Crystal - 01/17

Late report about what was almost the most nasty of days….almost…Arrived early to kinda warm and snowy and windy conditions…but it was snowing. Bad news started rolling in about upper mountain wind hold – so suffer nice groomed smooth FQex runs early (plus Frisco and old Ch 5 lift line – first time this year and it was as fun as my early bump skiing memories). Seemed pretty grim early with big winds…then the crowd started filling in the lift line at the bottom of FQex…took a break to wait for the soup at CB lodge…a little after 11am noticed Ch 6 was spinning – folks with smart phones got the twit (ha ha) that REX was loading….ah happy times were back again. Big line once on REX and then pretty much everywhere was ski on easy (helps when everything is up and running). Snowed most of the day and was adding fun quality up top. Heard NW was pretty fun and that out EH area was really deep and nice on top and really heavy down low. Ferd and I did BP’s to Sunnyside/Memorial….most repeats were in the Doors (1 and 4ish) – fast tight soft bumpy happy.

Other – Soup was supposed to be Chick Nood…..lots of CB folks told me…NOT! Tomato Bisque? Gotta file a complaint. Parking in A lot was pretty typical, C full and B almost full? It was not the Seahawk game day small crowd that I hoped for….and sorry for me the Hawks lost…no more weekend light crowds – dang!

i heard somewhere that Sherman & Thomas were going to be at Crystal next weekend signing autographs.

Why not? They won't have much else to do next weekend! Still, a great run--this season--while it lasted! And it kept the slopes quiet during games!

....today's weather seemed very PNW (at least in comparison to the 3-week storm of 12/15 that we all had to *endure*)...lots of fun despite the late opening...IMHO, bear pits (gate 2) won the trophy (after a unanimous vote and after 2nd helpings)...the hill was quite safe today but seemed somewhat empty for a snowy january sunday...an advance party held down a bullwheel table while we kept turning...even when we strolled in for quick lunch there was no seahawk cigar to be found...the early week chunk seemed to have dissipated, except on the lower hill...don't expect that to change much with similar weather ahead for the next week...

...is it me, or has the resort taken a step back in overall food quality (summit, campbell, bullwheel)? the exception (IMHO) is udon with beef