December 25, 2012, Crystal Christmas

Yum.

Susan and I decided to see what a ski Christmas would be like.

First time inbounds at Crystal for me. If every day is like that, I'm buying a pass. No lines, and knee-deep snow to be found on the last run of the day. Susan noticed that Northway had opened, and we found first tracks for a long while.

A very merry Christmas indeed!

And, never sure of its relevance, but the soup was clam chowder.

Yum is right. Glad you found goodness. Christmas Day is usually light on traffic. Wait till tomorrow ! Skipped DDKs favorites, but was told PB&J were nice. Did laps on Grub when it opened at noon, then moved to North and gate 9 for a** deep fresh. I can't comment on the soup, boycotting Campbell Basin due to coffee refill policy. Guess it must be a tough year in the ski biz, first a 16 cent price increase, then no refills. At least Starbucks only charges .55 for a refill, and the product is much better. End of Rant Must rest for dawn patrol.

I skied with the girl whom I have been turning with since 1966 and turn we did. Got the Gondi up and bailed with head down against the E wind ( not seeing that 3 was down) and we slid into the Elk for some very soft turns in total solitude.The wife asked if three was running and then realized then and only then that's why we had the whole gut to ourselves, good skiing and sweet peaceful skiing and we would gap out. the gap was just as sweet and only then did we see another skier. We headed over to the Queen side for some out of the wind skiing and for Diane to get some laps in as it was her fist day up this year. Great snow and great turns and great to ride the lift with the one I love.

...Crystal's marketing department does it again!...here is what their mobile site was showing me at 8:40 a.m. on Tuesday morning...I was in the lodge and can attest that Gondy, NW, 6, GV were not running...nonetheless, untracked was abundant in all my stashes...it snowed so hard in late morning that our tracks through Bear Pits were filled in 2X...quite a day, week and month...Ho Ho Ho...

Not content with no lift lines and free refills the Powder Clown Posse went DEEP.
Snow was inner thigh deep, surface sluffs where huge and bordering on Class 1.5 but running fairly slow so point 'em was the order of the day.

Then back to the resort for lift served goodness.

Proper North was line snaked and skied untracked because the tourists didn't commit soon enough, but they took it well and we gave them a lift back to the base.

A pocket was released on a hoar frost layer in rightside side of O's.

Kircher's vegetable garden was skied and we got the last gondola of the day.