Skiing in Washington State during the winter months creates the perfect opportunity to visit the ski resort Crystal Mountain. If you are in or near Washington State, you should definitely pay a visit. With a top elevation of 7012 feet (2137m) and a vertical drop of 3100 feet (940m), Crystal Mountain sits below Mount Rainier, which has a top elevation of 14,408 feet.

There is superb snowfall on Crystal Mountain between the months of November and April, when several feet of fresh powder can be relied upon to fall due to the cold Cascade storms common to this area and this makes a visit to this excellent Washington State ski area a wonderful treat.

Mount Rainier looks down 7,000 feet to the summit of Crystal Mountain and from this vantage point Mount Rainier can be enjoyed in all its magnitude. From Crystal Mountain an expansive pasture of 2,300 acres of all manner of skiing makes for what is undeniably the largest area of skiing in Washington State.

Less advanced skiers could be forgiven for feeling some trepidation about a ski area that has 30% of its trails for advanced skiers and 57% for intermediates. Despite offering just 13% of runs for beginners and novices, Crystal Mountain does offer a generous variety of skiing for all levels and offers a longest run of 2..5 miles (4km) which is known as Northway.

With a definite bias in the distribution of trails towards the more experienced skier, lift capacity runs at 20,000 per hour. There are 2 high speed quads, 2 high speed sixes, 2 triple chairs, 4 double chairs and a surface lift for children. Despite leaning towards the more experienced skier, lessons are available and it is possible to rent skis and other equipment as required. This is also useful in the event of losses and breakages.

There is a Kids Club that is open from 8am to 4pm each day for children aged four to eleven years old. They will be well looked after while the experts in the family explore the remainder of the resort and experience the thrill of skiing the black diamond runs. The Kids Club supervises skiing on the appropriate slopes for their charges and there is also snowboarding available for children aged 7 - 11 years old. Children will learn while having fun and being supervised on the slopes while the remainder of the party can enjoy the challenging terrain that this Washington ski resort offers.

Crystal Mountain has two back country areas in addition to the main areas of the resort and they can be reached only by hiking. The back country areas form extreme terrain and therefore the ski patrol has special restrictions and rules in place. North Backcountry does have some trails which have been cut through the trees although it is predominantly covered in woodland which in places is closely packed.

The best snow fall is experienced between mid-November and mid-April and the skiing season aligns itself with mother nature as a result. Crystal Mountain has numerous venues on offer for meals, evening entertainment and lodging. For lovers of hot tubs, saunas, showers and games rooms a visit to East Peak Massage & Fitness makes sense. To enjoy a massage it is necessary to make a reservation. The Campbell Basin Lodge was built in the summer of 2004 to serve pizza and pasta, soups, burgers, Mexican food and salads.

Catering for all abilities, Crystal Mountain in Washington State undeniably offers the most to intermediate and advanced skiers. In spite of this, there are still numerous options for beginners. The most important requirement is that beginners take care not to stray onto trails that are beyond their capabilities as this area does aim to provide challenges to the more experienced skier.