Crystal 2/27; Cold Smoke

After a week in Big Sky with true "cold smoke" powder I was somewhat skeptical when the ski report this morning used those words.  But sure enough, it was certainly cold smoke...amazing quality snow.

Chinook line was LONG at 8:15 (up the hill already) and I had to drop one daughter off at Gold Hills at 9:05 we decided to do the Disco/Slowsilver route.  Disco opened early (I've never seen the magic carpet snow wall this high) but then we got to Slowsilver and just waited.  They had the lift closed sign out and were clearing the chairs of snow.  Didn't open until just after 8:40.  By this point didn't have time to head to FQ so we took first tracks under the Slowsilver liftline and headed to the Gold Hills drop off.  

Daughter 2 and I headed to Chinook and got in line around 9:05am.  Line took around 20 minutes boarding around 9:25am.  REX was as bad as the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and finally got to the summit at 9:56.  Whiteboard at REX said Valley was closed.  At unload of REX the lift op was telling everyone that GV was closed (maintenance issue).  When my daughter and I finished the cat track the first people were coming up GV.  We ripped a line right down GV and had no wait at the lift.  Back up to the top by 10:05.  Plan was a Grubstake lap but upon getting off we noticed Northway had just turned green.  We beelined it over there.  People had just started the skate up Gate 1 and we dropped into Gate 4.  Amazing snow all the way down, skied right onto Northway.  Got to the top around 10:25 and dropped into Gate 3.  Just an epic run.  Virtually untracked and deep cold smoke (see pics).  Upon reaching the lift we saw the dreaded "backed up around the corner and up the hill" Northway line.  Line took about 12 minutes.  Very intersting fact though, upon reaching the top patrol was closing Gate 3.  This was admittedly overheard but could have sworn we heard "15 minutes."  More to come on this in the afternoon.  At this point we had to pick up Daughter 1 from CMAC and took a nice long run down Left Angle.  We kept laughing at how good and deep the snow was.  "It's so fluffy I'm going to die" from Despicable Me was quoted numerous times.

After noon was bumpy and rutted up.  Noteable item was that we went back to Northway.  Dropped into one of my favorite chutes off Gate 7.  We took the "left" runout which goes beneath Morning Glory and there was avy debris (including tree limbs) on the cat track.  Got to an empty Northway and on the ride up noticed that there was NO ONE coming down.  Turns out that when they closed Gate 3 before lunch, they closed 1-4 and as of 2pm-ish they were still closed.  Related to the avy debris?  No clue.  

Fantastic morning with top quality snow.  Crowds were brutal in the AM then emptied out nicely after lunch.  Most of the day was gorgeous weather.  16K Vertical (hampered by CMAC drop offs/pick ups)

 
 
 
 

Great report!  Glad you got the goods on Saturday.  I kept checking the webcams looking at the huge lines and glad I wasn't there.  But, sounds like you lucked out with some good timing.  And also great to hear you had a good time at Big Sky.  I really like that place.