Blog Crystal : Crystal Mountain Washington : Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Skiing, Snowshoeing, Lessons, Rentals

Join us the next 2 Sundays (February 7th & 14th) at 10am & 12pm outside the Campbell Basin Lodge, to see demonstrations of how different Avalanche Transceivers work, and how to use our Easy Searcher.  We'll be at the top of the Forest Queen Express chairlift, on the left side of the Lodge as you enter....the side opposite the green Stor-A-Ski yurt.

 The Easy Searcher is our free, open-to-the-public, automated avalanche transceiver practice area.   Hone your backcountry partner rescue skills alone or with friends.  Choose settings from "easy" (one buried transceiver sends out a signal) to "hard" (three or four of the seven buried transceivers send out signals) while you practice locating, pinpointing, then probing to "strike" mock buried victims with your own probe pole, or using the probe poles we provide!

Again, it's all free!  I hope you can stop by!

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Here's a little plug for a fun event coming up:

If you love to ski or ride you can make a difference in the fight against cancer by supporting Hope On The Slopes at Crystal Mountain on March 13, 2010.

“Hope on the Slopes” (HOTS) is a ski and snowboard event benefitting the American Cancer Society (ACS).  First conducted at the White Pass ski area in 2004, the event has grown to four Washington mountains for 2010.

For more information about the organization, see their website:  www.hotscrystal.com or view a brief You Tube video about HOTS here.

How it works:

HOTS participants ask supporters to make donations to ACS in recognition of their commitment to ski as many vertical feet as they can over the course of the event. All fundraising is done via an ACS website where participants establish a personal fundraising web page to share their message and show their progress. In addition to funds contributed by supporters, all sponsorship proceeds go straight to the ACS, as the cost of conducting the event is completely borne by participants, volunteers and the hosting ski areas.

To Register:

Registration is done online. The cost to register is $35 per individual or $150 for a team of up to 10 people. If you raise a minimum of $100 you will receive a complimentary lift ticket for the day!!! To register for HOTS, go to the HOTS website.

To get more information about HOTS:

Attend the "Information Night" at Harmon Brewery in Tacoma January 27, 2010 at 7pm.

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OK, I'm finally getting around to giving proper shout-outs for the Dirt Bag Ball, the Patrol's big annual fundraiser!  If you couldn't make it, THESE shirts are still available as momentos of what you missed:

First, Muchas Gracias' to our major sponsors, Pabst and Salomon!  We couldn't do it without ya'!

Next, thanks to former Queen (IV) Debbie Grubb and Wapiti Woolies in Greenwater, for each years' sweeet and much-coveted hats that serve to crown the King and Queen!

And also thanks to Mike Brooks and the staff of the Bullwheel for their continuing assistance with venue coordination, and especially with clean up!!!!!   Costumes can be messy and the next morning's avalanche control might not have been possible without you guys havin' our backs!

Smith, Salomon (again!) and Ibex provided lots of awesome raffle prizes.  Great companies with great products!!!   BY THE WAY WINNERS, BE SURE TO PICK UP YOUR PRIZES BEFORE CRYSTAL CLOSES SUNDAY APRIL 19th!

And let me congratulate (and bow down humbly in the presence of:) this year's royalty, dirbag skiers extraordinaire, King Ross Gregg & Queen Sharon Carter, pictured below (in their crowns/hats):

The guys all wish to thank Sharon for letting former Queen (III) Sharon Atinkson talk her into her photographic lobbying efforts.  Let's hope THAT's a ritual that continues each year!  (inside joke, inappropriate to explain!)

Cowboys and Callgirls (that was the theme) kickin' up their heels!

Frequent Powder 8's Champ Dale  with wife Nancy

Kim & JK livin' large

Chet, former Queen (II) Jen, & Rich keep an eye on the posse

Adam checks guests' tickets.  And by the way...ewwww!

To all who supported us this year through buying Dog Shirts, coming to the Dirt Bag Ball, entering the Powder 8's, buying raffle tickets, contributing schwag for prizes and cash donations, as well as helping out at accidents scenes, picking up fallen signs, staying out of avalanche closures... and buying us pitchers at The Elk & Bullwheel.....OUR DEEPEST THANKS!  

-The 2008-2009 Crystal Mountain Pro Patrol

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PLEASE COME SUPPORT OUR BUDZ FROM CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN'S FIRE DEPARTMENT.

Really!  Fires happen here--even in the snow!  And we want to help Crystal's volunteer Fire Department thrive!

Benefiting the Crystal Mountain Fire Department, teams of up to 4 people use imagination and creativity to build dummies attached to skis or a snowboard platform and will withstand catching air and landing after being pushed off a steep ramp leading down a groomed trough to launch off the kicker into a crash pit. No pulses please! Enter a dummy of your own and help benefit the Crystal Mountain Fire Department, or come and watch this entertaining event. Open competition to the public and fun for the whole family!

Schedule
9am-Noon: Register your Dummy and Team in the Day Lodge. Minimum $60 entry fee to benefit the Crystal Mountain Fire Department. This is a fund raising event.
12pm: Dummies must be displayed in front of the Sundeck for Judging.
3pm: Dummy Downhill Begins
4:30pm: Awards Ceremony on the Sundeck (weather permitting)

Visit the Mountain Challenge website for more info.

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I hear some of my Homies got quite the earful today.  Apparently some folks were peeved because out South, only Silver Basin was open today, as Avalanche Basin was held for some movie-shooting that Warren Miller's crew was doing for one of his upcoming annual ski season teasers.

My heart goes out to anyone who feels like they didn't get what they deserved.  I know how it feels when a certain thing I get attached to, doesn't come through.  But my point here isn't to discuss THAT.  My point is to share a little ski secret about sniffin' out the pow

While my radio was squakin' about all the discussions taking place out South, those of us assigned to Northway were gettin' some pretty sweet freshies--even ON SWEEP at the end of the day!!  (I crossed exactly 3 tracks down the entirety of Glory Days except for right at the exit chute)   It made me think of something I heard come from one of those pick-up soccer games at Green Lake last summer...."Are we gonna argue or are we gonna play?"

Does this sound too preachy?  I don't mean to!  My point is just that there's some wisdom to be had to get the most fun out of your day!  I don't know how you learn to be where all the other people AREN'T, but for me, today was a good day to stumble upon that!    Anyone want to share their powder sniffing tips?  (No, of course they don't!  We all gotta learn the hard way!)

HEAD'S UP!

There'll be a little more of this limited access to particular terrain for the next few days, for the Mountain Challenge Silver King Freeride competition.  In the past, the location has varied a little based on visibility.  Come watch some crazy hucks and sick lines that'll turn your stomach!

Do you want your turn to be one of the "Special People"?  If the weather cooperates, you can get a jump start on Silver Basin tracks this Saturday (March 7th) by entering Crystal's somethingth-annual Powder 8's competition. $60 per team of 2 skiers, boarders, 3-pinners (how do you spell tele-ers?) or mixed.  Bragging rights and sweet valuable prizes abound!   Keep an eye on that little "events" list on Crystal's website (not here on this blog!) for updates.  It's a fundraiser for the Ski Patrol education & avi dog training fund, so it's near-&-dear to my heart!

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