Crystal tax day

...after mailing my tax return, i pointed my wheels toward crystal with a couple amigos on board, lamenting all the way -- which skis do I use today: skinny or fatty? -- the debate was solved as snow was spotted on the ground at greenwater -- and then hanging off the trees on the boulevard -- and then snow in the lots --  arriving at 8:30...lots B and C were empty -- so it was a tough call to park in the front rows of A lot.. the debate yielded up my Rossi S7s (original version) and by the time the gondy started turning at 9, the lift line was up past the locker room and around the corner by the outdoor terrace...once atop it was game on as the hamster wheel started turning. 

6-10" had settled in here and there with ski where you wanted conditions (well, terrain was limited to Snorting Elk Bowl and Green Valley) -- the goods were everywhere early, then as the blue sky sun heated the mountain, shaded areas ruled -- until the sun disappeared behind the clouds and the hill cooled -- then you could ski everywhere again (at ease) as the soft snow began the process of firming up...

but anyway, kept circling through the ridge between Green and Snort -- it seemed like a lot of traversing to only nail 8-10 solid, linked powder turns each run, then cutting right around the bend into the hidden meadow (but not hidden at all today)  -- numerous safety meeting were being held and the entire mountain felt safe...

gotta hand it to the resort for keeping the chairs turning and the snow groomed.  i must say that crystal's new groomers do a nice job -- now they figured out how to overlap each pass of corduroy without leaving that nasty 1 inch difference in height...today's groomers were screamers and even more fun when my 117mm S7s carved when i told them do and then smeared when i told them do to that -- great fun was spent mixing up carving and smearing turns in the same line -- and then practiced cutting the crud with my uphill leg -- that exercise builds muscle memory and make centrifugal turns a whoot!  WOOF!

lots of snow for the last week -- might be a tad firm thur morning --but follow the sun  -- by the weekend it will be much warmers -- so i'm thinking a blankie, dog, frisbie, picnic basket and viola fun at 7K..

so no knocks on crystal this trip EXCEPT FOR THIS RANT:  <drum roll> the mountain hemorrhaged 100-200K last season trying to get their RFID the detection gates working -- well they are removing the detection gates and going back to manual bar-readers -- yep, everyone of us will have to wear our pass on the outside of our gear and get scanned each and every time.. so they are ripping out ALL OF THE RFID card access scanners at each chair and REVERTING BACK TO (wait for it) manual barcoding for each person, to be manually checked by a bar code reader at every -- if the bar code reader identifies enough cheats and wanna-bee cheats. then the attendance get bonus money, food, perks etc --

Must have been a fun day.

Like Sunday past was. No reports was surprising. I use the days I go to calibrate against the usual reporters descriptions. Lol. Sunday was boot top powder and decent line until 1030. Not bad at this point, like 10minutes but the final round of the masters called and I split. Plus after the first 3 runs it was gone unless you hiked up Northway for 6 turns. Maybe..... not.

Wanted to comment on the system. Alpy is my home area and they use the old scanners too. They suck. Cold weather or wet weather affect them. Plastic cases affect them. And they train the south/central american ticket checkers to keep trying until it works. I literally saw them create lines at Acres this year just trying to scan one pass. Not exactly smart. Anyone listening??? 😃

Yet way worse is the profiling. Yep, profiling looking for cheaters. So my boy wears the gangsta shit that all the kids like, meaning a face mask. So many times he was asked to remove the face mask to see it to match the pass always using the excuse of people cheating.

Me on the other hand, with my goggles down, coat zipped up look the same but never get asked. Hmmm, why the kids getting checked a lot but not adults. Profiling. Ugly even at a ski resort.

Step backwards IMHO.

We were at Big Sky in March where they are still using a barcode system. Even with no crowds and 4 very alert attendants scanning tickets, they still caused some congestion on a 4-pack. Can you imagine the cluster that's going to happen on week-ends on Chinook Express? I love Crystal Mountain, but every once in a while they make a move like this that will always keep it a backwoods operation. Maybe that's a good thing for us loyal locals?

"Backwoods operation" - perfect! I've been looking for the right phrase.

I find this rant pretty entertaining...and could post a comment about most everyone else's posts!....Bottom line, the gates on HC and REX where only trying to catch a few folks scamming the system (sadly I am aware of the kids of friends that where working the system prior to the current gate system). I work the lift opps and ticket checkers relentlessly every time any of them are working, sooner or later they give up. If Crystal goes back to the old days I would assume (bad thing to do at any time) that it will be random checking on the upper mountain...and CHex line up is always a pain in the 6 pack.

Gotta say the Whistler system works primo...never a problem, gates open when they are supposed to...except when #1 was trying to use her room key a few months back!....and being backwoods is definitely a good thing! It was part of the original master plan.

I find this rant pretty entertaining...and could post a comment about most everyone else's posts!....Bottom line, the gates on HC and REX where only trying to catch a few folks scamming the system (sadly I am aware of the kids of friends that where working the system prior to the current gate system).  I work the lift opps and ticket checkers relentlessly every time any of them are working, sooner or later they give up.  If Crystal goes back to the old days I would assume (bad thing to do at any time) that it will be random checking on the upper mountain...and CHex line up is always a pain in the 6 pack.

Gotta say the Whistler system works primo...never a problem, gates open when they are supposed to...except when #1 was trying to use her room key a few months back!....and being backwoods is definitely a good thing! It was part of the original master plan.

You should definitely comment and feed some crap back to all those that kid you I personally love the wide range of opinions and think your reports are great. and big. Lol.

Backwoods - the definition of WA state skiing. While I am an alpy guy at heart, I taught full time at Crystal one season. That plus all my good days at Crystal over the years makes me conclude that it has some awesome skiing, and how much better it could be with more lifts in silver basin and so on.

Then think just how good a higher base elevation resort on the east slopes could be and sadly know that we could have the best skiing in the world but nope. It sits there untouched and will seemingly forever.