Dec 28, 2010 Crystal Mountain scene

Hit lot B by 845. Organized and fairly effecieint ticket window. Then the big lines started. Snow was heavy and quickly tracked out. Tracked out cement was less than ideal and frankly pretty sub-par compared to what we have been skiing over the last 10 days.
This year over last, much better management of the Forest Queen Lift line, props to whoever figured that out. Was annoyed by the lifitie/mountain employee who cut to the front of the line and rode Rex solo while a line of a couple hundred customers waited in line, pretty poor form. I am all for giving priority, but not to ride a quad solo, in his defense, the Rex lifties should have prevented that, but they seemed otherwise occupied and not paying attention.
Left at about 11:00, after skiing 3 runs and standing in a lot of lines. Left to go home and move a dirt pile in the yard as it promised to be more fun.. and it was. Better to take the loss on the lift ticket then continue. Ticket line-up was backed up to the Elk at 11 AM.
On another note, the gondola appears to be a placeholder for an actual gondola to be installed later, rumor has it this one is made of cardboard and was installed solely for internet marketing and bragging rights. Guys at the ticket window did not try to up-sell me on the "enhanced ticket."

It remains the best working looking gondola in the state.

Ha, pretty funny good report JD...glad I wasnt doing the dirt pile thing with you....glad I didnt show up in the B lot at 8:45...

My version of today...maybe not a lot better, but other posts will follow...

Big day, big crowds (biggest lift lines this season at times in places before noon), but during the afternoon REX line was pretty perfect, just right for lots of easy runs off the front side, even GV was okay and when I did my last big run off High Campbell down PB/BP – all was perfect. Looked like the cable splice on the Gondy was progressing. Pay lot made an attempt to show up today, the rest of the lots looked packed down to the E lot. Snow was a lot heavier than yesterday, but still good if you got first tracks and after some lines got skied out – the snow right now will provide good rock coverage. ddk

Once the freezing fog cleared out, the snow was quite nice.  Not so nice were the lift lines.  Luckily the Rex crowd went in for burgers at noon and left us the middle of the mountain with excellent packed powder.  Looked like any extra employees were helping with the gondola cable splice, not keeping Rex running.  Great snow that packed in to cover most of the wind-exposed rocky areas.
More: web.me.com/snowind/Winter/Kkz_Ski_Blog/E...DiscoverLa_Ninã.html
Kkz

Great day, good time had by all, skipped the early fog on the front side and enjoyed whipped cream on Willies, Left Angle trees was ignored by the masses and skied very well, bit of congestion on Chinook, folks need to keep moving and not get so wound up with who they ride with. 6 was good for Throne laps, not too many were willing to invest in a 10 min walk for suburb snow. Headed out South and got sucked in by the untouched in A Basin and DFF on the way out. In my limited view it pays off to be a contrairian, head out for the areas most folks pass up. Get the low hanging fruit early in the day then leave the masses to fight among themselves. Heard a rumor about a TAY pajama party in Campbell Basin on New Years Eve, anyone have details ? That is all.

That cement had me pooped out... I only barely lasted to the end of the day. Campbell was good in the morning despite lines... Not the best day.

Like mentioned the crowd was enormous, snow OK, and the lifts kept moving for the most part, with the typical delay here and there. Good business for the mountain this holiday season!
I can't understand some customers who feel the need to regulate everything this holiday season. One guy got heated when the line on REX cooled at 11:30 and I matched up with some people in the line instead of using the singles line, as he said "It's the rules, you have to use the singles line!" Huh  ???
Went to get a hot chocolate and topped the cocoa off with coffee and another consumer was giving me guff for mixing products and buying it as a hot chocolate Huh  ???
The other day, Late in the day 2pm I parked in the paid lot to ski a couple runs in the afternoon. Everyone was leaving, I parked and a dude comes up and asks that I put up my parking pass. I asked if he was the parking attendant, he said no just a customer, and I said why do you care what I do?  ???
Is it just me doing what I always do, suddenly getting regulated by the public.
The holiday business is good for the mountain, just getting tired of the democrat minded customers that think they need to regulate every move people do.
Can't wait until next week for the adult swim to begin again.