Crystal - 03/07

Short Report - Wish I'd been at Crystal yesterday...oh I was! Today was not yesterday, lot more high clouds to filter the warm sun, air temps a lot higher, a lot more winds kept the real heat under control, early morning screamer nice groomers on LS and MIFB with nice packed still cold snow on north and west facing slopes, south facing was a very entertaining ice (only did the front traverse to Windy Pass to test that ice). Skied a number of groomers with #1 on FQex late morning, very nice and empty...did a PB early (still nice on the shady side) and a PB after lunch - still nice, but could already notice the warm temps impact on the snow quality....and it was very noticeable early afternoon on the REX runs I did...got very sticky in the flats (almost got to do a cartwheel - lucky didn't). Did a run down the gully between Memorial and SunnySide with HHH - it was just starting to get happy nice, but needed more traffic than I was willing to help supply (a few more snowboarders side slipping it would have been great). No crowds, no lift lines, no shuttle service for the far away parking lots...Still a very nice day on the slopes....ready to sleep in for tomorrows weather event and maybe the rumored powder frenzy on Friday also....

Wordy Report - See the short report....one note is that the rocks are really popping out right at the top of HC...not two bad, but the most I've noticed in a long time. Glad the Rock Coombas still work and enjoy skiing around them. Most fun off piste was GV Bowl skiers right, the fast groomers, PB also skiers right side and BP's after lunch was prime - but the bumps are really getting big.

Other - CB lodge was not good for me today...Minestrone Soup and no pizza - dang Miranda had the day off...oh well good for my wallet....so I had the other have of my home made breakfast sandwich and #1 gave me a little of her rice bowl (very good). Drive up and down was fast...actually had to stop at the road repair area while a toothpick tree was moved around (1 minute or two). Pay lot was reasonably sized and typically not full, two buses, cars parked in C lot and probably mostly employees in B. Twas a nice all in all, #1 enjoyed her groomer skis and got a lot of turns in and I was amazingly nice and skied a number of runs with her...

Lots of frozen glop, lots of underlying firmness. Surprisingly hard given the mid-30s temps at opening, but the early sun quickly petered out. Lots of good-but-firm grooming. Poked around and headed to Powder Bowl for its early opening. Even in the shade, icy lumps over a very firm base. But, not as bad as the disaster of Bear Pits. I think there was some soft snow over the sharp pyramid bumps - nothing over the skidded ice mid-run - and the now expected frozen glop over the oddly spaced icy bumps lower down. Headed North where the shade, and being closed mon/tuesday, kept smooth powder over the hidden bumps. Paradise skied ok. The lower chairline bumps had heavy untracked new over its huge bumps, and by ducking chairs, it was the first really fun run of the day. Northway Peak looked smooth and untracked. Just kidding, it was hiding some tricky firm things best not taken at speed. Lower down was fun as the bumps were too big to hide and you knew what was coming. As the sun came back out we ditched the coats. Now not sweating, 41°, the Valley Bowl came alive as the frozen glop softened and the bumps melted. Lapped Valley-Berg till the incoming weather blackened the sky again. Scary sticky snow in the flats. It'll be ugly with the refreeze.

Ken
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Lots of frozen glop, lots of underlying firmness. coats.
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In contrast, today's Mountain Report (12:20 pm): "Conditions are phenomenal both on and off piste right now, as we're still enjoying soft snow from the last few days."