Crystal Mountain Uphill Travel

Now that Crystal Mountain is open we ask that everyone adheres to our uphill travel policy. You can find the link on our website here.

Here it is in a nutshell: when we are not doing avalanche control anywhere in the ski area we allow uphill travel on designated runs. Those runs may change slightly based on our crowds and conditions. Everyone skinning up within our ski area boundary must check in with the patrol every day (one per group is okay) in order to find out the approved route.

The Mine to Market Road (the cat track that heads to the Gold Hills Cabins) is outside of our ski area boundary and always open to uphill travel. Also, we can no longer allow uphill travel in Southback now that we are open for the season. This is an area where we do avalanche control, and any uphill travel is strictly prohibited.

We've noticed a skin track in the Exit Chute and some posts on social media of skiers in this area. If this continues we will have to restrict all uphill travel within our ski area boundary at all times. Don't be the guy/gal that ruins it for everybody. Just to clarify: it's okay to travel into the part of Silver Basin that's not in our ski area boundary, but not okay to skin/hike into Southback, which extends from the top of the Throne to the Three Way Exit Chute.

Feel free to stop in and ask questions at the patrol station near the bottom of the gondola. We also have a snow safety board with recent pits and forecasts.

Question: I was touring outside the permit boundary a few weeks ago (1st day the lifts were spinning actually) My party checked in with Ski Patrol in the morning.

When we stopped by the ski patrol office at 3:45pm I discovered that the Crystal Ski Patrol had tried calling my and my ski partner's cell phones several (20?) minutes earlier. Since the phones were in airplane mode to conserve battery, we didn't answer. Crystal Ski Patrol then called my emergency contact -- which freaked her out.

So I'm wondering if calling the cell numbers of backcountry parties is now something that is part of Crystal's "sweep" procedure?

So no uphill travel within south Back? No more Throne/King/Threeway access? What a shame.

BTW, funny (not) that the marketing department uses those photos on Facebook as promotional material.

Crystal Patrol - I think it would be very helpful if you post a USGS topo map (1:24,000 scale with the line drawn on it) on your website in addition to the FatMap screen shot. Your description of Southback vs. Silver Basin is good, but it would be even better if it was accompanied by a topo. A lot of folks have a hard time placing local names and runs once they get in the terrain (especially in bad vis, or if they're new to the area) and I'm sure they would appreciate a real map plus the aerial shot. Thanks!

Here's what I believe patrol is saying