June 18, 2012, Crystal

UW Atmos precip model encouraged us to head for Cayuse and Chinook rain shadow this morning despite pouring rain in Seattle.   Patches of blue sky at White River turnoff had us smugly congratulating ourselves.  Rain at Cayuse and Chinook had us dozing in the car for three hours waiting for precip to end.   At 130PM we bailed to Crystal Mountain, considered the gondola for access (now running daily for sightseeing), and then walked about halfway up Quicksilver before skinning Boondoggle to Silver Basin and up the King.  It appears that a few inches of new snow fell above 6000' recently.

We had some breeze, in and out sun, light flurries, and slightly grabby skiing on two runs off the King in 2-3" slush and the ski out, before the snow ended about 300' vertical above the lodge.