Crystal - 12/30

Great day, maybe not big (only a couple of inches new), but big views and big sun all day, some big crowds apparently in places (lucky I missed those running single today), big early nice groomers for that crowd (only did IceFerkBerg first run then pretty much off piste the rest of the day). Lots of PB and BP runs, both great, though the rocks on the very top of HC are getting nasty already (how many feet of new snow over the last two weeks?). Enough new snow and sun heat to make the front side of REX and HC chairs pretty fun, but both might be pretty crunchy tomorrow early. Some short lines on REX late morning, but empty during the afternoon. Finished the day with a nice lazy Exterminator run with CD. Soups were Black Bean and Black Bean (huh?). Parking lots all full with some cars in F lot (ouch). Views from Canada to Oregon. Lots of very happy people suffering the nasty conditions. Ready for more the rest of this week.

Views were BIG!
Wives were deposited under the caring embrace of Forrest Queen and then PNWBrit( Banned), Oftpise, Fred and I headed out South. Snow was even better than yesterday and seemed to have dried out overnight.
Long skin back into the area where Fred and Oftpiste left us but we went for another lap.
Decided to exit via 410. That was the first bad decision and we made several more until we started making good decisions because we had to.
We got lost, ended up in a terrain trap, had to do some mountaineering sans skis to get out of the predicament we had got ourselves into but we got out.
Great day.
Think I'm going to stay in-bounds tomorrow until the memory of the bushwhacking subsides a bit.

After nearly a month of snow, fog, and powder, today was something completely different. The crowd quite enjoyed the radiant heat and visibility but mostly kept to Forest Queen and Chair 3. Frontside runs in the sun, perfect chalk in the shade (read Powder Bowl, Paradise Bowl, Horseshoe Cliffs/Paradise Chutes, Northway Bowl, Bear Pits, Employees Housing) made for an excellent day. We had no line all day on Rex, Northway, or Six. Sunny aspects got baked just enough to crisp up and be "interesting" tomorrow. Hood-to-Baker views were spectacular. Never saw ddk's lines or nasty conditions, but I'll be back tomorrow to look.
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I have been standing on skis with this girl since 1968 and today was the best hero snow we have ever skied. We stayed North the whole day to beat the GV line early and when the game started all of the 12 man type folks flocked to the bars, we lapped all the runs we wanted and tried to gap out to beer at the Elk only to sit outside (witched we wanted to do anyway) The hill is in good shape right now.
Getting ready to ski with my son in the am, pickets, deadman, ice axe, crampons, rope, harness, check, who raised this kid anyway. he can break trail like a snow plow and as a former guide and patroller, I feel like I'm in good hands. but I hate it when he says "compass, sumpass, who need a compass, it's a valley, right?" It's always good to be in the hill with these two people and what a great way to end 2012

...Never saw ddk's lines or nasty conditions, but I'll be back tomorrow to look.
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Either incredibly lucky on the lines or the stand around tolerance is getting better....nasty conditions - sarcasm? Maybe? hhmmm

Damn, sorry I missed that second lap! Next time you call me from out there leave a message willya!

Views were BIG!
Wives were deposited under the caring embrace of Forrest Queen and then PNWBrit( Banned), Oftpise, Fred and I headed out South. Snow was even better than yesterday and seemed to have dried out overnight.
Long skin back into the area where Fred and Oftpiste left us but we went for another lap.
Decided to exit via 410. That was the first bad decision and we made several more until we started making good decisions because we had to.
We got lost, ended up in a terrain trap, had to do some mountaineering sans skis to get out of the predicament we had got ourselves into but we got out.
Great day.
Think I'm going to stay in-bounds tomorrow until the memory of the bushwhacking subsides a bit.