We and those of you who joined us at Crystal, saw a solid snow year with good conditions the majority of the time. There were some less than great weather stretches, and as usual some really great days–I count a couple of days this season as among the best ski days ever. At the end of the day, that’s the definition of a normal ski season. And it’s not over. This past week offered sun and dry snow, an amazing rare combo that gave us eye problems…..we couldn’t see ourselves being in the office.

I hope that you also got a chance to experience our extensive new snowmaking system. It truly is a game changer in this region. It allows Crystal to ensure consistent early season conditions as well as make sure we keep operating in those difficult seasons that naturally occur every so often. If you don’t think this is an important consideration, just wait a few seasons.

When it comes to deciding where to buy a season pass, please consider our snow and snowmaking, our lift operations with the most modern lift system in the region, the fact that our lifts have opened EARLY, not just on time, every single day for 273 consecutive days. That’s every day last season and every day so far this season. Consider our parking guarantee and the fact that Crystal Mountain does not have the ability to park a larger crowd than its lifts and other services can handle. Our high speed six person chairlifts are difference makers.

Operating a ski mountain in this day and age always involves increasing costs. If a ski resort is ignoring that, it’s not sustainable. To that end, we have increased pass prices a modest amount. The pressure goes on us to deliver.

This summer we will again extend the snowmaking up the lower faces of Deer Fly and Lower Ferk’s (aka Lower Bull Run). This is a continuation of our snowmaking push that will result in good, consistent, top to bottom groomers that show off the full free falling vertical drop that Crystal has to offer. Continuous upgrades are in the future as they have been in the past 21 seasons that we have had the privilege of hosting skiers and snowboarders. A second gondola from the base to Campbell Basin, expanded night skiing on Forest Queen and other additions are now on the horizon.

As the Owner and General Manager of this amazing ski resort, on behalf of our over 500 staff and managers, I want to thank you all for your support this season.

It has been our pleasure to play host to your ski time in this huge winter playground and we hope you join us again next winter.  But the season isn’t over yet, we’re open daily until April 22nd so we hope to see you up here before we switch over to summer.

Sincerely,
John Kircher
Owner & General Manager

“If you don’t do it this year you’ll just be one year older when you do”—-Warren Miller