04/02 - Crystal

Yesterday's soft snow gave way to today's colder and firmer conditions in the morning. After several top to bottoms via Iceberg and groomed Bull Run, we headed out to Northway via Horseshoe Chutes. A couple runs off Northway peak revealed some nice packed pow with softening moguls in the mid section, and then straight-line through the bottom third just hanging on to get back to the chair. Around 11:30, the sun came out for good and the mountain started to soften quite nicely. After shedding the coats in favor of tropical wear, many repeats of GV/Sluiceway/Berry Patch/Lower E alternating with the gully just right of Memorial Forest. Got a good line pounded in there.

Good to see some of the usual suspects back on the mountain today after yesterday's absence. Heard Mike actually had to work yesterday. I hate when that happens.

And the Hamster report - Very nice day, lots of filtered sun early and lots of full on sun most of the rest of the day, cool early and really not hot for me most of the day – though there were a few moments in the right places. Great GV Bowl skiing early and pretty much all day – dusting of new to smooth out slopes early and pretty much prefect packed something to ski all the rest of the day. Pushed out of the hamster cage long enough to do a run down the full Valley – nice and later for #1 did Kellys Gap to the base – all nice, lower E nice fun bumps, but not on my Hamster Treadmill path.  Spent a lot of the early day (pre lunch), doing Valley to MiddleIceFergBerg – fun and hamster fast.  Once I bumped into #1 started doing a few Lucky’s – another high speed fun perfect groomed screamer (plus some of the softening edges in the bumps).  Day ended with fun big nasty looking slush runs from REX chair line to skier left of SunnySide (THE GULLY), never did M-World but thought about it.  All of it looked nasty lumpy death spires – skied soft and easy and the Coombas were in the zone! Did I ever mention I really like my Coombas? Very fun day with no crowds, not many full chairs on the lifts, nobody on the slopes – I really hate late ski season, so lonely! Other than lift opp’s to harass.   

Other – Soup at CB lodge was Ched Broc AGAIN!  #1 said it was very good, I had the Beef Stew – heard it was good and it actually was.  Would have had the BLT that I’ve heard a lot about, but no BLT bread? Hhhmmm…late season at Crystal.  A lot pretty full, some over flow into C with what I seem to remember is cars in B lot….big crowd for a Wednesday when the season is already over
PS - Heard that firemen sometimes do work!

Unexpected excellent snow in Valley Bowl and carvable firm groomers started the show. As the lower mountain softened, T2Bs via Lower Bull filled the bill. A search of north-facers improved as we moved from GV to Elk Snort to Paradise Chutes ending at Northway Bowl for the best snow of the day. Northway was baking hot and mid NW bumps softened nicely. As CD said, once dressed down, the big Gap-side T2Bs were a spring bumpfest. Won't be much that escapes today's heat damage.

Ken
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Good day for April. And yes fireman do work! A whole lot during the off season. See you all Thursday!