Crystal Mountain

No big surprise here, the village at the base of the slopes is simple, basic, but good enough, with affordable places to sleep and eat in to suit all tastes and pockets. Village truly is the right word to use though, accommodation and food options are limited!

Like any well thought-out resort, Crystal Mt offers a couple of food options on the mountain where you can grab a quick lunch or a snack. The two canteen-style lodges have pretty similar menus, serving burgers, sandwiches, fries and rice bowls. The Cascade Lodge has 4 different dining areas and the Campbell Basin Lodge just one. The exception is The Summit House Restaurant – Washington’s highest elevation restaurant - right at the top of the Mt Rainier Gondola. The full-service restaurant overlooks Mt Rainier itself (on a clear day you can even see Mt St. Helens) offering truffle fries, bison chilli, braised shortrib and fancy burgers, all at 6,872ft.

 

 

After 7pm in the evening, the food options are limited to 3. The Snorting Elk Deli, dishing out sandwiches and salads, or pub-style The Snorting Elk Cellar, offering burgers, pizza and nachos. For a full-dining experience, The Alpine Inn Restaurant, is where you’ll want to go; serving pasta, steak, stews and schnitzel and a good selection of cocktails and local wines. The Alpine Inn also offers a hot buffet breakfast from 7am to set you up for a big day on the mountain in a charming European-style lodge.

 

Before 7pm you can still grab food (limited “late-night” menu) from the Bullwheel Bar in the Cascade Lodge at the base of the mountain. This closing time depends on how busy they are though, so don’t rely on it!

Right at the base of the mountain, The Quicksilver Lodge is less than 5 minutes walk to the Mt Rainer Gondola, ticket office, rentals and snowsports school. The Lodge also offers a ski locker, wifi, parking and you can also include a buffet breakfast at the neighbouring Alpine Inn. All of the accommodations with Crystal Hotels (www.crystalhotels.com) offer rooms for 1-6 people, all en-suite and each with its own TV, mini fridge and coffee maker. There is also a very cosy communal lounge for relaxing in the evenings.

 

 

If there’s no availability at Crystal Hotels, your next bet is lodging in Greenwater (30 minute drive), Enumclaw (50 minute drive), or one of the campgrounds along the way.

The main hangout for booze is the Snorting Elk Cellar. With reasonably priced food, a good selection of draught beers (18 rotating taps) and weekly theme parties (or the occasional quiz night) you can’t go too wrong. Don’t expect to come to Crystal for the nightlife or to pick up though, this is as happening as it gets!