Ski resort collector Boyne USA is laying the
groundwork for a massive makeover of Crystal Mountain in
Washington’s Cascade Mountains. Boyne, also the owner of Big Sky in
Montana (HCN, 3/31/97), plans to pump $40 million into the resort
to keep Seattle-area skiers from fleeing the state to visit other
resorts. Improvements include 10 new lifts, expanded parking, and
upgraded restaurant facilities. Crystal Mountain representative
Kelly Graham envisions a “world-class experience for day-use
skiers.” A local group called the Crystal Conservation Coalition
worries about the “outrageous scale” of the development plans. They
think impacts on water quality, wildlife habitat, backcountry
opportunities, and nearby Mount Rainier National Park need to be
carefully studied.
The scoping period for the
environmental impact statement that must accompany the development
is under way. Send written comments before Jan. 15, 1999, to Forest
Supervisor, Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, 21905 64th Avenue
West, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043-2278. For more information
contact Larry Donovan with the Forest Service at 425/744-3403 or
l.donovan/r6pnw_mbs@fs.fed.us.
* Stanley
Yung
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Crystal Mountain plans to grow.
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