Behind the Scenes: How Crystal Mountain Gets Ready for Winter

Meet the crews who put in the work long before the first chair spins.

Written by: Caitlin Habenicht
Photos by: Caitlin Habenicht
Edited by: Ben Bertsch and Ryan Williams

It’s that time of year. As winter creeps closer, we’re dialing things in. From here on out, we’re on Mother Nature’s timeline.

So, what happens before the snow stacks up?

A lot.

Join me between now and opening day as I go behind the scenes with the operational teams that make Crystal run. I’ll document the fine-tuning, the people, and the preparation that happen long before opening day.

Stay tuned. I’ll share updates here as I visit each team.

10/25 Update: Trail Crew

Trail Crew is about as behind-the-scenes as it gets. You might not see them often, but when the saws start roaring, you’ll know they’re there.

As Trail Crew wrapped up winter prep this week, I headed out in the morning to catch up with them and see the action firsthand. Our first stop? The Fireworks platform, where preparations for our annual New Year’s Eve celebration are already underway.

JP spreads hay on and around the platform using a loader. Incredibly effective, honestly.

The team has been busy grading the area to make it stable for fireworks, then laying hay across the freshly disturbed ground. The hay helps prevent erosion, retain moisture, and shade newly planted grass seed so it can germinate.

Megs and Tyler disperse the hay. 

Elsewhere on the mountain, the crew has been busy with routine thinning and fuel reducing in Northway, Exterminator, and Lewis Lane. Down on Lower Arwines, revegetation and dirt-work projects have kept the team busy, helping restore disturbed areas and maintain the mountain landscape.

10/22 Update: Tune Shop

On October 22, I visited the Tune Shop to catch up with Carson, Mitch, and Tyler, Crystal Mountain’s Tune Shop crew. The topic of conversation? The brand-new demo fleet that just rolled in.

Let me tell ya, it’s good.

With over 200 fresh skis and snowboards in the shop, there’s plenty to get excited about as we head into winter.

We spent the afternoon talking all things gear, what makes a solid demo fleet, and the work that goes into getting everything ready, all while the crew dialed in a few new pairs that had just arrived.

At Crystal, a good demo fleet isn’t one-size-fits-all. We pair it carefully with our terrain, conditions, and skiers and riders. The rentals team has approachable setups for newcomers and hard-charging skis and boards for those who want to challenge themselves.

10/09 Update: Lift Maintenance, Getting Your Lifts Ready for Winter

As recently as last week, I had the pleasure of seeing Line Maintenance at line work. By “line work,” I mean I stood more than 50 feet in the air, harnessed to Tower 14 of the Mt. Rainier Gondola, and watched in awe.

With shaky legs and a pit in my stomach, all I could think was, “Oh my gosh.” The experience gave me a whole new appreciation for the hard work and grit that go into lift maintenance.

Seeing the crew scale towers in their safety gear is no joke. That gear isn’t lightweight, either. After climbing down, I admit, I was sore. It was a reminder that it’s time to get in shape for ski season.

This team assesses the haul rope and grips. Every summer, they treat each lift like it’s brand new.

What does that mean? Lift Maintenance assesses everything: screws, nuts, bolts, metal, engines, speed, chairs. You name it, they check it.

With a deep commitment to guest safety, this is a massive project for the team year after year. I couldn’t have been happier to capture it.

Splicing REX

Along with the Mt. Rainier Gondola, I tagged along with the crew working on REX. That work included splicing a haul rope, a highly technical process that requires precision, experience, and strong teamwork.

Like all new ropes, REX’s haul rope stretched after installation and its first season. Once the rope settles and goes through that initial stretch, the splice is set for many years.

10/09 Update: Vehicle Maintenance, Keeping Crystal Moving

I joined the Vehicle Maintenance team on September 16. What were they working on? Getting everyone’s favorite machines, the PistenBully snowcats, ready for winter.

The cats are only one part of what this crew keeps moving, though. Vehicle Maintenance is instrumental to operations here at Crystal. Buses, snowmobiles, trucks, loaders: if it has an engine and helps keep this mountain running, Vehicle Maintenance has its hands on it.

Yeah, there’s a lot of welding happening here. It’s a lot of work most of us never see.

The People Behind Your Mountain

Spending time with these teams shows how much work goes into winter before winter starts. When you’re riding the gondola, making laps below REX, or nailing a perfect turn on a freshly groomed run, it’s easy to forget how much preparation happens behind the scenes.

So, the saying goes: thank your liftie in line. But don’t just thank the lifties. Thank the patroller or groomer. Thank all the employees. They all matter.

Huge thanks to the Lift Maintenance and Vehicle Maintenance crews for letting me tag along, ask questions, take photos, and see a little of what it takes to get Crystal ready for winter.

And we’re just getting started.

Plan Your Winter at Crystal