Crystal - 03/26 Very Happy Day!

Ski Report - Better vis earlier than yesterday, but still in and out in places, fog blowing up through the base to the top of FQex was cold and nasty (#1 would not have liked that).  But upper mountain GV Bowl was in the sun as was 3/4 of MIFB (which was very MF today).  GV Bowl was best further skiers right side - early center was a little bouncy.  Noticed CH 6 opened by 9:30 - I be gone, did three happy laps in PB with nice vis and happy snow center to right side.  Did my last PB lap around 11:45 with still nice vis.  Other places sun was in and out but greatly improving when I wimped out.  Kitty Cat groomer workers were out in full force last night -  from Little Portillo to wall to wall on LS (no bumps left - but the snow in the bump areas was very nice), to Pro Course, to THE PLUNGE! (it is a really steep groomed Black).  Did notice early way far north that Huckleberry had been groomed, plus from what I heard most of the mountain.  So a great groomer carving day for that crowd and a very happy off piste for me on the northish facing slopes.  Great day!

Other - Crowd was light early, but it did show up during the typical 10:30ish hour.  Some line up on REX and FQex (singles line worked well on  FQex and I took advantage of a number of 3 person groups that tolerate me on REX).  Great beat me up kinda day, totally hamster mode, non stop all morning happy.   

Other other - Pay lot maybe 2/3 full when I left, B and C maxed out,  as was D an E with folks starting to think about H.  Noticed a fair amount of traffic heading up when I left.  Lots of Elk (most of the Ranch heard this morning on both sides of the road - none on the way down).  Drive up was pleasant enough and the drive down during "my" new normal was cruise control nice).   

Horrible fog mid-mountain, sun up high and north. And it changed run to run. Below 5500 feet, it was as blind as it gets in the fog. Most aspects started crunchy, some (Frontside) unskiable and then either skier groomed to break up the crunch, or softened in the mid-day heat. Groomers (Iceberg and Luckyshot) were smooth and hard.

We made a trip to Powder Bowl which was very nice (Main Chute is as filled in as it gets), but the foggy, long, groomed run down LS back to FQ (wasn’t getting anywhere close to Bear Pits) dissuaded us from repeats. Valley options were best, and then tried Employee Housing. Perfect timing between the frozen crunch and the heavy slop that would follow was the run of the day. I-5 is fast and no pushing, but some big whoopty-does. Most repeated run was Valley Options- Sluiceway-B. Patch-Lower E. Stuck it out till the re-crunch was starting at 2:00. A cold beer and a warm shower felt really good.

My first day at Crystal this season. It was great fun, though quite foggy at times. Parking was not as bad as I feared after the horror stories earlier in the year. My bride and I largely kept to the groomers, and the lift lines were not too bad. COVID, a book project, and a wedding have clobbered my ski season pretty bad, but it's not over yet. Onward!

Lowell
Congratulations on your wedding! With this snow pack should be skiing well into summer.
   Richard