PNW Report 12/28&29

**Buster Highmen** · 12-30-2003, 04:16 PM

With the blessings of the most fantastic woman ever, I found myself up at one of the crappy little snothills around here, oogling the succulence of mounds upon mounds of snow. The overnight total had been only 8", but it was 11 F and the storm accumulation has been around 16" or so.

But I concede that I was in the depths of my delerium, spiralling away into some delusion of my own twisted design.

Reality is for people who can't handle powder.

The usual suspects had assembled, murmuring, cracking jokes and fingering the stoke, jostling and ready to go.

The main summit lift was on maintenance hold and the habituated cadre' got agitated. With snow piling down, things were getting ugly when they finally started loading an half an hour late.

Hit the Doors first, a ritual for the first run. Wafted in and out of the little alpine firs spitting and spewing, eyes darting looking for the next window and cranking another turn down into that facial carwash of cold bristling crystals.

You can have your provocative squats! Slather them with truck stops, jelly beans and bombs! Take them with massive doses of viagra suppositories. Today wood rool.

And so it did.

West Face, Snorting Elk, and Upper Exterminator all fell, washing me with the white firehose of luscious powder. It was too good. I was shaking.

Standing around in thigh deep snow and hitting chest deep pillows convinces me that I am getting shorter. Oh well, age will do at least this to me.

But there was a plot. A feeble hint at trying to hook with with other like minded weirdos and so I headed over to chair 6. Lo and behold, there resided other maggots. And so we ripped a quickie out to the Throne Bowl, some call it Hamburger Hill. Names will be protected unless they want to admit their involvement. More face shots. Then running into another posse member from bygone days, we head out to Northback and score fresh waist deep, applying powder to our faces like Tammy Fae slaps on mascara on speed. I coulda been a bible humper too, but only in the Church of Powder and only if the Rev digs my scapular.

Then headed down to meet up with another suspect kook and rendezvous with the first fistfull of maggotry I had callously ditched when I went Northback. To compensate, I took them all back there again and it was almost as sweet, with only our previous track to cross. I believe that a good time was had by all.

Then it was back to 6 where the King beckoned. With some pressed for time, the fistfull shrank and only 2 of us headed up that half hour slog up the King. I couldn't believe it was open.

First run down Appliances was one of those memories etched into your cerebellum (the smooth muscles will not forget). Blast after blast of searing cold smoke while the hill slowly falls away getting steeper and steeper. Then over the hump and sailing down to the lake. Hi fiving white guys are ready for more.

Another slog up the King, one bootstep at a time. I'm wheezing, I'm way outta shape. I hope I don't have a seizure (no joke there). But there finally on top and wait until others have fallen away. It's 3:20 and the light is changing to that amber tint. We push off and float down, ducking sideways into the windows that opren to our left, snow and snot streaming when we can see. It's all too good.

I hope that all you wackjobs get some. Now I have to get back to the slower things.

**Chronic** · 12-30-2003, 05:11 PM

Great report, I am cursing the tentacles of imagined responsibility that kept me in the lowlands Sunday. I was up Saturday, and it was very, very good in the n/s back, but not as good as Sunday.

Originally posted by Buster Highmen
But there finally on top and wait until others have fallen away. It's 3:20 and the light is changing to that amber tint.

You perfectly captured that feeling on top of the King. The quiet solitude, fading afternoon light, and anticipation of a choking, powder-filled last run is the very essence of skiing.

KQ · 12-30-2003, 05:27 PM

Saturday was indeed spectacular - sorry I missed you all.

**The Reverend Floater** · 12-30-2003, 05:28 PM

Love your body, Bustah. Love it!

**truth** · 12-30-2003, 05:44 PM

And so another verse was written into the fabric of the maggotude and we rejoiced basking in the glory of face shots gotten.

**Squirrel99** · 12-30-2003, 09:24 PM

So anyone headin' up to Crystal for Thursday? I'm banking on a bunch of drunks sleeping in and leaving the mtn. wide open with hopes for more fresh pow.

**FreakofSnow** · 12-30-2003, 11:08 PM

I like your style shooter, nice words, they roll of my brain like jello.

**Rusty Nails** · 12-31-2003, 09:51 AM

I'll prolly hit Crystal on Thursday with my girl. I always try to ski Xmas day and New Years Day. Same with Super Bowl Sunday.

**Rusty Nails** · 12-31-2003, 09:54 AM

Oh, and Buster, after I split from you guys I traversed over to Avalanch Basin and ripped a sweet face. Twas not nearly as nice as that run out of Northback, but was a great ending note.

KQ · 12-31-2003, 11:08 AM

I'm going to Stevens this afternoon with my GF (only time I can get her to go), but I'll be a Crystal on Saturday (bright and early). I've got my radio set for 7/5 - give me a buzz if you're around!

Hello Snowriders:

POWDER ALERT for this first weekend of the New Year.

I especially like Saturday with potential of 4-10" of new, light dry snow.

Quality will be great both Saturday and Sunday with low snowl levels.

Some clearing Sunday . Go for it...ride the POW!

Larry Schick

Grand Pubah of Powder

**Buster Highmen** · 12-31-2003, 11:23 AM

I think I'll be on Daddy dooty this weekend. There's a chance I may take the Nub up to Alpental upper lot for snowplay on NYD.

**Rusty Nails** · 12-31-2003, 12:03 PM

I'll have boyfriend duty this weekend... Buster, you up for some Backcountry next weekend or something? I bet we could get a good little crew together...

**Buster Highmen** · 12-31-2003, 12:15 PM

Let's see what the weather shapes up to. If this storm pattern keeps up, slicing lines at the resorts will continue to rool.

You have only seen 1/20 of what's up at Crustal.

**Rusty Nails** · 12-31-2003, 12:23 PM

With ya dood. If it stays fresh I'll be riding lifts, but if it dries out, let's skin for some clean turns.

**frozenwater** · 12-31-2003, 02:13 PM

Life catches up to you, you run and run, but run in to a shit full of work, a tree well, and fear.

You resign yourself to being lost, another casualty to modern convenince.

Then, without looking for it, a lifeline is thrown. You remember there are good times to be had, that there are good people "out there" and that there are lines waiting to redeem you.

Thanks bustah

**Z-BO** · 12-31-2003, 02:37 PM

sounds like its pretty sick. i'm happy to hear that the crew is gettin some good snow. too bad i've been in vegas for the past week. my back is too f'd up to ski anyway. if yall wanna go tourin though, i'm sure i could pop enough vicodins to ease the pain. looks like a ton of accumulation in the backcountry in the past week.

**Buster Highmen** · 12-31-2003, 02:58 PM

You haven't had your back scoped yet? Dood, get with it. Then get yer ass to Crustal.

**Z-BO** · 12-31-2003, 03:31 PM

i got my mri done. exactly what i thought. bulging disc, pinched psyatic nerve. i'm doin the pt thing for now and skiing only untracked pow and no air. i gotta look at skiing like a 60 year old, a really fast 60 year old. i'm going to a cortizone specialist this week, and he said he'll shoot me in the right spot.

**Squirrel99** · 12-31-2003, 05:22 PM

I'll be up at Crustal for Thursday. Start to Finish. How about meeting up around 10:00am base of REx? Blue Helly; Gray pants; Dakine pack; Black Helmet. Either XXX or XX, pending on how bad the damage was done to my XXX, while I wait on the B3's will be mounted for next week. I'll see if I can find me new radio.

**Dr. Crash** · 12-31-2003, 06:58 PM

I'll be up there Friday. Anybody?

drC

**Squirrel99** · 12-31-2003, 07:11 PM

Thursday: Crustal
Saturday: Alp or Crustal
Sunday: Alp or Crustal, pending on snowfall

whose in?

**Rusty Nails** · 12-31-2003, 07:45 PM

Squirrel,

I'll be up with my girl tomorrow and the rest of the weekend. If ya spot me, I'll try to break away for a bit, but no promises. Next weekend, I'm up for whatever, though Joshbu is thinking Sat at Crystal.

Rusty

**optics** · 12-31-2003, 08:09 PM

Originally posted by Dr. Crash
I'll be up there Friday. Anybody?

drC

Aye, Crystal early if all goes according to plan.

black ninemx, gray coat, v-pros, fragile joints.

**Dr. Crash** · 01-01-2004, 11:30 PM

Cool. Won't be early (not my sis' style!) but will be there. G4s, Scott WC poles, black pants, red jacket, gray Nine.9. Sis has black pants / orange top / no helmet.

drC