Crystal - Jan 2, 2008

Lucked out and got up to Crystal before the road closure. it was slow going on the very slick road. Missed the first 70 minutes of skiing untracked blower, due to leaving 20 minutes late, and the slow traffic.

But it was one of the best all time days at Crystal.....skiing on 98mm waist skis, was still getting constant face shots on a few aspects in thigh to chest deep snow, notably southern ones like Bull and the chair side of 6. Patrol had gotten some movement here and there, but all in all, felt reasonably stable considering the 24 new on top of manky rain affected stuff on top of more light stuff. about 24" of new by the time it quit snowing at the end of the day. Temps were in the single digits up top, which maintained the quality of the snow, which was fabulous.

Re the snow stability, I spoke with a friend (lifelong Crystal skier-his dad pioneered avalanche dog programs) who had been hosed on Hamburger Hill under the Throne---carried down a fair ways, tumbled, lost both skis and a pole, but was able to extricate himself. His partners didn't witness the fall, so might not have been able to help extricate him had he needed it. They were carrying avy gear.

Taking rest day today, may ski tomorrow and Monday..hoping the predicted warming is benign.

What an amazing turnaround to a dry, late start. Crystal has had about 182 inches of snowfall, most if not al in just three weeks!! that's dang close to a record month for them (Baker's is about 325....)

Definitely some of the deepest, over-the-head, choking-on-snow, wish-i-had-my-snorkel powder I've seen at crystal. Towards the end of the day it started to set up and got really heavy and difficult to ski, and I wished I had some super fat rockered skis. I had some great runs early in the day off of Green Valley, REX, and Chair 6.


Was anyone else in line for Chair 6 when five different skiers set off five different slides below the throne? Nothing too big, but pretty spooky nonetheless.

I would like to echo all the above... WOW! Faceshots and Whiteroom conditions most of the day.

Here is a video I shot of Snow Bell's buddy Jeff skiing a chute in Snorting Elk bowl after hiking above the green valley lift. Sorry no pics, could only be convinced to break out the camera just this once. Too much pow skiing to stop and take pics.



Chris

It was. in a way,  better than the day in 95 (I think it was) when it snowed 65" in 24 hrs, and 93" in 48 in 48 hrs.....of much lighter snow.....as....
That day, Bull, Exterminator, and Deer Fly were the only open runs steep enuf to get down. It was about 5 degrees, and snowing 3-6 an hour all morning, adding to the  36" new when  the hill opened. Young Keith R and Wayne G were waiting in line at REX. I told 'em it wouldn't open and followed some kids on their way to Bull....they were slow, so I ended up breaking trail much of the way, which took a good 30min in the ever deepening onslaught. Just as I got to the breakoverr, Gil Haines and Jim Bison blew by me, said thanks, a nd scored first tracks, the bums!  I was winded, and promptly fell over after a coupla turns. Came back around, and the boys were still in line. Of course it never opened, never came close...patrollers and Robert Bartsch, head cat driver told stories of skiing/driving down, being scared of being hosed off.
It was 2-3 days later before the top opened. By then it had warmed and changed to mank.

Best storm ever for me was Dec 5-7 1980......48-60" of fluff all over the hill....the first day was a Friday. Most of the time we were submerged to our chests or deeper. But it was so light, you could ski anything, as long as it was about Iceberg steepness. Saw a friend go under twice.....



...then there was the storm. in '82 that.....

Here is a video I shot of Snow Bell's buddy Jeff skiing a chute in Snorting Elk bowl after hiking above the green valley lift.

Chris

Well done! Speedy guy!!

One chute skier's left of Grubstake Peak??

I did a Northway Peak summit chute...but it was on firm "styrafoam", having been both bombed and wind scoured.

Well done! Speedy guy!!

One chute skier's left of Grubstake Peak??

I did a Northway Peak summit chute...but it was on firm "styrafoam", having been both bombed and wind scoured.

not sure where the true peak is, but it is the first good chute you see when peering down into the bowl just a bit left after the hike up. Good pow there, not yet windblasted or scoured. It was more important to be one of the first few down, I did not ski it and instead headed back down into green valley environs. Did not want to be the third

Yeah, the other chutes near northway looked good at first but surely must have been windpacked as the wind was howlin over there later in the day.

Glad to be a part of the epic Crystal day, hopefully this is not the best of the season.

Chris