2005 TAY ski-fest: what up?

Hello munificent TAY hosts: has there been any discussion of what might be done about what would be the third TAY-fest in this year of discontent? <br>Crystal is looking & sounding like a dubious venue, and what I'd expected to be the typical target date (first Sunday after Crystal lifts close, per the last two years, is that correct?) has now come and gone.

<br>Baker is now (semi?) closed.... although, a bit more of a drive for most of us I suspect.

As of today Mt Hood Meadows is now closed, er I mean lift operations are "suspended"<br>

MT. HOOD MEADOWS SKI RESORT<br>LIFT OPERATIONS SUSPENDED<br>Effective Monday, March 14, 2005<br><br>Due to the recent warm weather and reduced snow pack, we're going to have to suspend lift operations, pending a return to wintery weather.<br>There is snow in the forecast for later this week and we're hopeful that the weather will return to a normal pattern. With a sufficient amount of new snow in March and/or April, we will resume lift operations.

<br>If there's a TAY gathering this year it should probably happen in South America? For the sake of our streaks, we'll need to ensure it borders multiple months!

how about mnt. adams? i'll drag the special kamelbak up the hill... ;D

While I don't believe I'm either munificent or a TAY host, the thought has also crossed my mind, Wolfs ???.<br><br>The annual Crystal Fest certainly seems to have slipped through our fingers while our head was turned. Possibly due to the likelihood of some of us patiently waiting for the late season "big dumps" to show up and bail out our summer skiing.<br><br>MadDog touched on the matter over in the latest Crystal thread .<br>And piggybackin' on her Slush Cup leanings, Robie is politicking with the Park Service to get the Stevens Canyon road open early. The road is already cleared; they just, for some reason, haven't opened it yet &gt;. There's still some ok coverage over there on the Tatoosh . <br><br>Implementing Jeff's idea, if things work out and we get the Pinnacle Gl. Checked out in time, we might stage a 4 day Slush Cup event from Thurs 3/31 thru Sun 4/3. It would certainly be an easier run for Kam to haul the ... uh, camelbak, up the Pinnacle tarn rather than the Lunch Counter.<br>C'mon Robie, let's get crackin' on that road. <br>

 i'll drag the special kamelbak up the hill... ;D

<br><br>I'll help!

i'll drag the special kamelbak up the hill... ;D

<br><br>I'll get my sled fixed up - after last year it needs some love.<br>

There's a couple of places where you might need a block and tackle to get the "goods" up to the slush cup tarn

I'll supply the block and tackle. No problem; don't even mention it.

okay then. let's do it. so Ron, where?

Here a map to the Pinnacle Glacier:<br><br>http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0UgANA70YXwtPgyfSYYgbcOh6ZJqiGzxfEWx8i9eFvyo!lYkjmLZYzsF7rT0fYtQkVzAWEAYjBZcHRl6kQKq5wyfVq1PoSkZsRmG5IbF7qRlhpY00in8XZORuiosYqTHV/Pinnacle%20Gl.BMP?dc=4675482766115760915<br><br>For more info on just exactly what it is that EVERYBODY is invited to, check out last year's<br> Slush Cup Promo thread. <br><br>If that ain't enough to get everyone salivating for this comunal ski festivity, here's last year's <br> Slush Cup TR ;D<br><br>If we happen to end up doing this around the end of Mar/first of April it would be FOUR months earlier than last year ???<br><br>I'm hoping that a continued trend is started with the snow in the mountains that we got today, which hopefully, would extend the actual planned "Slush Cup" date. <br><br>Obviously if the entertainment value is to be continued we need the tarn to be at least starting to melt out and it would also be helpful, at least for the "special camelback" hauling crew, to have the road to reflection lakes open. And speaking of that crew, don't forget to consider the optional "remuneration donation" in exchange for partaking of the benefits they will most graciously provide. <br><br>Guess anyone that would like, can also help out by making recon trips up there to check on the tarn and see how it is looking on the melt out, eh?

if the path up to the pinnacle is as brushy in early april as it was last august, kam might want to carry the "goods" in a backpack, and skip may want to leave his sled behind (though it was quite entertaining to watch him slide down crystal last year). but what's with this weather today? perhaps the slush cup may be pushed back to the middle of april instead?

WooHoo, let the snow keep coming, we'll be able to have the "Slush Cup" in August and swim, and BBQ too

Looks like Crystal is closing on the 10th of April, so if all goes well and Crystal closes as planned, we are headed for the Crystal Ski Fest on Sunday April 17th. Remember to bring something to munch on, something to sit on, something to drink from, something to ski on, and a donation for Kam's special "Kamelback" we will plan on meeting outside the new Campbell Basin Lodge at the top of Forest Queen whenever your very own high speed non detachable quads get you there

Here's a photo of Allyson (the First year's "eater of the cake") at year two's event<br>http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0TQAAAIcWGVjNMuWU3pwjY9dOwqN0XowC*n8EY0nX0MC60sfbysaLUylg6pxBs6Fi3Xn5icNXG9sJJnfDQCKvaO4BJb2U0S*4c4b9ZTIU7C1P0bPZlg55BA/P1007377.jpg?dc=4675468744637350252<br>A couple more shots from that event are HERE <br><br>Last year's Planning Thread is HERE <br>Last year's TR is HERE <br>There were some pretty good suggestions for improvements after last year's event... one was Kam's:<br><br>"on 04/19/04 at 5:59pm, kam wrote:<br>For next year I suggest that we all show up with a name tag that says: <br> TAY Login: ______________ <br> Real Name: ______________ <br>-kam"<br>I'll bring a roll of duct tape and a Sharpie to take care of this matter.<br><br>Jelly Belly was there the first year:<br>http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0TACvBFcWX0SYJn7xDc5omBQnTLrzm8VNzeTf5XzaO11DTdMz59EsnORBjcbZgocgE!QHN!DEQa7IhHlVoDW9Lj7TM*QxiTfEny!Nx6bjBbYvML5TmmnoOA/P1005577.jpg?dc=4675418840033123814<br>The TR from the first year is HERE <br><br>Who's In for this year?<br> <br><br><br><br>

I'll be there with speakers on my pack!

Wouldn't miss it!

just like last year, i'm also packin' the hibachi grill and a lawn chair, so bring some dogs...

Hmmm. My sisters are visiting that weekend, and since we are seldom found within several thousand miles of each other (close-knit family, you know), I don't really see how I can blow them off. Any ideas on how I might entice them into attending? One is into migratory seabirds and despises wet snow; the other is a citified statistician.

Mark - Your sisters might enjoy it if YOU towed them up ala the Skoog family tow plan (Lowell towed his son Tom up last year. Also brought Tom's bat & played "snoball").

My sisters are visiting that weekend, I don't really see how I can blow them off. Any ideas on how I might entice them into attending?  One is into migratory seabirds and despises wet snow; the other is a citified statistician.  

<br> Mark- Tell your sisters that there is an annual migration of TAY Snowbirds seen only once a year at Crystal Mountain in wet snow conditions. These birds are known to travel far distances and feast on copius amounts of fermented substances, then attempt to glide back to their nests. It is quite entertaining to say the least. Continue to elaborate that it is nessicary to record such a rare event and one must take close inventory of the flock in order to provide statistical history of increases or decreases of the annual migration. <br><br>There's your fool proof story!<br>Joe

Nicely done Joe. I will be there.

Hey I am a biostatistician and I will be there.

WOW!!!<br>This looks better than last day at Alta.<br><br>Count me in for sure.<br>Anyone want to carpool? I can fit one more in my rig.<br>I will also have something special for Kam's kamelback.<br><br>Bryan C\Wasatch Bry

Can anyone pull some strings at WSDOT to ensure Cayuse and Chinook passes are open then? <br><br>Thanks   <br><br>The WSDOT website says work is underway on those passes:<br>www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/Passes/Cayuse/
www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/chinook/

Re: April 17th, 2005, Crystal Mountain Ski Fest<br><br>Better put this on hold for a couple of weeks...<br><br> www.skicrystal.com/ <br><br>

SEASON EXTENDED; CRYSTAL WILL REMAIN OPEN DAILY THRU SUNDAY, APRIL 17<br>Recent snow storms coupled with a snowy forecast has allowed us to stay open one more week! The base area may be a little thin but the coverage and snow conditions from mid-mountain to the top are excellent!

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Bummer ???<br><br>They must have been following this thread.<br><br> ??? So that messes it up for those of us involved with the ski/snowboard glacier travel class 'cause we're on the field trip on the 23/24th (I suspect that will include Kam the Keg hauler) &gt;.<br><br>The following weekend a bunch of us are doing our 8th annual mt hood/silcox climb/ski ???<br>So much to ski and so little time, eh ? ;D<br>Guess the rest of you will have to carry the ball and take one for the team one of those weekends.<br>Somebody else take the reins