Outdoor Notebook -- Destination Is Crystal Clear -- New Owners Plan A Major Ski Resort

The owners of Big Sky in Montana have big plans for Crystal Mountain.

Huge might be more appropriate, given the unprecedented scale of Boyne USA's master plan to turn the Mount Rainier-area ski spot into a major regional destination ski resort.

The sale to Boyne USA, approved by Crystal stockholders late last week, sets in motion an aggressive plan to create the major, modern ski resort Washington skiers - particularly Crystal Mountain fans - long have wished for.

Boyne already has a tentative contract with Austrian lift builder Doppelmayr to install a high-speed, detachable six-person quad lift along the course of Crystal's current Chair 9, a high-traffic area on the mountain, said Boyne USA's John Kircher. Construction is scheduled for this summer, with the goal of opening the chair when ski season resumes in the fall, Kircher said.

The $2.6 million lift would double the capacity of Chair 9, from 1,800 skiers per hour to 3,600. The company also plans immediate regrading and rerouting of traffic on highly congested upper-mountain slopes.

But that's just the first step in an improvement plan that would dwarf any single ski-area remodel in state history - and perhaps place Crystal on par with competing regional resorts such as Mount Bachelor in Oregon. To complete the purchase of Crystal, Boyne contractually committed to $15 million in improvements over the next decade. But plans of the company, which also owns Big Sky, Boyne

Mountain in Michigan and Brighton in Utah, are far more ambitious. Among the approximately $38 million in improvements on Boyne's long-term wish list:

-- A $7 million, 80-passenger tram from the base area to the top of the mountain near the Summit House restaurant, elevation 6,872 feet. The tram would be similar to major trams at Jackson Hole, Wyo., and Snowbird, Utah, and could turn Crystal into a major summer sight-seeing destination, Kircher said.

-- A new mid-mountain restaurant in the Campbell Basin area at the top of Chair 9 and Chair 5.

-- An expanded Summit House restaurant.

-- An improved and enlarged base lodge.

-- Conversion of many of Crystal's fixed-grip lifts to high-speed chairs.

-- Improved access to Crystal's famed North and South Backcountry areas, either through new trails, new lifts, or - most likely - both.

-- Improved lighting for night skiing.

The list, in essence, could have been compiled by Crystal skiers. In a sense, it was. Kircher, a 39-year-old avid skier, said the acquisition and improvements at Crystal have been a dream of his family's company for about 14 years. Boyne officials began inquiring about buying Crystal as far back as 1983. When Crystal stockholders suggested they'd sell last June, Kircher jumped at the chance.

He and other company officials have spent many days this winter skiing, climbing, snowboarding and exploring Crystal, sketching a development plan. Their emphasis will be the same as it has been at Boyne's other successful resorts, he said: "The reason people want to come up to your area is simple. It's the lifts, the snow, and the mountain."

Boyne has a long history in the ski business and a reputation for innovation. Boyne Mountain was launched in 1948 by Kircher's father, Everett, now 80. The elder Kircher bought and moved one of the original ski lifts from Sun Valley, Idaho, claiming "The Midwest's only chairlift" for many years. Boyne Mountain also is credited with building the first three- and four-passenger detachable quad lifts. The company recently added one of the few six-seat express quads in North America.

Boyne purchased sleepy, remote Big Sky in 1976 and turned the Bozeman-area resort into one of the top-rated ski resorts in North America. In 1986, Boyne added Brighton, Utah, to its holdings. John Kircher was in charge of Big Sky's development, and negotiated the Brighton acquisition. He plans to stay involved with those areas, but his focus will be on running and improving Crystal, he said.

Boyne's marketing experts are keenly aware of a disturbing statistic in the Washington ski business: State skiers spend more on-mountain days at regional resorts - Whistler-Blackcomb, B.C., Mount Bachelor and Mount Hood Meadows, Ore., Sun Valley, Schweitzer and Silver Mountain, Idaho, and even Big Sky, for example - than they do in their state. The company will focus on adding the facilities skiers are traveling long distances to find, he said.

Kircher's observations about the mountain mirror those of many visitors: Exceptional terrain that's never been fully utilized.

"The potential has always been there," Kircher said. "It just needs to be unlocked."

Crystal's 2,300 skiable acres and 3,100-foot vertical drop are tops in Washington. The mountain's rugged backcountry terrain is often rated among the best in the Western U.S.

The resort's sale was overwhelmingly approved Thursday night by Crystal's 1,000 stockholders. Under terms of the sale, those stockholders will retain ski privileges in perpetuity. In exchange, Boyne has pledged at least $15 million in improvements, and also assumes the resort's accumulated debt, which was not disclosed.

All the proposed improvements at Crystal will need approval by the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, which leases the land to the ski resort. Forest Service officials probably will be busy: They're anticipating permit requests for development at Snoqualmie Pass, where Snoqualmie Summit, Ski Acres, Hyak and Alpental recently were purchased by another major player in the North American ski business - former Vail chairman and multi-resort owner George Gillett Jr. Gillett plans new lifts, day lodges and a major resort/residential community at The Pass.

Outdoor notes

-- Free salmon and sturgeon seminar, and fishing tackle show, April 9, 5 p.m., at the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel, 3105 Pine St., in Everett. Hosted by John's Sporting Goods and Tony Sarps with Katmai Fishing Lodge. Speakers are Mike Greenleaf, John Beath, Ken Elsea, Tony Sarp and John Martinis. For details, call (206) 259-3056.

-- The Tacoma Dome Boat Show is Wednesday to Sunday. More than 500 boats will be on display. Also featured will be a live shark show and a collection of Northwest dram boats. Cost is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors over age 62, free for children under 15. Hours are noon-9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, noon-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon-6 p.m. Sunday. For details, call (206) 756-2121.

-- State Fish and Wildlife will recommend not to issue special permits for 61 Washington deer hunting areas, and in seven elk hunting areas. Harsh winter conditions in the eastern Cascade Mountains, resulted in extensive winter kill. A decision will be made at meetings in Longview on April 18-19.

Modern firearm buck permits: Hunt area number 1001-1006, 1009-1013, 1016-1017, and 1019-1026. Modern firearm deer permits: 1052, 1054-1057, and 1067. Muzzleloader deer permits: 1101-1106, 1109-1114, 1117-1118, 1120-1125, and 1127. Archery buck permits: 1128-1131, 1134-1136, 1139-1140, 1142-1144, and 1146. Advanced hunter education graduate permit: 1147. Modern firearm elk permits: 2032, 2039, 2055, 2068, and 2070-2072.

-- Paddle the Parks is April 19 at Enetai Beach Park in Bellevue. Free 15-minute introductory lessons, kayak polo demonstration, guide tours and rentals. Hosted by Bellevue Parks and Klub Kayak. For details, call (206) 222-4967.

-- The winners of the Ski Acres Wednesday Night cross-country ski race series, by age group:

Men - 5-9, Brendan Brooks-Stocking; 10-14, Sam McKinstry; 15-24, Matt Hinckley; 25-29, Don Davis; 30-34, Bruce Christopherson; 35-39, Kent Murdock; 40-44, Jeff Clark; 45-49, Phil Jones; 50-54, Per Johnsen; 55-59, Neal Nelson; 60-69, Paul Kaald; 70-plus, Einar Svensson. Women - 5-9, Megan Vallor; 10-14, Holly Brooks; 15-24, Lea McKinstry; 25-29, Sarah Konrad; 30-34, Sandy Schreyer; 35-39, Becky Curtis; 40-44, Leslie Duffy; 45-49, Berit Lund; 50-54, Sandy Johnson; 55-59, Bonnie Winter.

-- Heavenly Resort in Lake Tahoe will begin work this summer on the first phase of a master plan, which includes a new, high-speed detachable quad lift and two new trails to be completed for the 1997-98 ski season.

The new lift's base will be located in the Von Schmidt area, mid-mountain on the California side of Heavenly. The top station will be near the Dipper Express lift on the upper Nevada side of the mountain.

The two new trails will originate from existing California and Comet trails, and snow-making equipment will be installed on both.

The master plan is expected to be completed in eight to 10 years, and includes a gondola, seven new lifts, two new on-mountain lodges, new trails and a remodeling of current base facilities. The gondola also will provide access to 30 hotels, motels and casinos near Lake Tahoe's downtown south shoreline.

Notes compiled by Mark Yuasa, Seattle Times staff.