Crystal - 1/14

A 2.7 out of 3 day. A very similar day to Friday, but a slight increase in score because the east winds weren't as cold and we got some sun warming on the slopes.

After yesterday's calm winds and warm temps, we were excited for a spring like day. Unfortunately, those pesky east winds returned. They weren't as bad as Friday and we didn't need our coats zipped to the goggles. GV skied better than Friday being really nice chalky snow. The groomers were fast and carvable in the morning and softened around 11:30. My one trip down Showtime on the front side was a no-repeat unfortunately. Just not enough softening. So, onto the rodent wheel of Valley-Berg and Valley-Berg-Lower Bull. Never made it up C6 or into BP. Due to late afternoon plans, we had an early departure after exceeding the CD reference vert. Too bad, would have been a nice day to stick around a little longer and enjoy the sun. Hopefully, we'll get one more sunny day tomorrow before the weather starts to turn.

On a side note, Chinook had problems in the morning after we uploaded and REX, GV, and gondie were all running at 2/3 speed all day. Most operators had no idea and one blamed it on the wind. Huh? They were running full speed on Friday (except the gondie) with stronger winds. The new owners need to get on top of this as there has been more chair impact thus far this season than I can remember in the last several years.

And more words and opinions - Aaaaahhhhhh - Big question day. Gonna be warm? Gonna be cool wind impacted? Take light sunny gear...or luckily pack like normal and normal gear worked just fine today. Almost got warm a couple of times (bottom of REX and HC), but the winds on the ridge tops and all the high speed screamer groomers (well a few LS and lots of MIFB) just don't make you all that warm). Nice quiet early load on CHex (other than the mommy with her two little girls in tu tu's that caused major second chair screw up and also a few minute stop? why? hhhmmm). Other than the early issues and the lifts on the upper mountain all running at HC speed pretty much all day...Think REX could have run faster since the winds where straight up the chair line, no chairs swinging (maybe new owner power saving). No lift lines all day anywhere I was and I was the only person riding HC all morning - looked busier early afternoon in PB based on a pack skiing it. Great hamster treadmill day for me, the K2 EXP's were skiing very nicely - did lots of GV/MIFB early, then some PB/LS happy runs and what I should have done more often was PB/BP! PB was great wind groomed smooth in the middle of the Bowl and everywhere else just plain nice chalky bumps ( as was BP's and GV bowl!) Finished the day with lots of GV/MIFB runs (MIFB was great grooming from the start, nice and carveable and nice and spring soft in the afternoon). Lots of rocks on top of the Queen required side stepping for about 20 ft or so and then drop into happy PB - for me skiers right of the main spine - few bumps and then just primo fast screaming wind groomed smooth. Did a number of runs with #1 (when we finally connected), strong and happy day for her! Maybe another tomorrow.

Primo day - If I did the QF/CD 3 point scale...I'd go for 9's. Big views from Baker to the Olympics to Rainier to St Helens all the way to Adams and Hood and everything in-between. Big sun, big nice cooling winds, no crowds - kinda private ski area conditions.

Other - Soup at CB lodge was that vegy thing (minestrone), I had a marginal piece of pizza. Empty lodges, with significant cut backs on what was available for eating (still lots of beer), lack of employees? or maybe not enough weekday cash flow - rumors sound like lots of week day cut backs?

Other other - Pay lot nicely sized early and relatively full, some cars in B and C. Drive up and down was pretty pleasant.

Elk on the way up. Nice drive both ways on 410. Coming through Seattle with no Alaska Way Viaduct was noticeably worse.

Visibility- 1.0 it doesn't get any better
Crowd - 1.0. Pretty empty
Snow - 0.7 Limited areas with good skiing. but those areas were nice. Powder Bowl, Green Valley Gondy Face

2.7/3

Nice running into DDK and Number One in the Campbell Basin Lodge

7/10 seems high for *snow* considering this certainly includes grooming and shavings into the scoring matrix. 
it doesn't seem to leave room for the different varieties or volumes of *fresh* snow that are available on other scoring days.
just my opinion and of course i'm no judge. skiing is fun

7/10 seems high for *snow* considering this certainly includes grooming and shavings into the scoring matrix. 
it doesn't seem to leave room for the different varieties or volumes of *fresh* snow that are available on other scoring days.
just my opinion and of course i'm no judge. skiing is fun

  Good point!  But Pow Days are a whole diff scale.  My 9's probably overly happy marketing!