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Crystal opening for bikes.

ffonsok

ffonsok

Monkey
Dec 6, 2005
692
0
I have yet to hear confirmation on this, but here goes

I've heard from numerous people, including a friend who's dad works at Crystal Mountain that it is opening for bikes next summer. (2007)

They are putting in two more lifts and having an entire park set up for next summer as a way of earning more revenue....

can anyone confirm or deny this yet?
 
ffonsok

ffonsok

Monkey
Dec 6, 2005
692
0
i just called crystal and talked to a guy in the shop and he hasnt heard anything about bikes.... he didnt sound too sure though.
 
B

Borneo

Turbo Monkey
Mar 22, 2004
1,010
0
Duvall
The Crystal web site has nothing on this. One new chair to be built next summer for the Northway area. Sweet deal for the snow lovers among us though for the 07-08 season. Nothing to speak of this past summer.

I'd say it's still just rumors at this point. If it was so, they'd be blabbing it to everyone.
 
D

DHRracer

Monkey
Sep 29, 2004
371
0
I think it would be a long shot for it to happen.The forest service in the past has not been to keen on building of trails and the Mt.is a buisness can I say $$$$$ is what it is all about.But with the increased traffic that the Greenwater area is getting from people shutteling the Forest Service may have a change of tune.If there are any lawyer types out there remember Crystal is on public land.Is there anyway that the public can pressure the Forest Service and ski areas to use land that has allready been permantly alltered for the purpose of a buisness to make $$$ to be utilized year round to serve that public?Remember that Downhillers and Freeriders priority is not the views,except from airing out over a big double.
 
evilbob

evilbob

Monkey
Mar 17, 2002
948
0
Everett, Wa
DHRracer said:
...............................But with the increased traffic that the Greenwater area is getting from people shutteling the Forest Service may have a change of tune..................................Is there anyway that the public can pressure the Forest Service and ski areas to use land that has allready been permantly alltered for the purpose of a buisness to make $$$ to be utilized year round to serve that public?.............................................
Click to expand...
You could be right on the money. Understand that if there is a specific place for this type of riding it will justify the effort to shut down other areas to shuttling that are sensitive. This would be a win win to several user/intrest groups.
Also, if one was to read through the recent EIS (and the draft) you would kind of get the feeling that there is entent to utilize more of Crystal, more of the year and to accommadate more users thus reducing user load on other areas. Part of that study was specific to Lift assisted operations that included bikes as routine business and special events. Keep your fingers crossed.


On a anther note, similar but different, Snoqualmie had some similar language in the draft EIS last year but would appear to have other economic issues with the locals. For Snoqualmie to be viable year round it needs to be a recreational/tourist destination year round. The locals (some) don't want people in their wilderness year round is one problem. A good sign though is the acquizition of more land by the Summit recently. Summer 2008/2009

One last thing, I caught a rumor about a possible westside DH series next year or...... Anyone heard anything too or actually have first hand info worth sharing?
 
Snacks

Snacks

Turbo Monkey
Feb 20, 2003
3,523
0
GO! SEAHAWKS!
Also remember the Pacific Crest Trail runs right though the Crystal Mtn ski area. Back in the day when, around the time the National was held there, and the talk of Crystal opening lift access for bikes came up the Sierra Club had a freakin' fit.
 
T

thesacrifice

Monkey
Aug 4, 2004
451
0
360
That would be typical. I move to Bellingham from Olympia and they would do that :) Oh well, Crystal is about as far from Olympia as Whistler is from Bellingham (ok tack on another half hour to 3/4)
 
oly

oly

skin cooker for the hive
Dec 6, 2001
5,118
6
Witness relocation housing
Lets hope they do open since I just heard whistler is banning any bikes with over 5" of travel or dual crown forks. All trails will be plowed and made into Slopestyle courses. Oh, and you can only wear jeans and t-shirts with the sleeves cut off......
 
hungryleprican

hungryleprican

Turbo Monkey
Jun 15, 2006
1,970
0
ndub
oly said:
Lets hope they do open since I just heard whistler is banning any bikes with over 5" of travel or dual crown forks. All trails will be plowed and made into Slopestyle courses. Oh, and you can only wear jeans and t-shirts with the sleeves cut off......
Click to expand...


hahahaha what?!
 
Tootrikky

Tootrikky

Monkey
Jul 31, 2003
772
0
Mount Vernon
oly said:
Lets hope they do open since I just heard whistler is banning any bikes with over 5" of travel or dual crown forks. All trails will be plowed and made into Slopestyle courses. Oh, and you can only wear jeans and t-shirts with the sleeves cut off......
Click to expand...
Yeah and article 3 of the ban is crazy:

Any rider capable of throwing a mean No-footer in the bone yard jumps, that warrants a shout out of "Giv'R" or "Send It" from the fellow freehuckers gaping in the lift line, from the lifts, or from the Girabaldi Resturaunt, shall be henceforth allowed to wear a hawaiin shirt* fully UNBUTTONED in leui of the sleevelees t-shirt if so desired.

*Rider may be have hawaiin shirt priveledges revoked if any of the following circumstances occur:
1. The rear tire on his bike has any tread left.
2. His bike does not make the siganture Clackity Clack noise trademarked by Canadian brands such as Norco, RM, and Brodie
3. Armor is present on his body in any form other than a helf shell helmet.
 
B

Borneo

Turbo Monkey
Mar 22, 2004
1,010
0
Duvall
So, really this thread makes no sense. You just gotta pedal it up. Sweet trails too. And, not nearly the traffic of the other 410 trails.

But, Evil B has a point. Maybe if they open lift service at Crystal, the other trails won't get so screwed up by the coasters. Something I'm sure the FS is thinking about. Open Crystal and close the gates to Corral and Sun Top.
 
Certified Drunk

Certified Drunk

SVT-Lightning
Feb 17, 2002
842
0
Zippy's Burgers
It's never going to happen! The state of Washington HATES bicyclist!
They can justify clear cutting a 100 square miles but make a bike trail...that will kill the enviroment. Dont blame me! I didn't vote for the dumb arse running this shizt hole, I mean state.
 
D

DHRracer

Monkey
Sep 29, 2004
371
0
Snacks said:
Also remember the Pacific Crest Trail runs right though the Crystal Mtn ski area. Back in the day when, around the time the National was held there, and the talk of Crystal opening lift access for bikes came up the Sierra Club had a freakin' fit.
Click to expand...
The PCT does not run thru Crystal's permited area.It does parallel part of the boundary area.There are no lifts near that area and the terrain in that area would not be condusive for DH trails.
 
erikkellison

erikkellison

Monkey
Jan 28, 2004
918
0
Denver, CO
I can't blame the Sierra Club for hating MTB'ers. They hurt trails a lot more and are usually more prone to littering. Being both a hiker/backpacker and a rider, I enjoy that they have their different areas. While it's fun to have some trails in the middle of nowhere, it sucks that they get chewed up more by a biker than a hiker. I think their purpose is to preserve the lands for hikers, and is independent of biker trails for the most part. If I was their organization, I would do the same thing, because allowing bikes on all trails would ruin many of them, and it would be hard to be an organization for the support of bikers AND hikers since they are often at ends with eachother. It might be hard to get support from bikers, knowing that they don't support opening all trails to bikes, and it might be hard to get support from hikers knowing that they allow bikes on some very sensitive trails. They are guaranteed success by a loyal following of one party, while the IMBA, for example, is guaranteed success by having a loyal following of the opposite party. To each their own, and neither get my dollar because I'm too poor for that kind of charity when there are much more important issues out there to be supported.

PS
I just saw some guy ride by (uphill sligtly) not pedaling. I saw him because I heard him first. His bike looked old, but sounded like a scooter. No helmet... just sad. Since when is pedaling so hard? I guess it's better than driving a car though!
 
erikkellison

erikkellison

Monkey
Jan 28, 2004
918
0
Denver, CO
I don't know that horses hurt the trail more than a bike. Though to be honest, I am not a fan of horses on any trail. If you've got a horse, you don't need a trail anyway! The concept bothers me because there is no work in riding a horse, which is why I respect both biking and hiking. Besides, they poop on the trail, and that's freaking gross, and no one cleans it up, and they're skiddish to be around often. So don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of horses, and am not defending them. I was just defending the stance of the Sierra Club on bikers. But regardless, horses aren't allowed on the more sensitive trails either, e.g. the steep, rocky, sensitive, erosion-prone trails (the ones that would be fun on a bike).
 
GrapeApe79

GrapeApe79

Monkey
Sep 22, 2005
338
0
Issaquah, WA
Yeah, the fact that most of West Tiger Mtn is open to horses and hikers, but not mountain bikers, really gets me going...

I've seen studies out there that show that hikers can actually do more damage than mountain bikers, especially when the ground is wet. Not that I don't like hikers...I just want access to more trails on my mtn bike!
 
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