Crystal Mountain Resort opened in December 1962 with two double chairlifts. The first of these lifts, Miner's Basin, was decommissioned in the summer of 2011. Its route was close to that of the Gondola and ended by the top of the Exterminator and Deerfly runs. The other original lift (Iceberg Ridge) was removed when the Rainier Express was built. The site, just northeast of Mount Rainier National Park, was chosen after some Tacoma skiers were unable to start a resort within the boundaries of the park.