March 2, 2008, Crystal Southback

After a night of liquid carb loading at the Snorting Elk, Naches Tavern, and with some very exuberant south american crystal employees in and around the dorms, Paul and I Skinned up to the Crystal Southback cat track, then left the track heading south. met a fellow named John who tutored us on the hittable terrain on the north facing slopes of the east to west ridge that connects with Three Way pk. broke trail to the highest pk. on the ridge (besides Three Way), and lapped the steep bowls, trees, cornices and chutes. dog leg was nice. next time will get get an earlier start, and plan a later stop, and lap it 8-10 times instead of 4...

north facing snow was very good, 6" or more, depending on wind loading, with stale, stable powder underneath. no crust. face shots of fine snow almost every turn, all day. lots of surface sloughing in shaded aspects, some shallow slabbing on sun and wind affected aspects. on South facing aspects, thinner snow over a crust was quickly heavy and sliding when triggered. saw a small skier or point triggered slide or two on the south side of Silver King.

a few other parties and individuals took advantage of our skin track, but we only crossed tracks on our last run out. watched the start of the powder 8 competition on the fresh, sunny slopes of silver basin, which quickly tracked out after the comp. views were incredible: rainier and little t, three way, morse basin peaks, east peak, goat rocks, adams... saw someone getting first tracks off the NE aspect of Three Way, at least one party in morse basin, and a party up on east peak.