January 13, 2005, Crystal Mountain Resort

Also posted at: NW Ski Reports.<br><br>Thursday - Good day skiing... Snow was good and fresh, but with only getting an inch or two of snow every once in a while, the rocks and gravel keep getting turned up to the surface. Crystal needs a big dump get rid of those pesky rocks. I get pretty good protection if I put on a thick coat of hot wax. Last Sunday, I didn't wax before going up and got lots of scoring from the gravel. Actually, I am getting used to the rocks. <br><br>It was cold - about 25 degrees... Got some sunshine until the fog rolled in about 2:30. Runs off Forest Queen Lift were all good. The big ditch across CMAC is getting filled in - now its just a dip. All the steep parts on groomed runs have boilerplate, which we are getting used to. <br><br>The highlight was Green Valley and Snorting Elk Bowl, getting off the groomers. The big rocks on GV rim are still there, with a covering of snow. Now we can slip down beneath the rim rocks and ski away. The cat track across the top of Snorting Elk disappears where it drops down from the rim - It's more like an icy path - we traversed above the track or below it. We made several passes at Snorting Elk Bowl, dropping off the track down into the trees. Very nice. <br><br>We make pit stops at the new Campbell Basin Lodge... So as we were taking a restroom break at 3:20pm, they were locking the doors to the lodge (and the restrooms)... so be warned! This is an architectual blunder, the restrooms should have been available even if they lock up the lodge. Maybe they should put back that outhouse at the top of Forest Queen. I recommend that you just go behind the lodge and unload all that beer you drunk at the Snorting Elk.