Crystal Mountain Becomes Alterra

[Buster Highmen]

Just saw this video for the first time, felt like it needed to be in this thread (maybe it already is, but I'm not going through 68 pages to look)

That's Mo Scheiblehner handing off a pitcher at the Snorting Elk. Mo ran the restaurant and bar with help from her kids while Leo took care of the infrastructure. When overnight rooms were $35 and Mo made a killer tapanade that cost $5 for dinner and filled you up.

Their kids Matt and Heidi were ripping skiers and smart kids.

https://crystalfoundersclub.com/uplo...14_corrock.pdf.

[greenmachine]

That video is legit !


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[greenmachine]

I continue to be baffled by the lack of effective management by alterra. Wouldn’t you assume a corporate takeover would improve management effectiveness. Examples - b-lot reservations were cancelled due to something involving employee housing ? Cambell lodge overrun with customers since there’s no cafeteria in base lodge . They have one ketchup container that never gets refilled ? One employee leaves register at 12:20 when there are large lines to pay? It’s not that hard …


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[californiagrown]

I continue to be baffled by the lack of effective management by alterra. Wouldn’t you assume a corporate takeover would improve management effectiveness. Examples - b-lot reservations were cancelled due to something involving employee housing ? Cambell lodge overrun with customers since there’s no cafeteria in base lodge . They have one ketchup container that never gets refilled ? One employee leaves register at 12:20 when there are large lines to pay? It’s not that hard …


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Kudos to that employee having their priorities straight.

At some point folks up here need to stop expecting resort amenities for the resort prices. The price may change to be inline wiht the UTs and COs and CAs of the world, but the culture will forever be a grungier, rougher version. From the grooming, to the toilet dungeons, to the food. Bring your own food and beer, pee in the trees, ski in the sleet on steep ungroomed gnarly terrain. But now, you also have to pay through the nose because its the only game in town and target clients have cash to burn.

[Fishskisurf]

To be expected, there'll be a lodge/food issue this year with the base renovations.
Not surprising there's staffing issues when they made employee housing another parking lot.

I make it a point now to spend as little as possible.
Used to love getting up early and having a coffee/breakfast sando in the base lodge (pre-alterra) now the program is to ski thru lunch and either elk it at end of day or head down for grub elsewhere.

I'll pass on the 2 fish sticks and lukewarm fries for $24 handed out of a shipping container.

[Stairmaster]

The new shuttles are garbage. It's like loading an airplane with all your shit.

Never gonna work on a busy day. Bring back the trucks and trailers !

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[Toadman]

The new shuttles are garbage. It's like loading an airplane with all your shit.

Never gonna work on a busy day. Bring back the trucks and trailers !

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Do you have to pay extra for checked luggage?

[Fishskisurf]

I saw multiple occasions last year while the wagons were pulling away, some buffoon would try and jump aboard the moving shuttle (in ski boots nonetheless), makes you wonder if someone got run over and sued, thus causing the switch from trailers to enclosed bus?

[Buster Highmen]

To their credit, Alterra management seems to finally have gotten the access road scene together.

[jacob_dbu]

I saw multiple occasions last year while the wagons were pulling away, some buffoon would try and jump aboard the moving shuttle (in ski boots nonetheless), makes you wonder if someone got run over and sued, thus causing the switch from trailers to enclosed bus?

Apparently, the FS or WSDOT or someone came by and told them that they can't use the open air trailers anymore because they're not legal on the roadway under the FS/WSDOT purview (can't remember which) of which Crystal Mountain Blvd techincally is. Even though it's Crystal who plows it...

[brown9]

I’m almost 2 years post ACL and other physical issues which have prevented me from skiing and I’m itching to get back on the hill. The things I miss most about skiing have clearly departed and I now need to forge into the deep wilderness with a D8 dozer and create my own rope tow circa 1920 to pioneer a new place to go have fun. What have I missed?

[Dromond]

I’m almost 2 years post ACL and other physical issues which have prevented me from skiing and I’m itching to get back on the hill. The things I miss most about skiing have clearly departed and I now need to forge into the deep wilderness with a D8 dozer and create my own rope tow circa 1920 to pioneer a new place to go have fun. What have I missed?

What do you miss about skiing? I was at xtal twice last week and it was extremely fun despite corpski shenanigans.

[Buster Highmen]

It sure would be nice if they replaced the classic National Forest Ski Area sign that's missing.

[altasnob]

Forgot to check, but did Alterra really take down the retro Crystal sign on the boulevard? Didn't fit in with their "Crystal Reimagined!" marketing bs?



While they are at it, bring back the old Crystal logo. The new one looks like it was designed by a 4th grader on their first time playing around with computer graphic design.

Old logo

[oftpiste]

I'm seeing hints on social media that JK might have died. Did he? Anyone know anything?

[PNWbrit]

I'm seeing hints on social media that JK might have died. Did he? Anyone know anything?

Yep. Yesterday after another battle with cancer.

[altasnob]

Bunion posted this about Kircher:

https://www.explorebigsky.com/a-ski-...es-at-64/47590

[The AD]

Does his widow still patrol at Crystal or did she quit when they sold to Alterra?

[Norseman]

John K seemed like a decent guy. When skiing xtal regularly, I never thought I'd miss him... but the mgmt has clearly devolved since he sold.

It was refreshing to see him bumping chairs and doing the little shit with his employees. And just skiing around and enjoying the place, smiling and chatting with familiar folks. Saw him like every other time I skied.

RIP, skier.

[greenmachine]

In hindsight there’s a big cultural void now that’s quite obvious


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[altasnob]

He'll forever be remembered as the Howard Schultz of the PNW ski world. Both were not from the PNW, had oogles of money but chose to sell something beloved by the community to out of towners.

[The AD]

He'll forever be remembered as the Howard Schultz of the PNW ski world. Both were not from the PNW, had oogles of money but chose to sell something beloved by the community to out of towners.

That might be going a bit far. When the Sonics left town, they left town. It's not like Alterra moved Crystal Mountain to Oklahoma or something.

[oftpiste]

I've always thought it very interesting how soon after purchasing the mountain he sold it to Alterra.....

RIP JK. He was indeed a decent guy, always up for a chat or a howdy. And as much as I sometimes rolled my eyes at his management decisions in those days, I sure wish he was still there.

[PNWbrit]

John K seemed like a decent guy. When skiing xtal regularly, I never thought I'd miss him... but the mgmt has clearly devolved since he sold.

It was refreshing to see him bumping chairs and doing the little shit with his employees. And just skiing around and enjoying the place, smiling and chatting with familiar folks. Saw him like every other time I skied.

RIP, skier.

Yep. A good guy.

AD - Kim was head of patrol the last few years before the sale after which she left and they moved to Big Sky.

[altasnob]

That might be going a bit far. When the Sonics left town, they left town. It's not like Alterra moved Crystal Mountain to Oklahoma or something.

True, but the Sonics can easily be replaced with an expansion team where as Crystal cannot.

Maybe his health problems played into his decision to sell. I wouldn't want to deal with managing a ski area while dying of cancer. I just have a hard time understanding rich people, not just Kircher, but all rich people. If I was rich, and especially if I was rich and new I would be dying soon, I would do something financial crazy like transfer the ski area back to the community as a non-profit, like Bridger Bowl. Or at least find a local ownership group to take over. It's not like any of his heirs will be hurting for money, given they are all the offspring of Boyne.