Winter attractions including downhill slopes, cross-country trails, and ice skating officially open December 1 Grab your gear, it’s time to slide into the 2023-24 ski and snowboard season at Crystal Mountain. The lifts start spinning this Friday at noon with the first chair celebration happening on the Crystal Clipper high-speed chairlift. The first four people in line will get to pose with the iconic CrystalFIRST banner. “This is a day skiers and riders have been looking forward to since April,” said Karyn Thorr, Chief Operating Officer. “Mother Nature came through with several fresh inches of snow the past week, but we wouldn’t be heading into opening day weekend if it wasn’t for our hardworking and talented snowmaking team.” Crystal Mountain has received nearly one foot of natural snowfall since Thanksgiving (Nov. 23). However, it was the ideal temperatures and humidity levels that allowed the Crystal Mountain snowmaking team to fire up its powerful arsenal of snowmaking machines for several days, creating a 12”-24” base on the slopes. What to expect on the slopes:
  • Slope hours: Friday, 12pm-4:30pm, Saturday and Sunday, 9:30am-4:30pm.
  • Open lifts: Crystal Clipper, North Face, and Crystal Carpet.
  • Open runs: Megan’s Way, Tammy’s Turn, Leo’s Legacy, J.T.’s Trail, Brady’s Run, North Face Glades, Last Call Glades, Glacier Valley Glades, and Mountain Adventure Zone Learning Area.
  • Open terrain features: Hike park at the base of Cheers to Lou with multiple features.
The slopes are scheduled to close for additional snowmaking beginning Monday, Dec. 4 and are scheduled to reopen for the season, Friday, Dec. 8. Although many are thrilled to hit the slopes for the first time this season, there are many other winter activities happening off the slopes at Crystal Mountain. With several inches of natural snowfall, the winter trails crew has been able to pack and roll multiple cross-country ski trails. Freezing temperatures also helped build Thompsonville’s only ice skating rink which is now ready to welcome skaters. What to expect off the slopes:
  • Cross-Country Center: Located on Mountain Center drive, open daily 10am-4pm.
  • Open XC Trails: Learning Center loop, Jack’s Rabbit and Loon’s Lane, as weather permits.
  • Ice Skating: Rentals available at the Park at Water’s Edge, as weather permits.
  • Fat Tire Biking: Rentals available at the Park at Water’s Edge, as weather permits.
  • Snowshoeing: Rentals available at the Park at Water’s Edge, as weather permits.
The latest slope and trail conditions, as well as updates on winter activities can be found in the daily online snow report. For the best deals on lift tickets and downhill equipment rentals, skiers and riders should purchase online in advance. The same RFID Crystal Card can be reloaded for future visits to the slopes.