Crystal - 11/24 My Opening Day (Fun)

Ski Report -....Yee Haa...Best first day I've skied in a few years...no ribbon of ice skiing....GV and the upper mountain was at least boot top deep new light snow that was as close to smoke as we get around here! Good coverage, riders and sliders skiing pretty much everywhere off the top...I was more old man conservative.... stayed on the deep snow groomers...GV, LS and a couple of runs on FQex (which was already mostly tracked by the time I did it). Didn't ski very long, but longer for my "finally" first day of the season...and my wimpy quads still hurt. Snowing hard all morning, but a little warmish at the base. Crowd not to massive at the 8:30 first load, and really not too bad before I left, but the crowd was still streaming into the base. Fun first day and the reason I went on a weekend day was cause Xtal will be closed till Friday? The day after turkey day? In a cold mostly sunny week? Oh well can't go on Monday anyway....

Other stuff - I read and heard from folks that 10:30 is the indoor seating and opening for both CB lodge and the new base lodge (what do they call it?), besides that CB lodge will not have any real food most of the week...saving up for the big money weekend crowds? Outside pre lift opening is pretty damp.... that new lodge must have been designed by some Colorado or Tahoe person. Lots of propane bottle fire pits at the base? Global warming and green operations? Not!

Other Other - Drive up in the dark was okay, missed most of the PSE power crews this morning.... not so on the way home (ouch). Traffic was pretty light but lots of folks heading up to Crystal late morning? Special folks parking is twice the size of last year finally...should be good for Binx (ha ha). Rest of A lot is kinda got a new weird layout...with extra walking and bus routes...and I saw a lot of Crystal branded buses today. Most of A lot was empty, B lot was full, carpool lot was massive today and mostly empty, rest of C, D, E and H full, with late arrivals getting to park in the F lot....hhhhmmm what about G lot? Lots of parking workers around today. Season is here!

PS why no posts from anyone? Baker, White? The last couple of days at Xtal?

Skied opening day of Fri the 22nd which was a day for season pass holders only at White Pass. It was by all standards a good day of fresh snow off piste and boot top as well. The previous few days snowfall was deeper and over two feet down. Noticed that the tree wells especially the smaller trees was so light that there was no resistence if you pushed your pole into them and if not careful if you stopped or fell near one could actually pull you down to the rock base near 3 ft. down. Was amazed at the amount of people that have season passes as it was a big crowd. Since Alterra and Vail conglomerates took over the west side of the Cascades the snow enthusiasts of Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia have migrated to White Pass for a better experience and affordability, so what was once a bit of an under the radar powder place is now not so much especially on the week ends.
So it goes.

Hey DDK, I was away but still got vicarious pleasure from your note. Thnx for holding down the fort.