ATOP CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, Washington - A skier basks in the sunshine of a perfect day at the Crystal Mountain Resort and presents this question: Is it still a beach chair if there's no beach around and it's sitting at almost 7,000 feet above sea level? The resort is in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest about 85 miles southeast of Seattle, and it is famous for its skiing and views of Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Baker and Glacier Peak. The Summit House, which is immediately behind this resting skier, is at 6,856 feet and is the highest altitude restaurant in Washington. Mt. Rainier looks close, but it's almost 13 miles away. Its peak is 14,410 feet. A bonus aspect of the Summit House is that patrons don't have to be skiers to visit. They just pay a fee for a high-speed gondola and ride along with the skiers.
(Photo by Tom Adkinson)