Winter is here, and so are fun snow activities like skiing and snowboarding. We found a place not too far from Seattle that offers an amalgamation of adventure and rejuvenation. This alpine ski mountain is called Crystal Mountain, located in the Cascade Range. This mountain is a hub of snow activities and gets the best view of the neighboring mountains from its summit, especially Mount Rainier.
The main highlight is the Gondola that reaches the summit in merely a few minutes. No need to hike, all you need to do is hop into a Gondola and enjoy the breathtaking view on the way to the summit. We visited Crystal Mountains in April 2022 and loved our experience. We didn’t indulge in any snow activities. Instead, we enjoyed exploring cafes and the view. Here is a detailed post of our day at Crystal Mountain.
About Crystal Mountain
Crystal Mountain is an alpine ski region home to the largest ski resort in Washington State. It is a great place to spend your weekend and take those pending ski lessons. The summit is called the Silver King, which is accessible by a high-speed Gondola. Crystal Mountain is open throughout the year. During the summer, you can hike to the alpine lakes through wild meadows covered with wildflowers and indulge ski and snowboarding in the winter months.
How to reach Crystal Mountain?
Crystal Mountain is connected well with Seattle, Tacoma, and the neighborhoods and is accessible year-round from Enumclaw via Highway 410. Plus, they run a Free Winter Shuttle (from mid-November until April) from Enumclaw, which makes it easier for people dependent on public transit.
Reaching Enumclaw from Seattle
Take any bus to Auburn Transit Centre (we boarded bus 578 from 2nd Ave & Marion St to Auburn Transit Centre Bay 4) and take bus 915 to Enumclaw Expo Center. The Winter Shuttle stop is a 10-minute walk from the Expo Center, and the view is quite scenic.
Things to do at Crystal Mountain Resort for a non-skier
If you are a non-skier (like us) keen on learning these activities, we have good news for you. The Crystal resort offers regular ski and snowboarding lessons, including equipment. You can check out the pricing and details on their website. Moreover, we recommend booking the class in advance and planning your time of visit accordingly.
Alternatively, you can enjoy the Gondola rides, relish the delicious food and maybe snowshoe a bit for fun. Here are some more details about our day at Crystal Mountain.
We started our day early and reached Crystal Mountain at 10:30 am. It was truly love at first sight. We strolled around for a while, ogling at the gorgeous snow-capped peaks and small streams carving their way out of the snow.
Snorting Elk Cellar
Summit House Restaurant is the best dining place in Crystal Mountain. However, it had a long wait time, and our stomachs were literally growling. Therefore, we decided to walk around to check out other restaurants. That is when we found the Snorting Elk Cellar, an Austrian-themed ski bar running since 1965. The interiors are rustic, and the atmosphere is chill and laid back. We ordered their signature bratwurst and Irish coffee. The brat was juicy and delicious, and the Irish coffee (brandy-infused coffee) was the perfect pick-me-up drink we needed to warm ourselves.
Scenic Gondola Ride
We bought the Scenic Gondola tickets from the booth for $44 (per person). The gondola ride was thrilling, and the view kept getting scenic as we approached the summit. We highly recommend riding the fun gondola.
Silver King Summit
View this post on Instagram
The summit was covered entirely in thick snow, even in April, which made the place even more picturesque. We got a partial view of Mount Rainier playing hide-and-seek behind the clouds. However, we got a good look at the stunning Silver Queen mountain. This second-highest peak was covered in snow and shining bright under the sun. We sat here for a while, enjoying the view and feeding Canadian Jays some nuts.
We took the shuttle back to Enumclaw and hopped buses to reach Seattle. Overall, it was a fun day exploring a new mountain in the Cascade range. We highly recommend visiting this place. If you are looking for more activities in and around Seattle, here are some that we recommend.
