A longtime friend and I decided the day after Thanksgiving would be best spent on the slopes of Crystal Mountain instead of the mall. It was a beautiful drive out the highway with the sun peaking through the clouds, and we arrived at the mountain to sunny skies and 11 inches of new snow.

After numerous runs through the trees with the snow staying fresh and deep well into the afternoon, we wandered into Crystal’s elegant alpine ‘Summit House’, without realizing it was a sit-down restaurant. After taking a quick peek at the menu, we decided it might be fun to branch away from the usual cafeteria-style lunch. A few minutes later while sipping our Bloody Mary’s and beer, staring at a spectacular view of Mt. Rainier, we knew we’d made the right decision.

A few more runs post drinks and food, with well-worked legs, we left the mountain feeling satisfied with the day and happy to have spent it in the snow. Who needs Black Friday when you've got White Friday instead?