5 day closure costs Crystal Mountain more than $1 million

Roads are reopened, ski lifts are up and running and the snow is freshly groomed at Crystal Mountain.

After five days of closures, skiers could not be happier to be back on the slopes.

"We had four separate landslides. Every time we thought DOT was making headway on one, a new one came overnight,” said Frank DeBerry, Crystal Mountain president.

Multiple landslides along State Route 410 blocked the highway and cut off transportation to Crystal Mountain for nearly a week, which meant about 125 workers couldn’t leave the mountain.

"I was on my way to work Thursday morning and I was the second car to the landslide. That's how I knew I was stuck,” said Perry Turner, Crystal Mountain IT manager.

>> Related: Crystal Mountain changing ticket policy amid traffic, parking problems

Crystal Mountain's bottom line took a hit because skiers and snowboarders couldn't make it in.

"It’s a direct punch to the gut. It’s a seven-figure hit. It’s going to hurt us quite a bit,” said DeBerry. “Weather gets in the way of business at times. It’s our best friend, it’s our worst enemy at different times.”

DeBerry calls this a wild season. A five-day shutdown hasn’t happened in at least 10 years.

Crystal Mountain also lost power, internet and phone services.

"We're just excited to be back in business,” he said.

Monday evening, WSDOT cleared the final landslide and opened SR 410 between Enumclaw and Crystal Mountain.

"That's quite a load of logs down there by the road that they cleared off,” said skier Steve McCaffrey.

Right away, winter sports lovers hurried to hit the slopes.

"I’m happy today to be back up here, because I’ve skipped two weeks and I’ve lost a lot of muscle tone and here I am again,” said skier Nancy Dees.

People who purchased lift tickets during the closure can bring them to Crystal Mountain to be redeemed.

With a busy weekend ahead, workers want to remind skiers and snowboarders that weekend passes need to be purchased in advance online.

© 2020 Cox Media Group