Crystal - 02/19

It snowed all day. Everything was great, even after it got cut up. Nice to have the snowpack back which opened up some lines that have been unskiable this year. Once the glut of skiers at the bottom uploaded, really no crowds to speak of, except C6. Caused us to avoid it until late in the day when the line was 10 minutes. It skied just like the rest of the mountain. Really fine. Really, really fine.

And the other info that you will not read anywhere else (thankfully, plus to many words based on CD’s report) – Arrived extra extra early just in case the crowds showed up again, got some nice social time with the lift opps prepping around CHex, line up did occur, looked pretty big from my solo first CHex chair, the line up for the Gondy looked big, and they were not loading yet. Got to the top of REX and still no full buckets! Yee Haa! First tracks down SunnySide, deep and fun with great vis. REX line was bigger with first time folks, but it was moving okay, REX was running kinda slow early. Couple nice runs in M-World. Should have gone other places, but being a lazy hamster. Snow great, nice and cold, not to much wind, crowds dispersed – though I heard HC line up was kinda big when it opened. Went that way around 11am, saw a line up, decided to check the soup in CB lodge – next big winner! Got the last big full of noodles, chicken, vegys Chicken Noodle soup – life is good. Did a run down E late morning and to finish the day, should have gone earlier but it was still pretty nice. Most of my runs were from M-World to all the Doors (very nice) to BP’s. If Mr Eskinmo and Joedabaker where nice TAY folks they would post some comments they mentioned to me about where they went – I’ll be nice to them and not comment, though it did sound pretty nice. Got a nice PB run around 1:30 with a small HC lift line (small enough anyway). Finished with another E run to pretty much toast my quads.

Other – Soup, did I mention Chicken Noodle in CB lodge? Others were Calf. Medley and Butter Nut Squash. A lot full including 7 or so buses, C lot full of a lot of single row pakaring, B lot ¾ full at least? Buried cars in D and E lot. Nice pleasant drive home at 3pm. Don’t know where all the folks driving all those cars were today. Not on REX anyway. Great day, great snow, pretty epic I think a lot of folks would say. Heard that even very tall folks were getting face shots!

Not a bad run today. Snorting Elk to Bear Pits, nothing but piles of shit-eating grins (once you cleaned the snow off faces). Getting first tracks into Bear Pits when they opened the gate was probably the high point. The snow is deep and light, even once tracked. So light that when a slightly submerged treetop took my ski, there was no resistance to slow down. 5 minutes of chest deep climbing gained me 3 feet of the 40 I needed. Luckily a kind soul appeared and skied it down. Also heard a scary tale from a snow boarder that high-sided into a tree well yesterday. And just now    
Be careful out there.

Patrol reported heli-bombing in Northway at 12:30. Will be the good if it opens tomorrow.

Had to get coffee this morning (up since 2:15am) and saw the chicken noodle sign. Knew ddk would be in celery and carrot heaven. But, letting us down, no base soup or kabob shack report?

Ken
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Very sad ending to an otherwise perfect day. Deepest condolences.
Saw/felt some scary tree wells, be very careful out there everyone!

Also heard a scary tale from a snow boarder that high-sided into a tree well yesterday. And just now    
Be careful out there.
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Was the snowboarder perhaps the one that went head in on Sunnyside? I was motoring through yesterday when I saw a board laying crosswise at the base of a tree. It looked like an odd place to me for someone to take their board off for a break so I slowed down. When I noticed the boots I knew it was bad. Needless to say, I took my board off and started climbing up the hill towards the tree yelling as loud as I could so the person (who was not moving) in the tree well could hear me. I briefly paused before reaching-in to debate calling medics but dug instead. Told the guy I was digging his face out and kept asking if he could breathe and finally got to his mouth. Helped him get his board off only to have him lecture me on what I should do if I ever find myself in his situation.

My response was that I had been, and that my partner dug me out and that perhaps he should avoid the trees (especially if riding solo) the rest of the day.

I took one last run to shake off the bad mojo and headed home.

Needless to say - it's deep and fun but super dangerous out there. Be careful, folks. I like reading your trip reports.