Crystal Mountain Crust

It was a spring-like day today, but with winter temperatures overnight, much of the mountain was hard and crusty. I warmed up on the groomers in the morning, and then headed up to check out the steeps. Warning signs were abundant, advising skiers of the potential for long slides on the hardpacked surface. I opened a dialogue with my chair-mate on High Campbell, and learned where to find the best conditions. I was pleasantly surprised by the chalky, carvable condition of the bumps, and found a number of north-facing spots that were still holding loose snow and softer bumps.

There were ponds forming on the lower mountain, but upper slopes were holding up fairly well. There were certainly rocks to watch out for, but overall the coverage was good enough to keep most runs open. I was breaking in some new boots, which forced me to take a few extra breaks, and the food at the lodge was good enough to keep me smiling between laps.