Crystal - 11/30 Sunny and Busy

Ski Report - Big sunny, lots of grooming (somewhat bouncy grooming, not perfect), only rocks where I went was in MIFB (somewhere? heard a ding), mostly reasonable crowds early, especially on REX where I was using the singles line late in my short day. Did one run on Downhill to Rolling Knolls, a couple of runs early in GV and finished my short morning with four GV Bowl center bumps to MIFB and a run down the Skid Road ice skating rink (scarry) to the base (nothing like man-made snow). Crowds and lines building as I quit, with lots of folks streaming through the base area. Skied a half hour longer than my first wimpy day but double my daily season vert total - yee haa! And I could even still walk when I got home.

Other - Wandered around the base area till the new lodge finally opened and followed the mad dash of folks looking for inside seating....there really is not much indoor seating! Checked the food selection...looks like cafeteria style, got lucky when a Xtal employee bought me a slice of pizza! Okay pizza but I didn't notice the price....did notice the some of the prices at the former Taco shack....ouch! for the extras. Soup at the base was Minestrone, Brisket Chile, Salmon Chowder....Noticed that the coffee place on the first floor has lots of breakfast type sandwiches and stuff...someone commented that it looked like a Starbucks.

Other Other - Drove up pretty early sat under the very "green" heat lamps early and then pretty much froze in the CHex line till the 8:30 opening (which also had a new process for loading?), some folks were not happy. Special folks parking lot was maybe half full, rest of A lot might have been pushing half full even with the reduced space for parking...Carpool lot could have been pushing full, rest of C lot was full, B lot was packed as was D, E, H and cars getting parked in F lot....lots of cars driving up on 410 and even noticed some in BlackDiamond. Did have fun today on what was probably my first Saturday skiing before April at Crystal since who knows when?

I second the Skid Road scary comment. A fall on that surface would really hurt!