Crystal - 12/03

Pretty nice day, though started slow having to upload the Gondy again (for hopefully the last time this season – CHex was getting prepped for tomorrow), after getting to the top and a few slow running REX runs everything got happy. Light crowd, no real lift lines, cold filtered sun early and pretty much all day with some low hanging clouds. Fair winds blowing across the top kept things feeling cold. Hamster run for me was Sunnyside – many repeats with left over pillows of deep from yesterday. Lots of folks hiking up the Queen from Pow/Windy Pass, based on what I heard not much will be virgin clean tomorrow when HC starts spinning. Sounded like upper PB was wind impacted, lower down and in Campbell Basin were very (very) nice. Got to ski out to the base, doable but not fantastic, will get worse as the sunny days continue. Looks like both CHex and FQex (plus HC) will be running tomorrow, should make the crowded conditions (?) even less so. Quit extra early to do some chores and same some leg for tomorrow – still ended up with an extra 10k of hamster running. Fun day, cold but not to bad yet.

Other – Soup at the base was Chicken Enchilada with smoked Paprika again, got a sample today – pretty good, might have some tomorrow. Pay lot was mostly full of a big pile of snow again (and not much else), rest of A lot pretty full with some overflow down towards C lot. Groomers (if there are any) should be pretty nice tomorrow, Cats finally got out of the house and drove to the top. Should be another big day tomorrow with HC going off.

Really nice to get some steeper and bigger runs on the Frontside vs Green Valley . Really nice snow till afternoon, although every line had some areas that required some delicate sleuthing to find a line through the rocks and wood. Can't see it lasting till the weekend, as abuse of rock skies was required later in the day. Green Valley coverage is now really good except for the closed area between Grubstake and Snorting Elk. Snorting Elk's snow was the low point of the day. By mid-afternoon, things were setting up, and airing out the rocky areas grew tougher. I was surprised to never see the sun today. Some blue patches, but they never lined up with the sun,  and the clouds made it seem colder than the measured 10-12 degrees. Also surprised at how the snow thickened in the afternoon, not a good sign for C6 tomorrow. However, I'll have to check it out.

Don't know where ddk got the Chinook opening tomorrow, it would be nice, but CM and ski patrol say thursday. Looks like one more Gondy crowd to wade through.

Ken
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