December 14, 2008 Sunday at Crystal Mtn

Sunday... well, I didn't spend all day there - just a few hours.

Treacherous driving up and back down. Packed ice, cars in the ditch... ended up behind the slowest car - 30 mph. Ok, I wasn't in a hurry. I changed to my studded tires on Friday - the only way to go.

First, it was cold, biting cold. I got up there about 11:00 am, parking lots were full but there were no lift lines. Everybody made a few runs and huddled into the lodges. I was testing out a new Arc Teryx hard shell and discovered that it has no insulation value at all. I had on a sturdy turtle neck shirt and a good fleece under the shell - not quite good enough. I needed another layer. Morning temps were posted on the net at about 7 degrees.

Snow was good, snow was not so good... enough to ski on. However, had to watch for rocks and I think I saw a stump under the snow. Some of the best parts were where there was no grooming and untracked. I could jam my pole basket about 28 inches down into the snow.

CMAC steep was knarly bumpy with steep drops - very good where it wasn't scraped.

Of course the terrain needs a lot more fill in. Traversing ditches and mounds, marked with wands.. Some deep features like on Queens where the stream gulley comes out from Elizabeth Lake - marked off.

With just adequate visibility, I didn't want to go to fast. After a handful of runs, my old knees were just starting to feel it and with nasty weather closing in, I decided I had enough for my first installment on the season pass. I was pleased with my ski moves. It felt good to ski.

I don't normally ski on the weekend, and this weekend reminded my as to why. I won't go into the normal droll about snowboarders... weekend crowds are just irritating. Crystal has almost no parking supervision... I had parked in the middle of the lower lot - B and idiots were blocking cars by parking three deep.. And... there was plenty of parking space. It was just lunacy and bad Crystal management. I guess that is allowed on a weekend.

Well... we need more snow. And we'll probably get it.

Altasnob and I also had our way with crystal today and it was fantastic! I went in expecting nothing and got alot in return. Rocks and low snow prevailed, but the snow was deep, light and a joy to ski!Only a few scrapes, and they were all worth it. Feels good to ski blower powder again. Faceshots were not uncommon and we managed to get the first tracks down snorting elk and hiked up to the northway chair and had a few great runs off the shoulder there down to the greeen valley lift. We even managed a good run down exterminator with face shots most of the way down until we encountered the low snow and treetops poking thru lower down. All in all a great day out. My legs were cashed before 2. Lets hope it fills in much more, soon!

Oh yeah, forgot to mention it was cold! Beginnings of frostbite on both Jay and my cheeks, it is now just a bit red. I being from the east coast, and having skied many near zero like days on the was happy to see people in the lodge warming themselves as we lapped Snorting elk. I sure am glad I live here now!

Bring on the snow!

Oh, sorry no pics, vis was in and out and the skiing was too much fun to stop. Having opened Green Valley and Rex really made a difference. Also, looked like they were prepping the Northway chair for a possible opening.

Chris

Yea - I think today at Crystal may have been Top 3 on my coldest days list - up there with windy days at Cannon and Wildcat NH.  I picked a poor day to try out my "lightweight" gear (or a good day from a testing standpoint). My punishment for being lazy and getting lift-accessed goods was the chairlift is much colder than hiking
The one good thing about the cold though was the snow was wicked light at least

As someone who goes a lot on weekends taking kids to race etc. (though reluctantly) I'd say it was as much like a weekday as I've ever seen on a Sunday. No lines at all. It was BLOODY cold though.

Thigh deep powder all over even though my legs were pretty much cooked by lunchtime.

I went today, Monday, December 15. The upper mountain was on wind hold (32 mph average at 9 am). Brutally cold in single digits all day.

The snow was of the highest quality--light-- squeaky when compressed. The big problem was that there is not enough of it and there are exposed rocks every where. Even on the groomers exposed rocks were unavoidable. Bad news for skis. They need more snow badly.

Not many people. Latter in the afternoon borders were climbing above Campbell Lodge for freshies.

Lenticular clouds forming over Norse Peak at the end of the day.

More base needed yesterday, but OH what ice-cream-headache face shots....The 3 Ellises and I skied almost all day. Highlight was 3 runs off Chair 6; we skinned right of the chair to the ridge for the first one before 6 was opened and got the open shots down to Forest Queen.