Crystal - 3/20

A 3 out of 5 day.

The weather only gets a 1 out of 2 for today. It was beautifully clear and warm, but the howling east winds shut down the top of the mountain from 10 - 12:30. 1 point demerit!

I'll give the snow a 2 out of 3. By the time we were back up top, all the sun facing slopes had baked. Where it hadn't been skied much the last couple days, it was unconsolidated glop. However, hit the tracked out lines and it was great spring skiing. I'd say the gulley on Memorial Forest was the best. Heard Sunnyside was pretty good. Showtime under the chair was variable. Our one run down Powder Bowl was firm, chalky, and good, but the rocks have really popped up in the center of the mainline chute. Still a way through, but you can't miss a turn.

The final run of the day out Kelley's gap was fun, although some stickiness in the flats between Berry Patch and Lower E.

For those seeking a sunny spring day, the weather sucked until afternoon as the face blasting east wind, averaging in the 60's gusts to 70, scoured to the mountain top. No need to turn as the wind slowed you. Point them downhill and stood still till you got into a tuck. Finally got to SE-SW-BP-LE out of the wind on soft snow only to have REX shut down. A half a dozen runs on FQ bored us into pizza and overpriced beer. Since ddk is MIA, the pizza was some kinda weird Thai veggie stuff, the beer.... 7$!

But, that made us stay around till the wind let up, a little, enough for Six and Rex to reopen. Sketchy line getting into PB, especially after CD uncovered a rock in the middle of the narrow entry line. (Lots of rocks and brush melting out everywhere) Sunnyside was ultra soft huge moguls and Gully-Gully smaller more consolidated - lots of repeats. Lucky to get our late-day Frontside Fun in just under the it's-too-soft or start-the-refreeze wire.

Dues to pay conditions coming up if the temps drop below 40's.

Ken

+

So, I guess these aren't actually Chinook winds (also known as foehn or "snow eaters") because they're not associated with precipitation on the windward side of the mountains.

But is there a sense that the winds are accelerating the snow melt? Just curious.

I don't think the east winds are accelerating the snow melt. Places like the very top of Powder Bowl in the main chute are protected from the east winds, and yet there is a lot of snow melt. If anything, the winds are cool enough in the morning that they are prolonging the snow. Winds or not, 40+ degree temps on top of the mountain are going to melt snow, particularly where rocks get exposed and then absorb heat melting everything around them.