[altasnob]

I don't have summer photos of Cambell Basin, but here are some mid August photos from Silver Basin, just a stone's throw away (and also within the ski area boundary). It gives you an idea of just how lush, verdant, and flower filled the terrain is where Crystal is sprawling these glamping tents across.

[jaysway]

Alta, those photos are beautiful. Really cool to see Silver Basin in the summer. I did some digging on the Crystal Sky Camp's website and their sustainability page does talk about the camp trying to minimize its footprint in the alpine.

[kiliki]

If the camp were located in Silver Basin I would probably be upset. But Campbell Basin is quite trammeled/developed already. The photo taken from REX is why I don't hike or camp in Campbell Basin and can't get too upset about these tents:

[kw]

[altasnob]

Looks like sky camp runs $1,000 to $1,500 a night. Does that make it the most expensive place to stay in the entire state?

[Randito]

[Cyclopath]

[kiliki]

There are hotel rooms in Seattle that are more than that. This is the Four Seasons:

[altasnob]

I came across the USFS's page regarding Crystal's sky camp if anyone is interested. USFS says they listed the "proposal on the MBSNF Schedule of Proposed Actions(SOPA) in the Spring of 2021" and only received one public comment. It's moot now, since the camp is already approved and built. https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=59614&exp=overview

[treeswarper]

Would something like this make you happier? https://bluebirdbackcountry.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwkt6aBhDKARIsAAyeLJ2-po91YhBp_VHH2E0e-QCo_p3hG0hsN6K1litfEJr143Ysk7JXnIoaAmXeEALw_wcB When I started skiing, we went to rope tow areas. The areas around Wenatchee were Squilchuck, Badger Mountain (outside of Waterville) one up the Entiat River, and one by Chelan. Badger Mountain still runs and maybe the Chelan hill too? Then Mission Ridge opened. For a while, we could still afford skiing by going to Squilchuck, and when you are a kid those hills were enough, but then they quit having skiing at Squilchuck. I don't think it would be a profitable operation today, either. Nobody wants to go back to the rope tow days. Badger Mtn. now has a T bar or Poma lift. It is run by volunteers. The Loup Loup area started having summer activities this year. I'm not sure how profitable it was. They rented mountain bikes, ran the chairlift a few days a week, had frisbe golf, and had a bicycle event and a horse event. Loup Loup is a non-profit hill but has paid employees. Wenatchee Valley College used to have a ski management program and they operated The Loup, and the Chelan hills. That no longer exists either. It seems that there is a majority of people who can afford the better areas to go skiing at. Would any of you want to ski at a little hill? All I can think of is that those places are great for kids, but not for long. I did ski at Mt. Ashwabay in Up Nort Wisconsin. It had a T-bar and rope tows. It amused me for a half day, and I easily skied every run they had. I think they now have a chairlift. Is the future to go back to no lift but groomed areas? Oh, and we also have....Sitzmark! One of the perks of having a season's pass for either the Loup or Sitzmark was that you could get a discount at Apex Alpine in BC. Well worth it.

[treeswarper]

http://www.nwwintersportsman.com/BadgerMt/index2.htm https://www.facebook.com/SitzmarkSkiArea https://skitheloup.com/

[altasnob]

[treeswarper]

[Randito]

Smaller resorts are seeing improved interest. There is even now something called the "Indy Pass" that provides 2 days skiing at a large number of smaller hills. In Washington the affiliated ski hills are: Hurricane Hill White Pass Mission Ridge 49 Degrees North Ski Bluewood In BC Manning Apex Sasquatch In Oregon Hoodoo Ashland Mt Hood Meadows https://www.indyskipass.com/resorts/west-region/ I got one and hope to hit White, Mission, 49 , Bluewood, Apex and Manning in a road trip either in my van or my rv.

[treeswarper]

And those are all "resorts", not small ski areas. Would there be interest if there were more Sitzmarks catering to young skiers who weren't from high income families? Would adults be able to have some fun at the tiny places? Such places also cater to families. And yes, I believe Sitzmark is on privately owned land.