Crystal - 01/06

Slow kinda late arrival what with the nasty lowland ice skating rink type driving…lots of cars in the ditches….pleasant life after arriving at Crystal behind the weekend quality pay parking lot (?). Casual up load via CHex, hints of nice weather, but lots of foggy conditions early and late in some areas. Got lucky that PB was great vis the couple of times I got to do it – soft filled in untracked at the top, wind scoured firm stuff in the middle and nice deep stuff at the bottom. OuterFerks and the part of Bearpits I did were very nice (OF the best). Did a door – doable but a workout as was Sunnyside…a little more snowboarder side slipping traffic would have helped (that or the Coombas at times). Groomers were pretty perfect early and lots held up nicely with the low traffic on them. Snow quality was pretty light and nice in the right wind loaded north facing areas. Heard big things about dropping into the Park off the top. Mostly a nice casual day with #1 who is doing great and better every time she goes.

Other – Soup at CB lodge was the Vegy Corn Bisque? Had a taste test – pretty good kinda like a mexi type flavor. As noted the crowds were nice week day type (so happy to be passed the holiday crowds). Pay lot to big as usual and not many cars anywhere else. Drive down was very pleasant.

The only thing to add to ddk's report is all the north facing bowls on Northway were excellent: Paradise Bowl, Bruce's Bowl, and Northway Bowl from the top of the short hike. Also, the bumps under the chair at the bottom of Northway are big, carvable fun. And, Kelley's Gap out Sluiceway, Berry Patch and Lower E was a kick and worth a repeat. A great day.

Aspects that got sun monday were crusty junk (Doors, Frontside). Shaded areas have dried out into soft cut/packed pow greatness. Sun-protected runs on Northway were awesome in an old school bump skiing kinda way. As were Bear Pits and Outer Ferk’s as ddk mentioned. Upper mountain groomers were ground down to some icy skids by the end of the day. Once skied out, the crunchy south facers will be nice, but the low-participation weekday crowd isn’t going to do it.

Ken
Oh, there were some new Sin 7s on the hill kicking ass.
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