Crystal Mountain, WA – Nearly nine months after opening on November 18, 2010, Washington’s Crystal Mountain is ending its 2010-11 ski and snowboard season today to mark the longest ski season in the resort’s’s 48-year history, made possible by record-breaking snowfall and the ski area’s new Mt. Rainier Gondola.

The ski resort’s previous season snowfall and length record was set during the 1998-99 season, with 592 inches of snowfall and a closing date of July 14, 1999. Even though January at Crystal was mostly dry, 612 inches of snow fell between November and June. The Mt. Rainier Gondola carried skiers and riders to Green Valley to lap the resort’s upper mountain slopes after lower mountain had melted out.

“We could not have planned the timing of building the gondola any better considering the amount of snow that came along with it. The timing was perfect,” said Crystal Mountain spokeswoman Tiana Enger. “It’s been a great stretch however we are ready to say goodbye to winter and focus on summer now.”

Attendance records were also broken this season at Crystal. Over 361,000 skiers and riders visited the slopes, up from the resort’s previous skier visit record of 357,000 set during the 2003-04 season. As a whole, 2010-11 set a U.S. record for skier visits across the country.

Crystal’s Green Valley lift will stop running at 3 p.m. today following a toast to celebrate the long winter outside the Summit House.