Crystal Mountain closing = BS Email Boyne Inc.

Utah resorbs close in July. Have "skied out" WA skiers a shorter attention span?

Actually, everyone but Baker is closing after this weekend. Sucks, but it does make it easier to get in post-work touring! I think most of people who are motivated to ski this late in the season are AT and tele folks already (or students with little money to waste), so the resorts just don't see a profit...

Several problems or excuses are possible in regard to early ski area closures.

Our spring weather can be problematic. It is great when there is sunshine and corn, but there is a lot of cloudy, rainy weather with mushy snow. However, Whistler-Blackcomb has even more warm, wet weather than our higher ski areas but continues to open for skiiing, has good grooming, and plenty of amenities. One can usually enjoy a day skiing at Whistler, for example, even when wet and warm because of variety, grooming, and amenities. Also, Timberline operates most of the year.

Clearly, profit considerations drive closure of WA ski areas. Fewer skiers, problems retaining seasonal employees, etc., many problems or excuses. It would appear to me that there are enough skiers in WA to sustain a trickle of business if there were some skiing and some attempt to make a day at the ski area attractive (amenities, grooming, etc.). Perhaps five percent or more of WA ski area winter (large) crews are permanent and year-around, so someone is always there. It can be difficult to begin summer projects to some extent in spring, one could argue, so why not run a few lifts for a while and use the year-around employees?

My experience in the business in the now distant past included attendance of seminars etc. and interaction with the managers. From that I carried away some impressions and also wrote some papers for my BS in Business about the WA ski business. My research of the data and interactions left the impression that WA ski area management in some cases can be very inflexible, certainly not creative, not really interested or motivated as us fanatics would think about skiing, and happy to take the easy path with their fat bank account from the winter season. The data in my research (back then...) also showed the smallest investment in ski area facilities in WA when compared to any other geographic area (inclulding the southeast US!) as far as gross revenue to investment, total facilities, and some other comparisons.

In my view, since there is clearly more demand for lift-served skiing in WA than is provided, the ski area operators/ managers have it very easy in regard to reaping profits. There is the handy excuse that the USFS landowner and restrictive environmental policies prevent or hamper development at ski areas, but I see the real reason as the inflexible and dull ski area management (in some cases) who do not really have to compete or work for profits- just turn on some (usually) substandard lifts and facilities and rake in the profits. The bottom line in WA looks good- for the operators. I think that the lack of investment and amenities and even the lack of an extended season that would benefit the skier contributes directly to good profitability. Skiers here have no choice but to accept what is offered, but many go to Whistler, Utah, Idaho, Mt. Hood (extended season) etc. to get what is not offered in WA.

Those are my views, and somewhat dated data and experience.

Randonnee skiing is the answer.

* (and some trips out of state for lift skiing)

What do you expect from a guy whos father gave him a ski resort as a birthday present. We have had to deal with Kircher quite a bit this season and as far as my dealings he has always had a attitude towards his lower end employees ( Lift Ops and so on). As far as Boyne resorts go Im pretty sure he has sold Cypress and is planning on taking full ownership of Crystal (getting rid of the Boyne name). As for the lift ops they are all burned out and 90% want to get far away from that mountain. I would have to say that the difference between Whistler and Crystal is Whistler is a Ski Mecca Crystal is a Local resort and Whistler is surrounded by people Crystal is in the middle of nowhere. I know as for summer operations they will open in July for Bike riding and Dining. If summer skiing is going to start up I would bet that they will wait for 410 to open so they have a better range of customers ( Not a chance before May 15th but 123 is real close)

Its a real bummer with all this snow that Crystal has to close shop, but factors such as land lease, employees and the bottom line influence that decision. Oh well.

On a brighter note since the mountain is closing this weekend it maybe time to bring back the 3rd Annual Crystal Fest in the weekend(s) to follow.

April 18, 2004 2nd Annual Crystal "Ski Fest"

So this weekend would be the last chance to use the lifts to go hide easter eggs before the fest.

it was only a few short years ago in 02, open weekends till mid june,

Ahh I see...I was out of area that year.