Forum Index > Trail Talk > Parking garage and hotel at Stevens Pass?
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
kw
Member
Member


Joined: 30 Sep 2020
Posts: 84 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellevue
kw
Member
PostWed Sep 29, 2021 7:57 pm 
To be fair, this will probably cut down on the days where all parking fills up and they have to turn people away, which is probably their primary goal. It may also be another tactic in their perpetually ongoing fight against people who just go up to Crystal to park in the lots and sled down a mound of snow next to the road for 30 minutes, which can't help congestion and hasn't really been reduced by all the giant signs prohibiting it. The free shuttle is a pretty good idea and was basically inevitable unless the FS was going to let them somehow expand parking even more than they have already. Hopefully they find a good lot in Enumclaw to use as a park and ride, as Crystal is really isolated transit-wise unlike a place like Snoqualmie. The concept of this is still sort of weird though, it feels like more a half-step than anything that will make an impact. The vast majority of skiers at Crystal on weekends nowadays will have an Ikon pass, so this won't even affect them and will just effectively increase the day ticket price by however much parking costs, since they're the only people this will apply to.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
timberghost
Member
Member


Joined: 06 Dec 2011
Posts: 1316 | TRs | Pics
timberghost
Member
PostThu Sep 30, 2021 5:58 am 
OK back to Stevens Pass

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
altasnob
Member
Member


Joined: 29 Aug 2007
Posts: 1382 | TRs | Pics
Location: Tacoma
altasnob
Member
PostThu Sep 30, 2021 7:56 am 
Oh, don't worry timberghost. Stevens/Vail will be implementing a similar policy soon.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Owler
Member
Member


Joined: 09 Jul 2020
Posts: 45 | TRs | Pics
Owler
Member
PostThu Sep 30, 2021 8:24 am 
Making people pay for parking will not solve the traffic/parking/congestion problem. The bad traffic started when Crystal got on the Ikon pass. More people heading to the mountain = more traffic. BUT this was exacerbated because the lots started to fill up and people were getting turned around which is a terrible experience. So people started leaving earlier and earlier to get up there with most people trying to get to the lot between 830 and 930. The only way to solve this (other than building more parking) is to do parking reservations. This would spread the traffic out because if you are guaranteed a spot in the lot, people wouldn't feel the need to rush up there. This would spread the traffic out with more people arriving later in the morning. Given this doesn't solve for powder days...but i think everyone expects there to be traffic on these days. It also brings up the conversation: "I pay for a pass but if I don't get a reservation I can't ski or board?". But something has to give here.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Randito
Snarky Member



Joined: 27 Jul 2008
Posts: 9495 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellevue at the moment.
Randito
Snarky Member
PostThu Sep 30, 2021 8:34 am 
Owler wrote:
The bad traffic started when Crystal got on the Ikon pass
That's made it worse, but it's been crowded at Crystal on powder days for decades. I recall parking in F lot in the 90's when I was going with a crew that balked at leaving Seattle @ 5. In the '70s my high school chemistry teacher (Bob Hall) ran a ski school at Stevens. He lived in his Minnie Winnie Fri-Sat-Sun nights in the Stevens lot. No skiing on Monday morning, but back then the Sunday back up was bad and there wasn't any traffic then on Monday morning until you hit 405.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Stefan
Member
Member


Joined: 17 Dec 2001
Posts: 5082 | TRs | Pics
Stefan
Member
PostThu Sep 30, 2021 8:45 am 
altasnob wrote:
Snowshoers, backcountry skiers and hikers must now pay to park at Crystal this winter on Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Season Pass holders do not, but if buying a single day ticket, you do. Not clear on how much it is to park: https://www.crystalmountainresort.com/media/news/parking-announcement?fbclid=IwAR3w8nvFocro9Y_spr2w6d7vftJRpeXbQmCLDCc2DNrVEuNRKnqWBTwuW_Q
1) Yeah. Uh. Right. You know how this works? You drive up to Crystal. You then get on the car tram to visitor services. You then go to a kiosk to pay at the visitor services place by the gondola lift. You don't have to go back to your car. To put a sticker on your car--because the car tram would eat up a lot of your time. 2) Crystal...as with many employers are struggling to employ people at the low wage rate area. So you decide to NOT stop at the kiosk on your way to the slopes. What then? You don't pay. And Crystal does more than likely will not employ a person to check all those cars. That's a lot of cars! My prediction: This will turn into a sham. And people will know it. The only way to make it work is to have traffic attendants for each car as they arrive and pay cash. All the theme parks have this down. They know.

Art is an adventure.
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
kiliki
Member
Member


Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 2310 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
kiliki
Member
PostThu Sep 30, 2021 9:09 am 
Stefan wrote:
And Crystal does more than likely will not employ a person to check all those cars. That's a lot of cars!
That info page says they have license plate recognition software. Nothing's foolproof. I've certainly not paid the meter when I have a quick errand and no change (back before everything was by phone or cc) with the idea that there are only so many meter maids in Seattle. But I don't think most people like to press their luck, especially when parked at a place for many hours.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
altasnob
Member
Member


Joined: 29 Aug 2007
Posts: 1382 | TRs | Pics
Location: Tacoma
altasnob
Member
PostThu Sep 30, 2021 9:27 am 
Personally, I think this is a big nothingburger. The vast majority of weekend skiers at Crystal have Ikon pass (so free parking). And those that don't might be driving up with an Ikon (so free parking). And then a subset will be driving up with four in a car (so free parking). This policy only effects a small percentage of paying customers. It mainly effects non-paying customers (backcountry skiers and snowshoers). I highly doubt Crystal is really going to be scanning the plates of every vehicle in their lots. So some may pay, some won't (and won't get caught). In the end, this create a small revenue source to fund the free bus from Enumclaw so Crystal can get more and more customers up there. For what it's worth, I don't think Crystal can legally limit the free bus to paying customers (since non-paying customers are funding it). So backcountry skiers and snowshoers could take the free bus if they want. But most backcountry skiers know to get up early so they won't need the bus.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Randito
Snarky Member



Joined: 27 Jul 2008
Posts: 9495 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellevue at the moment.
Randito
Snarky Member
PostThu Sep 30, 2021 9:43 am 
The state uses plate scanners on the Evergreen Point Bridge and on HOT lanes. Also the Medina PD has been using plate scanners for over a decade so they can check up on non residents entering after sunset. So plate scanning technology is widely available. Crystal is already employing a large number of parking attendants to direct cars to appropriate spots in the lots. Once the rush is over having these employees walk the lot looking for vehicles not registered as an Ikon holder or with paid parking would be pretty simple to administer. But if lots of folks scoff at paying for parking, they will run out of boots....

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
kiliki
Member
Member


Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 2310 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
kiliki
Member
PostThu Sep 30, 2021 10:47 am 
The important thing for me here is that they are trying to manage congestion. There's a finite amount of parking and sometimes more cars headed there than places to park. They needed to do something about that. Presumably using the system below they will be able to either limit day ticket sales or announce, in advance, that parking is full, and that anyone else wanting to come will need to shuttle. Free parking will be included with the purchase of a season’s pass, and passholders will be required to register their plates before arrival so we can gauge capacity.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
kw
Member
Member


Joined: 30 Sep 2020
Posts: 84 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellevue
kw
Member
PostThu Sep 30, 2021 8:16 pm 
Stefan wrote:
1) Yeah. Uh. Right. You know how this works? You drive up to Crystal. You then get on the car tram to visitor services. You then go to a kiosk to pay at the visitor services place by the gondola lift. You don't have to go back to your car. To put a sticker on your car--because the car tram would eat up a lot of your time.
I believe I saw somewhere that they're planning on having QR Codes posted around the lots and you pay with your phone and your license plate number. That would corroborate the idea that they're using license plate recognition software as well. They're also supposedly investing more in the parking shuttles, which is probably for the best.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Randito
Snarky Member



Joined: 27 Jul 2008
Posts: 9495 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellevue at the moment.
Randito
Snarky Member
PostThu Sep 30, 2021 8:38 pm 
Seems like using a system similar to what is used in Seattle would work pretty well. https://www.appurse.com/com.paybyphone.html

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
fourteen410
Member
Member


Joined: 23 May 2008
Posts: 2622 | TRs | Pics
fourteen410
Member
PostFri Oct 01, 2021 9:44 am 
Randito wrote:
the Medina PD has been using plate scanners for over a decade so they can check up on non residents entering after sunset.
Seriously? (not surprising if true though rolleyes.gif)

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Randito
Snarky Member



Joined: 27 Jul 2008
Posts: 9495 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bellevue at the moment.
Randito
Snarky Member
PostFri Oct 01, 2021 4:39 pm 
fourteen410 wrote:
Randito wrote:
the Medina PD has been using plate scanners for over a decade so they can check up on non residents entering after sunset.
Seriously? (not surprising if true though rolleyes.gif)
Yep when my youngest was a student at Bellevue High School he made friends with someone with a house on the lake and pretty much everytime. he came over after dark they would pull him over and check license, registration and insurance. Never issued him a ticket.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
iron
Member
Member


Joined: 10 Aug 2008
Posts: 6391 | TRs | Pics
Location: southeast kootenays
iron
Member
PostFri Oct 01, 2021 8:32 pm 
slightly happy that i can walk to my ski resort in about 7 minutes from the front door... /end rubbing it in

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Trail Talk > Parking garage and hotel at Stevens Pass?
  Happy Birthday speyguy, Bandanabraids!
Jump to:   
Search this topic:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum