Januayr 9,2008 Crystal

Sorry to say only lifts running were for Patrol evaluation. Had a nice walk from B lot, then skinned up Skid Road on fresh groom. Piston Bullys do put in great skin tracks. Worked my way up to Toilet bowl on Queens the dropped down CMAC for some very nice powder turns. Happy to report that management is committed to opening as soon as 410 opens. 411 is looking for Monday. The snow quality certainly suprised me after the weather pattern this past week. Guess I couldn't pick a better spot to be stranded. That is all.

LUCKY!!!
You're living the dream, stranded at a ski area!!!! JEALOUS I AM.
Have you got plenty provisions and booze or are we going to have to arrange an air drop for you?
Don't worry about running out of clean undershorts, just go without them like that guy in Vail!

You'd better go scouting again tomorrow....

I was worried that the snow might have turned to slop or concrete, but if you had pow turns on Cmac, then I guess all is not lost.

We need an idea of snow quality and quantity.... should I be waxing my pow skis or sharpening my skates?   

I had to show ID to prove that I live up in Greenwater to get past the DOT closure.
The road up is just heinous.
Water running across the road at a fast pace, good to clean the underside of the truck and windshields at the same time.
The Federation Forest got buried by mudslides, maybe the clearcuts above it in the summer were not a good idea ???
Mud on the road everywhere in the Federation Forest that will not go away anytime soon, so be careful.
The whole road on the opposite side of 410 approaching the Fed Forest-gone along with powerlines.
Power back in Greenwater as of last night.
Slides of trees and mud still need to be cleared on 410 past Greenwater.
There are water holes and exposed culverts gushing water off the hillsides on to the road still.
Hundreds of downed trees mostly removed from the road.
Lot of work crews on the road and the road is not plowed or de-iced, so it is best to watch your speed when going around icy corners because a work crew with 4 trucks could be on the other side.
The Silver Creek cabins at the base of Crystal access road is a real mess, many trees on cabins, last week a power truck working on the project had a tree downed on it!

Not all the crazy drivers come out of the city, some locals or Crystal temp employees up here like to tailgate and pass you in road closure areas. ???
So watch your speed when the highway opens, lots of mud still on the roads, holes and crap.

I was worried that the snow might have turned to slop or concrete, but if you had pow turns on Cmac, then I guess all is not lost.

We need an idea of snow quality and quantity.... should I be waxing my pow skis or sharpening my skates?   

Larry,
The powder will be over at the end of today according to the NWAC or can be avoided by some act of God. Skier compaction today BEFORE the warming and rain would be best. I suspect if you like to ski in the rain Sunday, warmer wax would be best.

They did groom the usual runs yesterday so that will help on piste. Off piste, is already variable powder and well, that will be muck I assume if it gets warm.
I will do a last minute inspection today for the team.