Crystal Mountain, WA Conditions Report: Steep and Deep

Reid Pitman | | Post Tag for Conditions ReportConditions Report
Skiing, crystal mountain, powder
Christy in the white room

Winter is back with a vengeance in the PNW! While Seattle and most schools are shut down due to snow, its going off in the mountains. While some other areas had to shut down for the storms the bullwheels turned at Crystal, everyone and their cousin came out to shred.  But serious: Traction tires and chains people.

Trisha on Exterminator

Lots of people all caught the White Lung and couldn’t risk going to work and spread the awful illness. Lines were typical of a normal Saturday on Monday but it was a “Top 10 day at Crystal”  The mountain was open wall to wall with Northway opening a little after noon. Plenty of space for everyone to spread out.  I trully don’t understand using a light touring set up on a 2′ powder day with high avy danger, Gotta have that 120mm underfoot.  Pretty sure the entire 2015 inventory of K2 Hellbent skis were out in Northway.

Bruce wanted to jump this cliff, paparazzi of skittles all got the same photo.

Top to bottom was the name of the game all day til gates opened. So much snow! Bear Pits was deeper than I’d ever seen it! The steeper the better, runs like Deer Fly and Middle Ferks which are amazing groomed slopes have never been funner than with a foot of fresh powder on top of them! Turning was option as the “pow brakes” would slow ya down enough. I snowboarded bell to bell with some of the best runs of the year down Employee Housing and Paradise bowl. Not enough high fives to go around!

Someone is totally stoked about the snow…

Presistant cold and a few more inches after closing made for excellent conditions today. It was a blast riding lifts and trying lines that haven’t been in for years. South Back opened and our legs still have enough in them for a King lap, the rewards were worth it for some deep turns
Stay safe out there,  lots of natural avalanche activity, that snow needs to settle.  Avalanche forecast here.
Chains and traction tires…

Snow Report:

Crystal Mountain Snow Report

 

Forecast:

Forecast from NOAA

Photo Tour:

Skiing, shejumps, crystal mountain, powder
Christy Pelland enjoying the soft snow in Northway
Nice line under Northway chair. PC Christy Pelland
Steep trees were prime snowboarding. PC Christy Pelland
Silver Basin provides. Christy is in there somewhere.
Splitboarding, crystal moutain, backcountry, fitwell backcountry,
Pow seeking before the storm lead to some obscure locations.

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