TR: Crustal damage report
Hit the chair just before 9am and there were about 75 strong in line. At first glance up at the mtn, you could see the rain runnels everywhere, but the slopes still had snow on them on the lower mtns. As you head up the lifts, the snow was more prevalent, but the runnels where still everywhere.
Unlike last week, the Rainier Express and Green Valley lifts were open. As you headed up the Rainer lift, the most damage was seen. Under the lower lift (possibly Sunnyside trail) was totally trashed, a huge pile of avalanche debris and the slope was stripped to the ground of snow. The crown wasn't huge, but it picked up a lot along the way. For obvious reasons, this area was closed off. The views of Rainier at the top were spectacular, not a cloud in the sky the entire day. You could see everything from the peak!
Most people stuck to the groomers off of Rainier and Green Valley, but I had to check out some of the off piste terrain. Grubstake and the trees in there had about an inch of fresh, very light crust, then a few more inches underneath. As long as you didn't turn hard, you could stay on top of it. With more and more traffic, all off piste terrain because quite enjoyable. I found this out later in the day with West Face, Little Shot, CMAC, and a few steep shots not on the map.
All in all, the mtn did not have as much damage as I expected. There was a few slides seen in Powder Bowl, but nothing stripped to the ground like Sunnyside.
Good to ski a few runs with Fiddler (and band), Monique and S, and a few non-maggots that liked to share a few hidden gems here and there. All in all, a VERY good day to be on sticks...
Sorry for no picks, I gotta get used to this leaving the house at 630 thing....
B)
good stuff on the front page...way to git some!
Season opener #2 in the books at Crystal! Hopefully someone brought their camera ;)
good news from the website for summit passholders too:
Hey there Summit season pass holders, are you itching to make some turns? Well we have some good news for you! If you have a Summit season pass of any kind you can ski or ride for only $35 this week at Crystal Mountain (youth 11-17 $30, junior 7-10 $20 & children 0-6 are free). As a reminder, if you’ve upgraded to the “Unlimited Plus!” pass you are not eligible for the free tickets until both areas are in operation. Simply bring your season pass to any Crystal Mountain lift ticket window or a proof of purchase to receive the discount! This offer is valid midweek only until the Summit opens for the season.
