Crystal - 04/23 Big Bonus Friday!

Ski Report - Short version: OUCH! BIG FUN!

Wordy version - Arrived extra early due to the "new" operating hours, CHex loading at 8am! Way ouch nasty on the early marginal grooming (would have made the ice intolerant crowd very unhappy), but things on the groomers (LS and MIFB) got soft in the big sun! BIG SUN? YES! And no crowds, no lift lines and SUN! And warmth - big question early was how much stuff to wear (got that part just right enough early, was getting kinda warmish towards the end of our late day - ha ha - 12:15!)  Snow quality was pretty good and during the prime soft zone very nice, but some areas were getting kinda sticky late morning.  #1 had a great morning due to the lack of participation of other skiers, I had a great morning beating up my lazy legs after 4 days off.  Only did one PB/BP run - very nice and should have done it a bunch of more times.   Conditions still great in most places, more dirt showing in the typical areas, getting off the top of CH6 heading to PB is a challenge - at least my preferred path - did ski the center line area which around 11 was already soft enough and BP's was happy slush. As noted the grooming was iffy in  places, but thanks to the sun it did not really matter.

Other - First day for Crystal new start time with lifts, but #1 got kinda ticked off by CB lodge not able to open the door for the bathrooms!  What is it with Crystal and CB lodge access?  Other areas of operation went in the opposite direction on opening times vs the lifts. Pay lot was only halfish full and the bottom end was open for general parking, B didnt make the shuttle stop and I spaced on C lot but I  think it was not very full (or at least widely spaced).  Drive up and down happy end of season, only noticed two Elk this morning - one grazing the grass at Wapiti Woolies (how appropriate is that?).  Great day! What would you expect from me?  OUCH!

Yes, what a surprise. Today was great.
The challenging, Sunnyside and Memorial, they just needed more skier traffic.
A pretty darn good, Iceberg, way beyond the right hand side of the groomer, and Green Valley Bowl left side up next to the Gubsake trees.then staying off the groomed the rest of the way down.
The most excellent, powder bowl skiers left and green valley Gondi Face. Worth many repeats.  
I arrived at the top of the mountain at 10 o'clock which was just perfect for things softening.  I was prepared for flat light, clouds, wind, groomers only, boy what a shock when it was such a beautiful spring day.

Concerned about morning ice with the cloudier forecast, I came up a bit late and skied from 10:30 until close.  The sun was nice early and thanks to clouds rolling in at 1 everything except the very lower mountain skied well until close.  Best runs by far were on chair 6, especially PB.  Except that getting anywhere off the top of 6 was a challenge between the big bumps and large bare spots.  Sunnyside and Memorial were generally good and only sticky for a brief window before the clouds came in -- spent most of my day on those.  GV was decent.  Hit Bull Run at the end of the day.  Decent corn up top but mostly an exercise in trying to follow skier tracks of the maybe two other people who skied it to avoid the glop.  Lower mountain was painful with Deer "Flypaper" so sticky you could practically point your skis straight down and still get stuck.