Crystal Mountain closing = BS Email Boyne Inc.

It is pretty sad that we closed today with waist deep snow in certain area but on the good side I have spoken with a very reliable source who has worked with Crystal for years and here is the scoop Summer sking will happen this year with a opening date of June 30th and it will end sometime in August they are keeping hush hush about it but I thought I would let everyone know about the good news

Crystal had a decent year for snow, but it was nowhere near good enough to keep skiing alive in August. Even July would be pushing it. Chinook Pass gets far more snow then Crystal Mtn and it starts to get thin in July.

White Pass at least does it right. When things start to slow down they will close the unnecessary lifts and run just the quad. Minimize cost but they keep things going as long as they can for their customers and they are always among the last resorts to close their doors. Stevens is usually one of the first to call it quits almost always with Crystal. I find it interesting that the two most expensive resorts in WA are also the first to close their lifts. Nice for those season pass holders that pay through the nose and now can't utilize their pass.

Well Cardog, thanks for the Greek lesson but I think you don't understand even if you are a lawyer.( A proffesion where "fairness" is so important I think)

As Mr.Oker said, If you don't like Crystal's policy then vote with your wallet. Stop paying and going and if a lot of people do the same thing until it effects their bottom line then it will cause them to change. That's how the capitalist system works.
As Homer Simson says" capitalism is the perfect democracy."( thought I'd return the lecture) :

As to season pass holders that's a risk assessment issue. People buy them because they calculate that they are going to save money on paying daily fees. The resort gets up front cash but may get less money if the person goes a lot in a good snow year.
However, I will concede that getting stiffed 100% on last year's season pass was IMO not good business. >

per Scotsman

but may get less money if the person goes a lot in a good snow year

I'm not sure how they get less if a person goes a lot.  The lifts are running, its simply an issues of how many butts are in the seats.  Crystal does stand to gain $$ w/ the other concessions that likely get used/consumed....beers on the patio in the spring months I would expect to be quite profitable

my2

Contained below is Boyne Inc.s non-respone to my email to them re: the issue of their closing date, and my respone and challange to them regarding a substantive response. It will be interesting to see if they respond at all, and if so does their response substantivly deal w/ the issue at hand. At the very least this has become an interesting case study in corporate interaction and responsiveness, or lack thereof, to a legitimate question from their consumer base. As I point out in my response, if Boyne Inc. can offer a compelling reason for Crystal to close prior to many other WA and OR ski areas I will post it here and give it the merit it deserves.

BOYNE INC.'S RESPONSE TO MY EMAIL RE: CRYSTAL'S CLOSING DATE

Crystal Mountain Executive Office <mainoffice@skicrystal.com> wrote:
Dear Dan,

We opened a month earlier than normal this season (November 4th ) and we stayed open continuously until April 16th for a total of 164 days of operation, well above the average season length of 121 days. Wow! I think most pass holders know that they got more than their money’s worth this year.

It’s too bad that you didn’t get to ski much this winter. It was one of the best winters ever at Crystal. Maybe a season pass is not for you? The season pass is designed for the person who is committed to skiing a lot (over 10 times for earlybird midweek pass, 19 times for earlybird unlimited pass). If you ski more than that, a season pass will work out great for you. If you find that you don’t actually ski enough to break even then you’ll come out ahead economically by purchasing daily tickets instead of a season pass.

You’re welcome to come up to Crystal this spring with your backcountry ski gear and continue to enjoy the mountains as the snow melts away, but be aware that there is no avalanche control being done. Be safe, go with a buddy, be aware of snow and weather conditions, take the survival essentials, know basic first aid and be sure to let someone know where you’re headed and when to expect you back.

Have a great summer, take care and we’ll see you next year.

MY RESPONSE AND CHALLENGE TO BOYNE INC.

Wow, yourself! Please address the issues I raised. The "worth" of the pass is relative to the cover during any given year. Wow, its contextual!

I did the math, as it were, prior to buying your pass. I exceeded the threshold number of days skied necessary for me to realize an economic benefit. Wow!
So far as pass holder's knowledge "that they got their money's worth this year," you might want to reconsider that assumption. According to the thread I began on "Turns All Year: Year Round Backcountry Skiing," www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboardi...dex.php?topic=4489.0

there are plenty of skiers who understand both economics, and basic fairness and equity. Furthermore, they are aware that other ski areas in WA treat their clientele differently than does Crystal/Boyne Inc., and I belive a reasonable person reading those posts would detect more than a little consternation with Boyne Inc. We, collectively, are aware of the economics which inform a ski area's decision regarding their closing date. The underlying question implicit in the debate is Boyne Inc.'s attitude toward their target market's reaction to such decision against the background of other WA ski areas remaining open. That is the issue.

The question then becomes Is Boyne Inc. aware of the reactions of the skier's - upon whome Crystal relys to remain profitable, so as to continue to contribute to Boyne Inc.'s interests as a successful corporate entity - who experienced an aweful season last year, to the decision to close prior to other WA ski areas in a year with a superior snowpack, and if so do they care?

I love skiing Crystal Mountain. I have had nothing but positive experiences with all the many Crystal employees I have interacted with. Ultimately, however, I believe that Boyne Inc. made an ill-advised decision to close the hill when other WA ski areas remained open completely, or at least for weekend skiing throughout the month of April. It is said that "all politics are local." Similarly, all decisions - regardless of where the decision making body resides - are "local." It is my opinion that the "local" effect of Boyne Inc.'s decision to close Crystal Mountain, while other WA ski areas remained open, was less than politically astute as well as economically questionable when considering the potential of generating significant ill-will among their market share.
If someone within Boyne Inc. is able and willing to provide me with a sincere attempt - as opposed to that included below - at an analytically defensible argument distinguishing Crystal Mountain's position relative to the other WA ski areas remaining open beyond Crystal's closing date I will be glad to forward and post it on the above referenced website, as I intend to post your non-response to my initial email there.
Sincerely, Dan

Scotsman,
I'm sincerely glad we both share an appreciation for the wisdom of Homer Simson. In my opinion Homer ranks right up there w/ the late, great Dr. : Hunter S Thompson. Furthermore, I'll concede your point re: fairness and the legal profession. I do, however, remain of the opinion that Boyne Inc. takes us, the skiers, and our loyalty, for granted. Please take a peek at Boyne Inc.s "response" to my email. I believe it proves my point. It is written as if to a slow ten-year-old. It conviently dodges the issue, and serves as a fair model for ascertaining Boyne Inc.'s lack of respect for the very people who allow them to remain in business. I agree that any consumer can, and arguably should, vote with their feet and thereby their wallet. The Northwest has a long and proud tradition of organizing behind issues. I'd like to see if some small group of interested parties can, collectively, get Boyne Inc. to respond to us as intelligent, adult, consumers, upon whom they rely for their continued existence.
Thanks for your good humor and your time taken to respond. That's why we're all here and why our founding fathers risked thier necks in the face of tyranny. Jefferson's Monticello would have made a decent ski area if blessed with WA snow.
Dan

If people want to get excited about the normal closing date. That's cool, but it's not my bag.
Steven's Pass should be under the same interrogation light as Crystal this is the closest comparison.
Baker-Alpental-White Pass Normally stay open later than Crystal, so Steven's is the closest case study to support your cause.

It would be convienient if Crystal were open at least on the weekends on a limited schedule.
But honestly, I could care less. it's been a long season. I figured if I purchased tickets that I would have spent well over $4500 this season at Crystal. My pass was down to about $8 a day for the price I paid.
It's time to do more hiking and less riding lifts.
I don't feel that I am owed anything by Crystal even if last year was a wash.

It is good to see someone passionate about a cause.
I encourage Dan to get more people to support his boycott, this offers more powder for the hoodwinked few that don't know they are being taken.

Joe