Snow in the PNW 20-21: We may have Corona but Corona doesn't have us!

[XavierD]

the ikonic traverses of crystal mountain.

It literally takes 12 more minutes to walk to the top if you're fat and out of shape and not cut a track which looses close to 200 vertical feet across the entire avalanche basin so they can ski a different 160 vertical feet down to Elizabeth lake, which requires them to ski down to C9 instead of take the quick cut back to C6. It makes no sense.

[counterfeitfake]

Some people don't understand or know where they're going. Some ropes would help.

[NW_SKIER]

Some people don't understand or know where they're going. Some ropes would help.

To hang them with?

[Toadman]

the ikonic traverses of crystal mountain.

It literally takes 12 more minutes to walk to the top if you're fat and out of shape and not cut a track which looses close to 200 vertical feet across the entire avalanche basin so they can ski a different 160 vertical feet down to Elizabeth lake, which requires them to ski down to C9 instead of take the quick cut back to C6. It makes no sense.

You've obviously never hiked the King while fat and out of shape. Otherwise you would know it takes an additional 18-20 minutes to hike to the top. (This doesn't include the 5-7 minutes it takes to get your skis off and figure out how to carry them on your shoulder before the hike.)

[cascadianwarrior]

Holy fucking sleeper day at Mission. The report wasn't favorable this morning, nor were the winds, so I think a lot of people bagged it. But by second lap they had the summit open. Buddy and I got 1st tracks down 4 of our favorite lines. Some areas were wind scoured but if you knew where to look for the deposits it was so good. I've honestly seen more people up there skiing in the rain than were on the mountain this morning. May not have been the best or deepest snow of the season but the consistency of untouched turns made it a winner. No pics so it probably didn't happen

[Stairmaster]

People are either too scared or lazy to hike to the top. Instead they traverse under people skiing off the top and make sweet traverse lines to blow you up and lose 99% of their vert without making any good turns.
It’s what happens when you don’t require gear to go out of southback and people who have no business leaving a groomer go exploring since they see other people going that way.
Southback on Saturday was the biggest gong show of literally a pack of women in their 60s on rental gear asking if it would get easier if they kept going further out and people on rental skis. A 5 min section took 30+ min at one point.


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They need one of those "are you beeping signs" and make it mandatory to carry avy gear. It will help weed out a few folks for sure.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Holy fucking sleeper day at Mission. The report wasn't favorable this morning, nor were the winds, so I think a lot of people bagged it. But by second lap they had the summit open. Buddy and I got 1st tracks down 4 of our favorite lines. Some areas were wind scoured but if you knew where to look for the deposits it was so good. I've honestly seen more people up there skiing in the rain than were on the mountain this morning. May not have been the best or deepest snow of the season but the consistency of untouched turns made it a winner. No pics so it probably didn't happen

One of my best days this season. We skied so many untracked runs today. Two untracked runs top to bottom in bowl 5 between 1430 and 1500


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[steveski]

Holy fucking sleeper day at Mission. The report wasn't favorable this morning, nor were the winds, so I think a lot of people bagged it. But by second lap they had the summit open. Buddy and I got 1st tracks down 4 of our favorite lines. Some areas were wind scoured but if you knew where to look for the deposits it was so good. I've honestly seen more people up there skiing in the rain than were on the mountain this morning. May not have been the best or deepest snow of the season but the consistency of untouched turns made it a winner. No pics so it probably didn't happen

One of my best days this season. We skied so many untracked runs today. Two untracked runs top to bottom in bowl 5 between 1430 and 1500


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Excellent, glad you guys were up there. Mountain looked empty on the webcam and social media, but i was suspecting it would be good!

[californiagrown]

They need one of those "are you beeping signs" and make it mandatory to carry avy gear. It will help weed out a few folks for sure.

I remember a few years ago crystal had patrollers stationed at the start of the hike/traverse out to Southback checking everyone for beacons and hassling (but allowing to pass) those without beacons on. I think they even announced to the folks waiting for the hike to open that only those with beacons would be allowed to pass.

[PNWbrit]

I remember a few years ago crystal had patrollers stationed at the start of the hike/traverse out to Southback checking everyone for beacons and hassling (but allowing to pass) those without beacons on. I think they even announced to the folks waiting for the hike to open that only those with beacons would be allowed to pass.

Yep happens sometimes when conditions are a little touchy.

[XavierD]

Yep happens sometimes when conditions are a little touchy.

I've had multiple south openings when they've asked those without kit+partner to give everyone else 10 min to conduct some additional live action testing.

[ptavv]

Today was all time great at Crystal when Northway opened. They'd opened Chair 6 ~45 minutes before opening Northway and so everyone had vanished from Green Valley. I was in the first group of people through Gate 1 and it was all time amazing over the shoulder / face shots on every turn all the way down. Got to put down fresh tracks in blower under the chair from Gate 3. Then just lap after lap of fresh tracks off Morning Glory. Was still dumping at my truck in the parking lot when I left.

Snapped this pic of the huge crown on Penny Dawg (that's what the trail map calls the area from those cliffs under the chair, but that's not what the sign Penny Dawgs points to… I have no idea whether that's the proper name) from the chair, didn't look like it slid too far since looker's left was a bunch of debris with a few inches of new snow on top of it (guessing it went yesterday / overnight as I didn't see a bomb pit or anything either).



Southback never opened and tomorrow looks to be clear and cold. Should be good.

[PNWbrit]

Today was all time great at Crystal when Northway opened. They'd opened Chair 6 ~45 minutes before opening Northway and so everyone had vanished from Green Valley. I was in the first group of people through Gate 1 and it was all time amazing over the shoulder / face shots on every turn all the way down. Got to put down fresh tracks in blower under the chair from Gate 3. Then just lap after lap of fresh tracks off Morning Glory. Was still dumping at my truck in the parking lot when I left.

Snapped this pic of the huge crown on Penny Dawg (that's what the trail map calls the area from those cliffs under the chair, but that's not what the sign Penny Dawgs points to… I have no idea whether that's the proper name) from the chair, didn't look like it slid too far since looker's left was a bunch of debris with a few inches of new snow on top of it (guessing it went yesterday / overnight as I didn't see a bomb pit or anything either).



Southback never opened and tomorrow looks to be clear and cold. Should be good.

Penny dawgs is right next to nickel kitty

[ptavv]

I have no idea what/where nickel kitty is.

Crystal has some of the worst trail maps / naming coherence of anywhere I've ever skied.

[Ted Striker]

Have you ever been to Baker?

[PNWbrit]

I have no idea what/where nickel kitty is.

Next to penny dawgs.

Does it have to have a name that you know?

You're really relying on a trail map?

[ptavv]

Fair point. But at least Baker uses a map made by Niehues that gives a reasonable sense of topography instead of the VistaMap dreck that Crystal uses.

Next to penny dawgs.

Does it have to have a name that you know?

You're really relying on a trail map?

I don't know the local names of hardly anything at Crystal since I'd only skied there a handful of times, and always with a bunch of locals who rattled off run names and spots faster than I could keep up with, before I moved to Tacoma 18 months ago.

[Alyosha_SP]

Ptavv is right, Crystal was bitchin today. Short lift lines and refills all day(probably snowed 5-6 inches from when 8-2:30. Real nice cream cheese pow on exterminator and Northway laps later in the day were excellent.

Tomorrow should be a great day for some sunny south laps if they get it open

[Huskydoc]

Ptavv is right, Crystal was bitchin today. Short lift lines and refills all day(probably snowed 5-6 inches from when 8-2:30. Real nice cream cheese pow on exterminator and Northway laps later in the day were excellent.

Tomorrow should be a great day for some sunny south laps if they get it open

Will be out lapping 6. Teal/tan/teal on Goats.

[HotSchmoo]

Has no one seen the avie carnage on Stevens and elsewhere?
Check the NWAC site. Impressive activity from this last storm/rain event. I cant seem to post photos with my iphone or I'd do so.

[sheel44]

Has no one seen the avie carnage on Stevens and elsewhere?
Check the NWAC site. Impressive activity from this last storm/rain event. I cant seem to post photos with my iphone or I'd do so.

I drove past the Rock mountain slide they talked about yesterday, that thing was massive. I have never seen an avy run so big before, it was something else.

[greenmachine]

not happy about missing today, this one snuck by me.

[thejongiest]

Not happy about missing out today, tomorrow, and Friday. Can I quit my job already?

[Toadman]

I remember a few years ago crystal had patrollers stationed at the start of the hike/traverse out to Southback checking everyone for beacons and hassling (but allowing to pass) those without beacons on. I think they even announced to the folks waiting for the hike to open that only those with beacons would be allowed to pass.

Yep, have had the experience on multiple occasions after some deep storm totals and somewhat touchy snow pack, where patrol got some decent results during their control work.

[Huskydoc]

Great bluebird morning laps hiking the throne w/ Ptavv. Shaded goods delivered, but everything got progressively cooked as the day wore on. Views alone made the trip out worth it, never gets old.