The Hooky Report

**Buster Highmen** · 02-22-2007, 08:54 AM

I played hooky, skipped the big weekly meeting and headed out st00pid early to get some turns in at Crustal.

After two laps down a frumpy bontside, spying Schmerham and Jumper Bones on the lift, I linked up with Northway just as the Northback rope dropped.

1) Crystalline virgin tracks laid down all of Paradise Bowl. Monique was missed.

Snagged Natty after a wait while the Chinook was dormant.

2) Another pure clean track down the side of Bruce's Bowl. But the remainder down into the Anthill was marred by the required crossing of others tracks. O the humanity! Powderballs.

Ran into one of those sporty Hagenbuch bros who dropped a hint that Niagras was still showing unrumpled surfaces:

3) Super steep lines were had down Niagras. I got hung up in the upper rocks, but threaded a transcendant, untouched line down the lower rocks. More dendrited deepness.

Penny Dogs had looked good from the Anthill, so the troupe of three sliced on out the traverses to that.

4) More crotch deep vanilla creme was had in the Penny Dogs. It's one of those runs that falls away getting steeper and steeper, unable to see past the next rollover 100 feet away where it gets even steeper. Just waiting for the sucker to break and slide. But the stability was primo while the powderhose washed the face.

So now we've racked up 4 Ho Chi Minh traverses back to the base. Some members of our rocking teenage combo wanted to trade out the ho for the hi-t. That would have been a hell of a transplant. But just then, we crossed tracks with Jumper, PNWBrit and Schmermermer who were lounging around and beckoned us to stop. And Northway had to step onto other streams of life, so we bid him dieu-dieu.

But when you get old, you realize that time is really slipping away, that life is finite. And furthered fueled by a lack of belief in any of the more widely held beliefs about afterlife, I find stopping repugnant in general and practically irrational heresy on a pow day. So that crew was exhorted to step in and hit it, which we did. Little did I know that part of the information they had was that South Back was about to open. Now I don't mind having the direction of my vectors abruptly changed, but the magnitude, that sacred self inner product, will not dwindle.

5) Had a quick one down Leftberg.

So the cadre of k00ks now numbering something like 6 raged off to chair 6 and

6) spun 2 laps out on Hamburger to the DFT stashes while we waited for the rope drop on SB to happen. At about 1:15 it did.

The core of Natty and PNWBrit and I hike inched up the King. For yours tr00ly, it was no waltz, no deft light steps. The we went to my favorite line on the whole mountain, a shelf above a filled in cliff that splays down onto a beautiful apron and funnels into a narrow tree slot then out onto the apron again.

7) And it was pristine. It was balls++ deep. I ripped it and was glad. Natty and PNWBrit layed down sparkling halos of pow taking variations on that theme.

PNWBrit had other commitments and had to split. Nearly 2:00 and totally dogged, I now had to take a break for more water and another cliff bar (apricot - the only ones I can consistently chaw).

After a respite, up 6, out the throne traverse (I muse about the glory of the hi-t again) and then de-ski for the climb up the King. And this time it's a slog, a wheezer, a sweat stinging stumbling stagger requiring multiple pauses, layers of self immolations for not working out more and stoned gazing back into the basins S. of Crustal. Fortunately, I'm really good at stoned gazing. Practice makes perfect.

The summit was sweet, but I was exhausted, knackered, tweezed and thrashed.

8) So another sweet line was found on the S. exposure. The sun had hidden behind fast moving and weighty clouds and some of the snow had a very light crust on it. It had been hit with wide slices. But despite the cut, there were large patches of sweet and the run became a game of launching over others tracks to flense a rich, deep slash into the patch of virgin. Natty and I finished with the Troll Woods below Lizard Back, carving around the gnarly trunks in the quiet shade.

It doesn't get any better.

**VTskibum** · 02-22-2007, 09:01 AM

Great report! Doesn't even need pic's.

**Northway** · 02-22-2007, 09:21 AM

what a morning yesterday!
northback was the stuff of dreams, sounds like south was the stuff of legend!

great to make turns with you and natty, mr. highmen!

**Northway** · 02-22-2007, 09:27 AM

and by the way, watching buster lightly dance his way down a completely untracked paradise bowl was seeing poetry on skis, smooth, effortless float, in rythm with the magic of the place. a sight to behold.

**The AD** · 02-22-2007, 09:48 AM

Damn, that makes me jealous. Sounds awesome.

**Mofro261** · 02-22-2007, 09:51 AM

Well stated.

But when you get old, you realize that time is really slipping away, that life is finite. And furthered fueled by a lack of belief in any of the more widely held beliefs about afterlife, I find stopping repugnant in general and practically irrational heresy on a pow day. So that crew was exhorted to step in and hit it, which we did. Little did I know that part of the information they had was that South Back was about to open. Now I don't mind having the direction of my vectors abruptly changed, but the magnitude, that sacred self inner product, will not dwindle.

Add'ict'ion: a chronic disorder proposed to be precipitated (mmm...) by a combination of genetic, biological/pharmacological and social factors. Addiction is characterized by the repeated use of substances(snow) or behaviors (woot) despite clear evidence of morbidity secondary to such use.

**Tippster** · 02-22-2007, 10:22 AM

I want to ski with Buster when I learn how to do so. It sounds fun.

**PNWbrit** · 02-22-2007, 10:38 AM

Another epic day.

A few warm ups on six then multiple laps of North both solo and with Jumper and Schmermermer. Then scooped up by the tractor beam of Buster's pure enthusiasm for the holding pattern before the wonders of South opened.

Northway - sorry to have missed you.

**girlski0912** · 02-22-2007, 10:43 AM

Wow...sounds like yet another beauty day in the PNW. Nice work boys.

I am heading north this weekend.

**Buster Highmen** · 02-22-2007, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by girlski0912

Wow...sounds like yet another beauty day in the PNW. Nice work boys.

It was, you were missed.

I am heading north this weekend.

How far? 150 or 250 miles?

I don't know if I can make it to Crustal this weekend. My turn to shred the nubblers.

**Duder** · 02-22-2007, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

I don't know if I can make it to Crustal this weekend. My turn to shred the nubblers.

Bummer dude, I had hoped to make a few turns with you this weekend.

**Buster Highmen** · 02-22-2007, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by Duder

Bummer dude, I had hoped to make a few turns with you this weekend.

If the prognostics of the weather immam hold true, Sunday will R00L in the WA Cascades.

There's a chance I may make it Sunday...but with the wee ones randomly lurching around, you never know. I'll post something Sa-turd-ay if I can materialize for the undoubted shit show.

Forgot to mention how absotroutly empty Crustal was yesterday - no lines except when the Chinook hibernated for a few minutes.

**Beaver** · 02-22-2007, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by VTskibum

Great report! Doesn't even need pic's.

He does have a way with words.

**Ireallyliketoski2** · 02-22-2007, 11:29 AM

This thread is useless without pics.

**Buster Highmen** · 02-22-2007, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by Ireallyliketoski

This thread is useless without pics.

**Tippster** · 02-22-2007, 11:34 AM

Conversely - that pic would be lessened without the threads....

**Ireallyliketoski2** · 02-22-2007, 11:35 AM

Contrapositively, this thread has pictures so it's not worthless.

**girlski0912** · 02-22-2007, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

If the prognostics of the weather immam hold true, Sunday will R00L in the WA Cascades.

There's a chance I may make it Sunday....

Crystal is the call for me. I am meeting up with Hev (who will be infiltrating our neck for the woods) and showing him the goods on Sunday. I was hoping to rally a local crew, so if you can make it that would be perfect. It wouldn't be a true Crystal tour without the toque.

Brit, Northway, (sadly no Monique this weekend), BC-Flow, other crustal mags- SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!!!

**Buster Highmen** · 02-22-2007, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by girlski0912

Crystal is the call for me. I am meeting up with Hev (who will be infiltrating our neck for the woods) and showing him the goods on Sunday. I was hoping to rally a local crew, so if you can make it that would be perfect. It wouldn't be a true Crystal tour without the toque.

Brit, Northway, (sadly no Monique this weekend), BC-Flow, other crustal mags- SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!!!

So, who's taking Hev to Alpental? Sumbuddy gots to give him a propa scaring.

ola Alpie is closed Monday.

**PNWbrit** · 02-22-2007, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by girlski0912

Crystal is the call for me. I am meeting up with Hev (who will be infiltrating our neck for the woods) and showing him the goods on Sunday. I was hoping to rally a local crew, so if you can make it that would be perfect. It wouldn't be a true Crystal tour without the toque.

Brit, Northway, (sadly no Monique this weekend), BC-Flow, other crustal mags- SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!!!

Sunday, Crystal, check.

Originally Posted by Ireallyliketoski

This thread is useless without pics.

Jumper had a camera......post them.

Monique get your ass back home!

**lemon boy** · 02-22-2007, 12:09 PM

so much sweetness Bustah! Way to prioritize.

**MarsB** · 02-22-2007, 12:12 PM

Egads! Underwear ninjas!

**shmerham** · 02-22-2007, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

Jumper had a camera......post them.

Please no.

Not a bad day at all. With a big design review at work under my belt and fresh snow to be skied, I also chose to play hooky - good call me. My boss should be happy to know that I make great decisions.

Despite the fact that there were quite a few cars in the parking lot for a weekday, there wasn't much of a line on chinook. I prepare to click into my bindings on my new DP Lotus 120's for the very first time. It should have been a joyful experience, but instead it was one of dissapointment and anxiety. One of my bindings was way off. With my toe in, my heel was resting on the heelpiece. I head to the snowboard bench and find a screwdriver to adjust the heelpiece. Shit. It's not moving. Luckily I have my mantra's in the car as well. On the way down I run into Jumper. He takes a look at them, finds the same thing as me that the heelpiece isn't moving. Then he gives me a plan b. He holds the ski upright and says "give the heelpiece a good kick - downwards". I do and it pops back down into position. My guess is that something happened when the shop put the brakes on for me. Phew, all is good in the world. We slayed some cut-up and blown-in on sunnyside and doors and then a short but sweet run in northback. Ran into PNWBrit and did two nice, long gladed runs in northback, skier's right of niagra - great vert to ho chi minh ratio. We then ran into Buster and Natty for a few runs in Campbell with some sweeeeeet trees at the end. Let's just say that it's gooooood to know Buster. Oh yeah and it was a gorgeous bluebird day as well. Isn't this the PNW?