Winter playground

October 24, 7:15 AMSeattle Outdoor Recreaiton ExaminerH.M. Weimar

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Unloading at Crystal Mountain

One of the fondest trips I ever took with my kids was to Crystal Mountain. Located off Highway 410 in the Cascades. It's advertised as Washington’s Largest Playgroun, With guided mountain tours, alpine wildness snowshoes tours, Ski lifts, bunny slopes and plenty of room for tubing, snowboarding and just plan old fun.

There are dining areas in the lodge along with a few restaurants so there is always something that will fit your budget. I usually pack food because we are always on a slim budget and my kids eat a lot. I make sure that we have lots of water and cocoa or cider, you have to have cocoa or cider when your out in the snow. It’s like a tradition around here. If you don’t bring your own hot drinks you can find some help inside the Cascade Grill. It's the cafeteria style grill in the base area lodge. I have sat in there many hours enjoying the breath taking views and diversity of the visitors. Ask anyone in there to tell you about the Campbell Basin Lodge that they feel is the crown jewel of crystal mountain and is a little higher up than we usually go.

The Bottom of the HIll (left), Trying to Come Up (right)

I take my kids up with all their snow fun stuff and we just hang out near the parking lot and play in the deep snow. I ski and my son snowboards but we like to hang out as a family. There are buses that kids can take in most every town that is even remotely close to the mountain. For a fee the kids can take the bus, rent gear and learn to snowboard or ski. If they already know how and don't need lessons they can bring their own gear and play the whole day. You can try contacting your local parks and recreation or area schools for details, or you can contact the people up at Crystal Mountain, below is a list of information: 

Sales Office:

360.663.3030 (open during ski season only)
Multi-weeks 360.663.3034
Fax: 360.663.3001
Kids Club: 360.663.3035
Email: Snowsports School

After a Day in the Snow

You really need to take a trip up there to appreciate all they have to offer. I could tell you about all the fun we have and what we enjoy doing, like watching as one of us tries to walk back up a hill in deep snow, but you need to feel the crisp mountain air in your own lungs. You need to feel the soft powder snow under your own ski’s or board. You need to look down from the ski lift and capture the essence of the mountains with your own eyes.

If there is a place in Seattle or any area of the Pacific Northwest that you would like to share please let me know. Thank you for reading and I hope to see you soon at Crystal Mountain or any where out in the rains, or in this case, snows of Washington.