SAM Magazine-Crystal Mountain, Wash., July 18, 2007-Crystal Mountain is adding a double chair that increases the resort's available terrain by a whopping 77 percent. The chair, a Doppelmayr, will have a 10-minute ride that will access approximately 1,000 acres, bringing the resort's total lift-served terrain to 2,300 acres. The Northway double will handle approximately 1,200 people per hour, increasing the resort's total lift capacity to 20,310. The new terrain is primarily advanced and expert; the lift is expected to open for 2007-08.

Crystal opted for a double to limit capacity. "It's about the skiing," say Crystal Mountain General Manager John Kircher when talking about the new lift. "I'm sure people appreciate the big high capacity lifts that we have on the front side of Crystal. We have a job to do handling the crowds here, but we all see how fast the snow gets tracked out. The new lift in the North Country is designed to provide access but keep the snow quality higher." The new lift service will also spread skier traffic out and keep skiers from funneling back through the base area.