Crystal - 12/26

Looked really grim this morning…was expecting to pay even more suffering dues for the group skiing on FQex, and that’s the way the day started. But on one of my old chair 5 line laps I see Dean setting up camp at the closed gate at REX…hhhmm…so what’s up? Oh Mr Kircher is in the shack pushing on his employees to open it up…Yee Haa, I got a first chair ride up REX at 10am. Did a couple of runs up in the valley before the winds really kicked up again, managed a couple on REX (Door4/Lucky Trees and Bearpits) before REX shut down again…looked like it would be a sad day. Was getting ready to bail and call today a half ski day around noon, but…Yee Haa again REX is up and running, the snow is dumping, met up with Ferd, he suggested a big deep run down Left Angle and then we did a lots of Doors, Breakover, Bearpits, Lucky Trees – when what else happens? People coming down PB!...So at 2:50 we race up to the top of 6 (very slowly on the chair rides and very very cold), get a run down PB to BP and up REX one last time at 3:25 for a Big E run finish! It was very nice. Snow improving all day. Will be lots of nice left over deep places. Might have to be totally irresponsible tomorrow. Trying to ignore some of the weather/wind forecasts on some other threads. ddk

Today at Crystal epitomized the saying, "It's better to be lucky than good."

First of all thanks to ddk for reporting that the upper mountain didn't open on Christmas.  We were trying to decide between Stevens and Crystal this morning and we decided to take our chances and see if we could get lucky on an upper mountain opening today at Crystal.

Due to late night partying on Christmas night we got a late start out of Seattle.  Didn't hit the lift line at the base until about 10:30.  Lucky us, it tuned out that REX was on wind hold until just before we got there.  We hopped on REX shortly after it opened and made the trip to the top.  The wind was pretty killer so we made a bee-line for Green Valley.

After couple good laps traversing underneath the Green Valley lift we were getting ready to pop back over to REX for some lines down the front side.  We were two chairs from boarding the lift when patrol stopped by and told us that REX was back on wind hold.  No worries, we just decided to keep lapping Green Valley.  Due to the wind and the fact that it was about noon lots of people were bailing from Green Valley and with REX down there was no one to replace them.

After a couple more laps I found myself in the Green Valley line explaining to some other skier that there was no possible way Northway would open today.  Not one minute later (as we were two chairs from boarding Green Valley again) patrol stopped by and announced that Northway was open.  Luckily no one ahead of us on the lift got the news!  We hauled ass over to Northway and got first tracks through gate 5 -- spectacular.  The snow on Northway was fantastic -- easily 12-18 inches depending on aspect and elevation with good quality due to the cold temps.  We lapped Northway more times than I can count.  Because REX was on wind hold people simply weren't able to get over to Northway.  No lift lines all day!

We stayed at Northway until they kicked us out at 3pm.  Fresh lines the entire time if you knew where to look.  Tomorrow will be another great day at Crystal.

In terms of stability things were pretty good.  Some sluffing but we weren't able to make anything slide.  Aspect made a huge difference in terms of snow quality.  There was serious wind transport (steady winds at 30 and gusts to 50 most of the day) and we had our best runs on north facing aspects along the ridge lines.

Again, thanks to ddk for setting us up for this awesome day.

Your very welcome...was wondering how good, good was out Northway today...figured it would be.

sounds killer, seriously good karma there. Jealous!

You forgot the sun came out around 2pm just about when high cambell opened! I heard the music like in indiana jones when the sun shines thru the staff of rah. My pupils dialated, I lost track of the inlaws and just put tracks skiers left of the HC chair until my legs went on strike. Earlier I triggered a mini slab sunnyside, it wasn't that big but it was deep and enuf to push me along until it slowed. I hadn't been back to Crystal in years so I was pretty impressed. I saw a few poor folks searching for poles and skis in all that deep snow, good luck. A couple people mentioned the gondola should be ready in a couple days - no idea how reliable they were. But it looked like they tested it off and on during the day because I saw it moving a few times.

I too was up and was the first person down ferks, skiers right was full of wind blown pow, over the knee. I then took the Darksides into Spookhill, simply the best turns of my life. The Best.

Looks like Crystal will have the Cab lift running by next Fri. it's all good.

Tue and Wed looks like a big one is going to hit the hills.

Good work by the Pros to get the hill open fast, they were North then South in a heart beat with no lunch. on the 25, they hiked up 6 in the hopes of getting the 6 to spin, but alas, the wind just was the winner that day. No fun climbing in waist deep snow, unless you think it's fun and they do. Hats off to the Pros.