Crystal - 12/14

Nice day all in all at Crystal, had someone else around to pick the next run, a little new most everywhere and a lot new in places. Great groomers (IceFerkBerk and Lucky). Still good things to be found out Northway (and I think there will be plenty of left overs tomorrow) – was good enough to make me do three runs out there – Ouch!. Lots of fun from M-World to mid Doors and Bearpits. Got lucky and checked the soup today – Yee Haa no more Roasted Tomato Ancho! Finally ran out, today Ched Broc – didtnt taste test, but got to do PB a couple of times since I was in the area. Finished the day with lots of REX chair line runs and a couple either side, fun and fast. Noticed that all the Amigos had left, so finished with a Exterminator Gondy line run! Still lot of deep soft pockets to be found – could have done it a few more times. Pay lot was typical, overflow of cars into C lot and front of B. No lift lines – duh! A little snow everyday is making things better and better. The forecast over the next week looks big. Might only have one more report from me – Monday? Then someone else is gonna have to fill in the happy/soup/parking reports till the end of the year. Have a big and Very Merry pow fest!

Nice to see ya ddk.
Got my two solo SB runs....they were great. SE trees and Pigs. Had to wait for the viz window.
It was lonely out there...nobody around.
Was hanging at out at the gondi base trying find somebody with BC gear so I could finish the day with a Deep North when ddk left at 2:00.
Nobody around so I gave up.
Went back up and Patrol had opened Eagles Nest at 2:00 PM ish so I dropped in there and got first tracks, boot deep all down the apron...superb. Berry Patch still has too much shrubbery.
The North facing stuff still excellent.

I had the rice bowl today.

Lots of variability today. Surprised by boot-top new instead of the advertised 1", we were encouraged. Some aspects had a skiable crystalline crust underneath, some smoother but harder ice. No way to tell what to expect of north, east, and south facing aspects, as some were good, some not so much. Biggest variable was the fog and need for skiing in the trees. The morning fog froze to your goggles requiring multiple wipes per run. Later, it was just thick. The breakable under-crust improved as it was skied and the new mixed in. The hard-skidded spots got skiddier. From Bear Pits to Northway, quite a lot of fun ensued. A crowd tomorrow might ski things out, but the expected snow later saturday and sunday, plus monday, will blend in great.
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Note: Ski Patrol calls the chute from Exterminator to Berry Patch Eagles Drop. I been told Eagles Nest is somewhere between Bull Run and Snake Pit.