January 15, 2009 Crystal Mtn.

Thursday - Kind of a strange day skiing......

The air was warm, but the snow was frozen.  I dressed normally, because I felt that I didn't really know what it was going to be like.   There were warm currents of air wafting through the trees.... smelled like Spring.

But the snow was still pretty frozen and had to stay to the groomers.  When I tested what would look like about five inches of sideline pow, I got frozen snow... dissappointing.   Even when trying a steep, south facing, ungroomed slope, it was concrete heavy chop.

The groomers had skier chopped sluff with frozen plate underneath.  I believe the overnight temps were in the 40's, so I expected a lot more softening.  I heard that Iceberg was softened. 

I aways seem to enjoy lower Bull Run, when everything else is difficult and today proved the case.  Of course it helps to have a beer waiting for me at the Snorting Elk.

I got so hot... opening vents, unzipping everything and stashing gloves.   When I got to the Elk for lunch, I stripped down to my upper base layer and drank a quart of water and a beer.  It started to cool down about 2:00pm, as the sun started to sink.

Moving from bright sun into the shade left me skiing blind for about five seconds.   When we drove down into Enumclaw it was strangely dark and foggy.  I think we were in the upper warm layer of a temperature inversion and it was incredibly warm.  It was a very pretty day, but we need winter to bring us some fresh snow.

Fresh grooming would be nice to smooth out the groomers.  The departure point at the top of Forest Queen Lift was a mogul field by the end of the day. 

Not much of a crowd, parking in Lot A.  Felt alone on the slopes at 3:00pm. 

Larry,
Good to hear your weekly report again.
I knew there was something missing in the New Year

Mid January doldrum ice used to be the norm around Crystal, but recent seasons had us skiing reasonable powder. With the sun at such a low angle there are more shaded slopes compared to Feb or March. The daytime temps need to get well into the 50's with lighter winds to really get the corn in Jan.
January traditionally is when the racers and their gates really shine!
To bad it is so tough on my aging weary knees :'(

I got a late start after running some errans; didn't think I wanted to make the hour and forty-five minute drive to gamble on deadly conditions for the second time this week, especially after experiencing death-ice on Tuesday. 

After silently deliberating with myself about whether or not to hit the hill or take the dog for a walk, I elected for the former and quickly threw the shred-stick atop the Ru' and hit the road at 11am with the idea that I'd get to the hill at the peak of the sun-soaking.  Excellent decision, despite the guilty-glare cast upon me by the mut prior to departing; the Kong will keep him busy...

Made good time, despite getting popped by a State Trooper on 410, right after Mud Mountain; got out of it due to my near flawless driving record... (sigh)  : 

Conditions were great!  Still pretty hard, however the sun rejuvenated the groomers enough to allow an edge.  Spooky fast once again, but at least there was something to dig into in order to kill the ludicrous-speed, unlike Tuesday.  Had a good time surfing the slushy moguls atop Upper Ferks and speed-balling down Luck Shot... Took off at 3pm in order to beat rush-hour traffic. Contemplated the apparent atmospheric science quandary of inversion spoken off by LT, given the clear skies at the hill and the dense fog layers through Enum'scratch...

We definitely need some pow-patterns to make their way in, soon!  I've got to say that it's nice to get these spring-like days in this early in the season because you know the goods are on the way...