Crystal - 02/03

Get ready full blown marketing report coming – oh what a minute, I don’t get paid by marketing….so what were the only good things about today? It was CD’s first ski day after leaving the 9 to 5 crowd – that made up for most of the rest of today – happy to celebrate that first day. But gotta say everything else about today (other than the big sunny blue sky views) was pretty brutal, groomers were not spectacular – other than out NW! how odd best on the mountain, but not so much fun getting to them. Best of the north facing runs we did were SnortElk and Greenvalley bowls, PB was not so perfect today (hopefully the weekend crowd will smooth it out). Lots of straight line high speed runs today before the crowds slowed and scrapped things off. No lift lines but the parking lots (except the Pay lot – sorry) had a fair number of cars and buses. Only passed by Campbell Basin lodge once, so never had the time to check out the soup specials today – sorry again. Big east cold winds kept the slopes pretty firm – some slight warming slush in a few places. Glad I’m not getting up tomorrow morning for the Saturday crush. Today might have been one of the low points for ski quality this season, but at least there was some fun company.

Not much but ice of differing varieties today. Luckily a good crowd of ski buds helped get through it all with mostly high speed groomer fun. Agree with ddk except: Powder Bowl was beyond "not perfect" and just barely above "just get me down". I didn't see any softening, just some piling of shaved ice that provided some cushioning and traction over the skidded underlayment. If the wind had stopped, it woulda been soft in half an hour. Once the wind shuts down, the now-consolidated snow will soften and be great.

+

Great day in the hills with the son *turns 35 soon) and wife, one lap in GV and we dipped the Darksides into spook hill, found some chalk and we lapped North all day, The grooming out North was great, (used to say the powder was), but hey, it's 2012 and they groomed North from top to bottom, if you wanted it. We found it perfect, the wife likes to see her skis and we don't. any way great day in the hills. Crystal is skiing very good.