Images provided by: Caitlin Habenicht, Rhyan McLaury, and Alex Wilson

Written by: Caitlin Habenicht

Edited by: Ben Bertsch

12/30

The Legend Is Officially Back

Shot by Rhyan McLaury

On December 21, the ol’ legend rolled back into place. Rainier Express, aka REX, is officially back from summer retirement, and the celebration started long before first chair; it began the moment we shared the news. What followed was something special: stories poured in, old photos resurfaced, and the community connected over their numerous memories. It was a sign of how much a chairlift meant to the community for so many the years, and how the new chair holds the same.

On opening morning, early risers clicked in, skied Chinook to secure their spot in line, and chased the first ride. A few lucky folks at the front received limited-edition REX merch, small tokens for a big moment.

Now, with REX set for decades of turns ahead, we’re feeling nothing but gratitude. To the crews who brought this project to life, especially our partners at LeitnerPoma, and to everyone who shared in the excitement along the way, we can’t thank you enough. Cheers to the community and, of course, REX.

12/5

On December 3rd, after months of preparation, we put REX to the ultimate test. With 87 chairs spinning and 30,657 pounds of water loaded onto the line, Rainier Express underwent its full-capacity load test. From 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Leitner-Poma engineers, Crystal’s lift maintenance team, and representatives from the U.S. Forest Service monitored every detail.

After hours of torque checks, brake tests, and system diagnostics, the load test was officially complete.

• 8,274 feet of cable.
• 30,657 pounds of weight.
• 87 chairs.
• 100 percent capacity.

There is something special about watching a legacy machine take its first run after a rebuild. The smiles that appear when the wheels begin to hum, the visions of skiers and snowboarders filling the chairs, and the sight of a smoother, steadier line make every hour worthwhile. The labor of love truly paid off.

And of course, we had to celebrate the team. After the long load test, everyone came together to recognize the work that brought REX back, and we thank Leitner-Poma for the beautiful plaque commemorating Rainier Express. Cheers to all of you.

So here’s to REX, a symbol of generations and a cornerstone of our mountain, now rebuilt for the future. Thank you for following along on this journey with us. Stay tuned for the ribbon-cutting and, of course, a ride to the summit, coming soon.

11/20

Diesel motors are installed in the base terminal, and the crew has spent the last few days assembling and loading chairs. Fresh snow dusted the mountain from top to bottom, making for a much nicer workspace, “snow over rain,” as one Poma crew member put it.

The finish line is in sight. More updates coming soon.

11/11

Yet another major milestone. The haul rope (a thick steel cable that carries the lift’s chairs up and down the mountain) is now fully installed, connecting the top and bottom terminals. With this critical step complete, the backbone of the lift is officially in place.   

Next up: attach the chairs, install the diesel motors, and finish the terminal work before testing!  

REX is getting close, and we couldn’t be more excited to see it spin. Stay tuned for more updates as progress continues. 

10/27 Base Terminal Secured

This weekend, the Leitner-Poma and Crystal Mountain crews secured the base terminal in one day. Despite working through another major snowfall, these teams moved machinery and parts up the mountain to complete the build on time.   

With all towers and the base terminal in place, we can officially move to the next phase. Momentum is strong, and we’re excited to welcome the electricians next week as the project continues to advance every day.  

10/14: Towers Installed

Mother Nature was on our side. Under bluebird skies and with 5–10 inches of fresh snow blanketing the mountain, the crew couldn’t have asked for better conditions. The day was as memorable as it was productive. 

A huge shoutout to our pilot from Timberline Helicopters, Adam, whose precision and skill in the air were nothing short of phenomenal. While we’ve flown with “The Lorax” in the past, today “Thing 2” took to the skies and delivered a hats-off performance for the final fly day of the 2025 Rainier Express build. 

09/10: Top Terminal in Place!

The top terminal for Rainier Express is officially in place and looks quite sharp in its classic Forest Service green. Installing this beast of a terminal was no small job. In fact, it’s one of the heaviest pieces of equipment Crystal Mountain has ever hauled to the summit.

With the top terminal now secured, the focus has shifted to the bottom terminal and the completion of the remaining build. Stay tuned for the next phase, which includes tower installations, followed by haul rope, chair, and electrical installations.

08/20: Making Way for the Towers!

We had a gloomy day on the mountain, with the wind whipping, which was surely a challenge. The weather on the previous fly days was phenomenal, but, as we all know, mountain weather is unpredictable. Thank you to our friends at Timberline Helicopters and Leitner-Poma for another smooth day of pouring concrete. We’re now ready to make way for the towers!

Shot by: Caitlin Habenicht

07/17: The First Round of Concrete Has Flown In!

Thank you to the Crystal Mountain Trail Crew, Leitner-Poma, and Timberline Helicopters. In an estimated 100 picks, the crews moved over 480,000 pounds of concrete. Nearly all forms have their concrete in place, and our teams are readying the site to fly in the steel! Stay tuned.

Shot by: Caitlin Habenicht

06/28: Forms Are Moving Right Along!

The Leitner-Poma team has finished the formwork for the base terminal, and mixing + pouring concrete is slated to start within the next few weeks. A spider excavator is headed down the face for the next handful of days; progress will be shared soon!

Shot by: Rhyan McLaury

06/17: First Fly Day in the Books!

Thanks to the collaboration between Crystal Mountain and Leitner-Poma, all Rainier Express towers, crossarms, and sheave assemblies were removed in under three hours.

Our crews were boots on the ground starting at 6:00 a.m. and finished ahead of schedule. A huge shoutout to our pilot, Adam, who moved smoothly through the air.

Thirty-one picks and nearly 100,000 pounds later, REX is officially retired.

Formwork is now underway, and concrete pours are scheduled to begin in the coming weeks. Stay tuned, folks.