It might be something of a record for Crystal Mountain ski resort. Open on Monday, closed by Friday. The resort was forced to shut down after warm overnight rain melted away snow covering the slopes.
“The rain was the last thing we needed,” said marketing representative Kalela Robison. “Unfortunately as you can see it’s not looking so good up here.”
Stefanie Olar and her son Noah came up for the day to play in the snow on Friday and didn't find much “We got here a little late,” said Olar.
Crystal Mountain was the first ski area in Western Washington to open this year. And they debuted with the minimum, 24 inches. Even on opening day only the highest runs had enough snow to accommodate skiers. Now those that have decided to try out the conditions have to ride a gondola up to the Green Valley run if they want to get any skiing in at all and there isn't much snow left there either.
“The last couple of years we’ve been really lucky,” said Robison. “We unfortunately just aren’t so lucky this year.”
Resort operators hope a forecast for colder wetter temperatures next week will drop enough snow to allow them to re-open by next weekend.