Crystal - 01/23

Finally got around to getting a TAY account. By way of introduction, I'm the other blue coat, black fanny pack skier on the mountain besides DDK. For Joedabaker, one point of clarification. It's a lumbar pack. Fanny pack is so 70s.

OK, enough intro. Checked the weather data this morning only to find strong east winds. Hmmm, that won't be good to soften the snow on the front side. But, it was going to be a clear day, so up we went. As reported, strong ESE winds, plus the cooler temperatures had things pretty frozen in the morning. Luckily, Green Valley continues to ski well. Firm, but nicely edgeable. Iceberg was very nicely groomed and skied well, so lots of GV/IB round trips. Of note, Green Valley chair was down for an hour or so first thing due to a mechanical problem. Once it started up, we were able to add some variety in our runs. Lucky Shot was not groomed and only did one trip that way. Decided to venture a run to the bottom down Kelly's Gap. Sluceway was nice and soft and lower E was soft in places, but a lot of rock and shrub dodging. Around noon, the lower half of Sunnyside softened because it was somewhat sheltered from the wind, so many GV, road, lower Sunnysides ensued. The coverage overall remains good, but another week or so with no snow will either put me back on the rock skis or turn my good skis into rock skis (the latter most likely).

Chair 6 was not running again today in favor of Northway. Not sure of the logic as turning into the bottom of PB from windy pass revealed edgeable styro snow. Is Crystal trying to save the snow for the larger week-end crowds? Hopefully, it will be running tomorrow.

As usual, the pay lot was sized for double the number of cars actually parking in it. Very light crowds today and the bottom lodge closed for food at 11am again today.

way to show initiative.
b

Yeah, what CD said.

It's not gonna last long as warm temps and crowds chew it up. Grooming Luckyshot and opening Six would make a huge difference.

Ken

Ken
+

Is Crystal trying to save the snow for the larger week-end crowds?

This looks like a good spot to submit my ultra-late weekend warrior report from last Saturday. Crowds, what crowds? Skiing was mostly good and no lines worth noting. Lots A-E including pay lot were full but no lines! I will be checking it out again this Saturday and taking those PB runs.

I can't make heads or tails out this report, how was Grubstake, without runs being compared to the bedrock of a ddk report how is the lay reader to know what is going on up there.No animals were harmed in this "trip report" not a hamster not even an ant, without a reference to a rodent or insect snow quality is just unquantifiable.And while I appreciate your comments on unused parking spots, I sit down to read these reports with my soup spoon in my hand. .....It takes more than a blue jacket and a fanny ,I mean lumbar pack, to fill in for DDK............it was solid first effort......but a couple of hamsters short of the master.

Thanks for the trip report, there is hope. Sounds like Sat is shaping up for some good boarding. Sticking to brown bag or Chili @ the Elk so not too worried about soup report for me.