Crystal - 3/23

A little more traffic driving up this morning due to the Freeride qualifiers. However, when we left, all the skiers were contained in A lot, so a very light crowd.

The day started overcast and on the colder side. The grooming had been done after the snow fell last night and before the temps dropped, so this morning the groomers were hard and a little rough. Off piste looked like frozen chicken-head hell. After 3 or 4 icy groomers, I ventured off the run a little where it looked smooth and there was still some of the 1 - 2 inches left. It skied pretty good, so I took a risk and headed up C6. Over to Campbell Basin and I found the goods. That is, as long as you skied between the slides. Keep your line tight in the smooth slots and everything was fine, but miss a turn and get rattled out of your bindings. There was enough good skiing there I took several runs, then went and got Mrs. CD for a couple more. The run down Powder Bowl was altogether different. The very top chute is so filled in, it's not even a challenge any more. But part way down, there are elephant head sized frozen boulders of snow everywhere, with locked down chicken heads in between. Hard to find the smooth line down and no repeats.

Thinking of the nice grooming from Monday over on Sluiceway and Berry Patch, we headed out Kelly's Gap. Sluiceway had not been groomed which was a good thing, but it had remained smooth so was great. Unfortunately, the far right side of Berry Patch had been destroyed by debris coming off Rock Face. However, Berry Patch proper (left side) was good. And, Lower E soft enough to be fun. Many top to bottom laps, each one getting sunnier and warmer. At 12:30, hit Memorial from the road and it was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, above the road, it never softened enough to be good. I think that will bode well for higher elevation skiing tomorrow, particularly if new snow comes in. Skied later today enjoying the sun and each lap on M-World. Did a final run out Kelley's Gap and ended the day with the third highest vert total of the year. Not bad for a day that was anticipated to be marginal.

Lots and lots of yahoos driving 45 mph down a dry 410. No idea where they all came from.

Akkk! That time of year for the bc - awaiting the spring cornup.

And more words about today.....

Short Report – Cloudy early, firm groomers (LS marginal and MIFB pretty nice early – and got soft and better all day), light winds, felt cold, no crowds, not many riding REX, good smooth soft enough could be found, nasty bumpy frozen could be more easily found early….Big happy sun most of the day!

Long winded Report – Arrived early to chill out, good sized crowd in the base lodge for the WIFB comp going on this weekend, jumped onto the -1 CHex chair, got to the top of REX long before the first bucket today…pretty much groomer runs early with a few “wacky” pokes into BP’s and Memorial – didn’t repeat either till a lot later in the day. Found a nice easy “deep” area in the Pro Course area (and right of it) which led to a number of MIFB runs which was smooth and soft enough early to be fun (got way big soft slush by my last run down it around 2:30). Did a late morning run in Campbell Basin half way to the Throne (heard a lot of don’t go there comments from CD…), it was skiable between the bigger lumps…kinda like slalom skiing. Did a PB run skier rightish, nice top and pretty much dodging big lumps in the bottom half. Sun kept getting brighter and warmer…Took a late morning break at CB lodge and after that the slush cup was pretty much on. After a number of REX runs (SunnySide/Memorial/LS/MIFB) went out Kelly’s Gap to finish my day…soft enough in most places and very good on Lower E….walked past a totally empty Gondy…#1 had not shown up yet…so got my monthly ride in an empty bucket…nice to stand around in a bucket and look at the views. Finally really finished my day with a run down Upper/Middle/Lower Ferk – very nice soft non stop carving slush run. Big sunny for most of the day, nice soft slush could be found, great end of season kind of day. One month left.

Other – Had a really big bowl of Chicken Noodle at CB lodge (other soup was Triple C - #1 had a bowl). Pay lot was small and not full when we left, some over flow cars on the way to C lot…otherwise the parking lots were empty except for employees. Drive was end of season fast and happy…till we hit the lowland school bus zone.