We’ve been absent from our blog for a while (having too much fun doing outside things, you know!). But we finally went on Crystal Mountain’s Alpine Wilderness Snowshoe tour a couple of weeks ago, and we wanted to let you know just how wonderful it was!

We first did this tour almost 2 years ago when Crystal was testing the idea with employees and locals. We meant to sign up all last winter, but kept forgetting until it was too late. Our friend, Tena, convinced us to actually schedule it in advance this time (!) and so 4 of us went on January 16.

The first easy step was an easy snowshoe up to the Quicksilver lift for the start of our adventure. After a 15-minute lift ride, we all gathered for our adventure into the South Backcountry. In all, there were 26 of us intrepid adventurers, plus 3 Crystal… Continue Reading

Ski & Stay Package Deals 2012-2013 Winter Season

2010-01-02T02:44:13+00:00

Our most popular package is our 2-night/1-day package but we realize that one size doesn’t fit all. To help you plan, this page outlines some other options. Don’t see what you need? Call us at 1-800-277-6475.

The only package we pre-sell is our 2-night/1-day package, but all other package upgrades can be purchased during your stay. That way you don’t get stuck with tickets you don’t use, and you’ll have maximum flexibility!

All packages include Crystal Mountain Lifts+Gondola tickets (normal value $74)
Kids 10 & under ski for $5 every day, including the Gondola.
Packages are not available during holiday periods, Please visit our specials page for specific validity and blackout dates by season.

One Bedroom Suite: Up to 2 adults with 2 children under 12
Loft Suite: Up to 4 adults with 2 children under 12
Honeymoon Cabin 2 adults only (no children)

REGULAR… Continue Reading

White River Trail from Alta Crystal Resort

2009-10-14T01:23:33+00:00

This is a great year-round trail for hiking, biking, horseback riding, trail running—and, in the winter, we snowshoe here too!

We decided to take the dogs on a quick walk last Sunday afternoon. It was a gorgeous Fall day with clear blue skies and cool temperatures—plus the Fall colors are nearing their peak and we wanted to take some pictures.

The intersection with the White River Trail is just about a 5-minute walk from Alta Crystal Resort. All you have to do is cross the foot bridge over Deep Creek and follow the trail where it says “Horse Traffic”. The trail meanders along the ridge line, and trail runners like it because it’s mostly flat and you can go forever! Part of the trail parallels Highway 410 so you’ll occasionally see cars, but it usually feels incredibly peaceful with mainly trees for company.

The first thing of note… Continue Reading

Dege Peak Hike in Mt. Rainier National Park

2009-09-28T07:27:42+00:00

This is an incredible hike—and we managed to go on the perfect fall day. We must be doing something right!

We have a group of German exchange students who stay with us every other year. They are from Gustrov, near the Baltic Sea, and their sister school is in Yakima. We absolutely love having them stay with us, and have gotten to be friends with their leader and chaperone.

We’ve gone hiking with them many other times, but this was the first time they’ve come early enough in the year for us to go hiking at Sunrise—and it was incredible.

We started off our “tour” with a stop at the Mt. Rainier’s White River Campground so we could take them down to the White River and the site of the 2006 November flood that re-routed the river and destroyed the Glacier Basin trail. We got to walk across the… Continue Reading

Naches Peak Loop Trail in Mt. Rainier National Park

2009-09-28T01:29:04+00:00

August 19, 2009.
We’ve always loved this trail, so even though it was late in the afternoon, we decided to go for it. It was our 15th wedding anniversary, and we thought it was only fitting that we do one of our favorite trails. And, as it turned out, it was a wonderful time to day to go!

We like to start the trail on the Wenatchee National Forest side and hike it clockwise to that we get wonderful views of Mt. Rainier for its last half. To get to this starting point, just follow Highway 410 East until you go under the overpass that says Wenatchee National Forest. There’s a parking area just about 50 yards further on the right. Park there, and then walk back to the start of the trail. (If you’re facing the overpass, the trail starts off to the left.)

We had heard from… Continue Reading

SHEEP LAKE

2009-07-15T22:23:32+00:00

A great hike from Chinook Pass, with early season wildflowers.

It was just a few weeks ago that this trail was covered in snow, but it’s now melted out and the wildflowers are gorgeous!

The trail itself starts from Chinook Pass in Mt. Rainier National Park. Actually, you’ll follow Highway 410 under the overpass that signifies you’re leaving the Park,. and then park in the lot on the left side of the road. At the far end of the parking lot (past the toilets), there’s a small sign that says PCNST (for Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail) which marks the start of the trail. In the middle of the parking lot, there’s also a really nice map and interpretive sign that explains the area.

The Sheep Lake trail parallels the highway for the first 1/2 mile or so. The slopes are very exposed, so the early season wildflowers are… Continue Reading

GOAT FALLS

2009-07-13T07:40:14+00:00

A kid-friendly, adult-friendly and dog-friendly hike near Crystal Mountain and Mt. Rainier.

Saturday, July 11th, was a hot day—even in the mountains—so we decided it would be fun to take a hike next to water. The Goat Falls hike has always been one of our favorites, but it’s been largely impassable this spring due to all the trees that fell over the winter. But we had heard from several cabin owners that the trail was clear so we decided to check it out for ourselves, and to take our two dogs. They thought this was a wonderful idea, as you’ll see from these photos.

Goat Falls is an easy 3-mile roundtrip hike from Alta Crystal Resort. It’s listed in The Mountaineers’ “Best Hikes With Kids” and it deserves its listing. This wonderful forest hike meanders past old forest service cabins to a 20-foot year-round waterfall with some great wading spots… Continue Reading

Shadow Lake & Burroughs Mountain

2009-06-29T21:39:14+00:00

A wonderful hike in Mt. Rainier National Park.

Sunrise is now open! The road to the very top opened on Friday, June 26 and the hiking is just marvelous.

We drove up there first thing on Friday so we could scope it out for our guests, and then went hiking with our friends Tena, Yvonne and Eric yesterday. It was a beautiful, clear, warm, sunny day and the hiking could not have been more perfect.

The views of Mt. Rainier from the parking lot are just amazing, so even if you don’t have much time for hiking, it’s still worth the drive. We started off on the Emmons Vista trail—perfect views and we ran into some of our guests with a 2 and 6 year old, so the trail is really easy. Great photo ops!

We then took the trail up to Shadow Lake. There’s still a little bit of… Continue Reading

GREENWATER LAKES HIKE

2009-06-10T17:14:19+00:00

This has always been one of our favorite hikes, and it’s now hikable again! A lot of trees fell last winter, but volunteers have cleared the trail and it’s good to go.

The trailhead is an easy 20-minute drive from here up a paved (!) Forest Service road (FS 70). The hike is great for all ages and we’ve had guests as young as 3 go on it. The first lake is just 1 1/2 miles each way, and the upper lake is a 1/2 mile further each way.

The first part of the trail goes through the forest and is nice and flat. You’ll then start to wind back and forth across the Greenwater River and cross a series of log bridges. Make sure to look at the huge cliffs across the way! You’re rewarded with two beautiful lakes surrounded by peaks. We especially love to take a… Continue Reading