‘Leave No Trace’ at Crystal Mountain

Keeping the Mountain Green Through Every Season

To maintain the beauty and safety of our mountain for everyone, we all must do our part to minimize the environmental impact we have when recreating outdoors. To help with this, we have partnered with the conservation non-profit, Leave No Trace, to share the basics for a sustainable visit. As we wrap up Earth Month, take a moment to consider what environmental actions you can take to make a difference every month. Whether you’re visiting in winter, spring, or summer, keep these basics in mind the next time you make your way to the mountain!

Know Before You Go

Before you head to the resort, look up the forecast and prepare for changing mountain weather. Nothing ruins a great day on the mountain like cold feet! You can check the forecast and current conditions by visiting the Mountain Report.

It is extremely important that you review avalanche reports and check in with ski patrol if you plan to travel into the back or side country. DO NOT venture out of bounds without avalanche safety education and the equipment to rescue someone who is buried. Respect all closures and only enter the backcountry at designated points.

Stick to Camping in Designated Lots

Skip the early morning commute by camping at one of the 60+ RV parking spots available in B-Lot. Reservations must be made ahead of time and are released the month before your visit. Running water is not available, so come prepared with plenty of water. If you have to use the bathroom while camping, use an RV toilet or one of the porta-potties provided in the lot.

It is hard to beat a campfire on a cold night! While wood fires are not permitted, registered campers can have propane fires in self-contained fire pits. Just make sure to stay at least 10 feet away from the forest edge to prevent a forest fire or damage to any trees. When it comes to packing up, please thoroughly check your campsite and make sure that you don’t leave anything behind, that way future campers can enjoy it as you did.

Reduce Your Waste & Trash Your Trash

Pack it in, pack it out! Take all trash, including food scraps like banana peels or apple cores, off the slopes with you. You can minimize single-use plastics by bringing a reusable water bottle or bladder and filling it up at one of the fill stations located throughout the resort.

When it comes to trashing your trash, please make sure that you pick the right can! Crystal Mountain is proud to have composting available for food scraps and resort to-go ware. For candy and snack wrappers, please place these in the Terracycle bins. Not sure whether something should be trashed, recycled, or composted? Ask, and we would be happy to help you choose the right bin.

Respect Others & Wildlife

Most importantly, keep yourself and others safe by staying in control at all times and sticking to trails that match your ability. This means traveling at a speed at which you can easily stop, especially when moving through “Slow Zones”. Doing this helps to keep our mountain fun and safe for skiers and riders of all skill levels. Additionally, if you enjoy riding with tunes, please do so with headphones to be courteous to others.

If you are lucky enough to come across wildlife next time you visit Crystal Mountain, please help to keep them healthy and safe by giving plenty of space and never feeding them. Our food is not only unhealthy for wildlife, but it can cause them to become a nuisance or even aggressive toward guests.

Following these easy Leave No Trace practices will help to make your next visit to the mountain fun, safe, and sustainable! To learn more about how you can minimize your impact the next time you are outdoors, visit www.LNT.org.

© Leave No Trace: www.LNT.org 

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