Crystal - 12/05

Arrived typically early for a nice parking spot and a nice lazy breakfast at the base.  Quiet crowd with just a few of the weekday regulars.  Got a pretty early empty chair - except for my #1...kinda cold, kinda flat light, kinda lots of blue bird sky, kinda nice grooming, kinda (very) nice new cold snow making fluff in spots, light early crowd, great coverage on what you can ski...rocks? Not a problem if you don't go off piste. Winds kept getting stronger blowing down valley from the the gap above the top of SQS (Slow Quick Silver). Best overall run was SAR (SkidArwineRoad)...good new fluff, not to much wacky traffic and the first line that any sun on it.  Fun day for #1 and myself even with the limited options - what the heck, better than doing chorea at home and works the ski muscles and helps the ski withdrawal shakes.  Again on piste no rocks, might bring out the new real skis - but the BMW's still had fun (sadly not many days left for them). Only rode SQS (SlowQuickSilver) once today...just to slow and to windy cold...and the snow was not worth a ride repeat.

Other - Never checked the soup at the base...we rode the bucket up for another expensive lunch with big views pretty much everywhere - Good Clam Chowder and a tasty split Burger (Glut free).

Other other - Nice small pay lot...all the non employees almost filled the rest of the A lot and that was pretty much it for the crowd.  Lots of elk at the bottom of the blvd.

Other other other - Was way spastic this morning and didn't take my Xtal pass? Lucky I carry that Ikon pass! Got my first free Ikon day ticket - actually easier what with having to show your pass/tix to load CHex every time...

So that was the day, fun, cold, sunny, skiing! Lots of socializing with many friends, but workers bees and old retired folks. Pray for snow this coming weekend.

Well is it worth going? I guess it depends on how much energy you have to put into the trip. If you live in the Shoreline area and have to drive 95 miles one way, through downtown Seattle coming and going, you want it to be at least okay. It was barely there. If I hadn't been so anxious to just get on the snow, I would not have gone. The morning was pretty good. The light was a little flat and the snow was a little firm in spots, but it was not crowded and you could haul ass. The three runs got a little more clogged up with skiers and boarders so I had to dodge people at times. It was getting scraped down to the ice in more than a a few spots when I left about 1:45. There was also A bit of gravel coming through the snow. Bottom line: I'm not going to go again until it snows more.