Totally depressing forecast for December 29, 2013. Base is 42" at the top and 10" at the bottom of Crystal. God, what did we do wrong?

TONIGHT

Mostly
Cloudy

Low: 32 °F

MONDAY

Chance
Rain

High: 40 °F

MONDAY
NIGHT

Rain/Snow
Likely

Low: 30 °F

TUESDAY

Snow
Likely

High: 34 °F

TUESDAY
NIGHT

Mostly
Cloudy

Low: 30 °F

NEW YEAR'S
DAY

Partly
Sunny

High: 37 °F

WEDNESDAY
NIGHT

Chance
Snow

Low: 31 °F

THURSDAY

Chance
Rain

High: 37 °F

THURSDAY
NIGHT

Chance
Rain

Low: 28 °F

Snow Fall Stats for Prior Years. It's clearly a slow start, but it can ramp up fast.

We will see how it finishes, but this december looks like one of the lowest since 06/07. It's a drag in general, and it's a month that can build the base.  That being said, 05.06 started slow and it finished fine.  Let's hope it happens again. 

 HISTORIC SNOW TOTALS
Season        December January February March April Season Total
2007-2008 173" 130.5" 101" 97" 67" 591"
2006-2007 96" 69" 62" 37" 11"           389"
2005-2006 61" 175" 71" 41" 9"            446"
1998-1999 146" 102" 164" 82" 19"      603"

December 19, 2013, still haven't gone, but it's due to snow this week.

Mountain Report

SNOW FLURRIES

Summit 11⁰ F     Base 16⁰ F

Snowfall Totals    6,230'    4,570'

Overnight	0"	0"
24 Hour	1"	1"
48 Hour	1"	1"
72 Hour	1"	1"

Snow Depth
   Summit 40" 
   Base 9"

Season
   Total: 70"

View the above table in US Standard or Metric | 12/19/13 7:20am

What's Fresh We saw occasional snow showers yesterday and are expecting mostly clear weather this morning. Heavier snowfall returns later this afternoon into tomorrow with low freezing levels. The snow is firm in the high-traffic areas where moguls have also developed. We are unable to groom the slopes until we get more snow, due to the thin snow it would actually be counterproductive exposing more dirt and rocks. Coverage is thin so please watch for unmarked objects. If you have brand new equipment, we suggest staying up top in Green Valley and using the gondola to download to the base area. The coverage on the Forest Queen side is decent but keep an eye out for rocks, brush and compressions. Be aware that the parking lot can be icy in places, consider wearing shoes to the lodge and booting up there. All things considered, there's a good variety of terrain open and plenty of fun to be had. You never know until you go!

December 11, 2013. Open but 8" at the bottom of Crystal. Basically nothing.

Memorial Day, 2013. It actually didn't close until June 16! What a year.

Memorial weekend

By Michelle Longstreth on May 26th, 2013Posted in Conditions, Photo of the Day, Weather

Saturday sunshine with twelve inches of new brought out happy skiers.

By midday the clouds had parted and Mount Rainier came out. With soft snow and creamy groomers, the conditions and visibility made for a great day. Come and join us!

Still Open June 9

Tomatoes are 2' high, French Open Final with Ferrer and Nadal is on, Sara the Red Dog has been gone since February and Crystal Mtn. is still open.  Officially 493" of snow at Crystal for the year. I haven't been up since April some time, and that was Alpental.  It's cloudy and cool here in the city today so I didn't get excited about going up, and yet the website shows sunshine and clear skies.  I'm going to the SVS hospital dog walk to benefit doggies in memory of Sara.
A very good season is all I can say.  I wish I had even more days and maybe I will next year.  Best Wishes to all my ski pals and partners and wishes of peace to all those who were lost in the mountains this season.

Larry Shick's season wrap up. A good synopsis of what happened.

Season Wrap Up for 2012-2013  Next season outlook All Northwest ski seasons have a different flavor and this last one proved the point.  The past season also hammered home the message: ya gotta go while the gettin' is good, which is the essence of the powder alert.  December 2012 was one of the best Decembers on record in the Cascades. Abundant snowfall and  consistently low snow levels produced memorable early season coverage and multiple epic powder days. Many said Dec 18 was one of the finest powder days they'd ever skied in the  Cascades with deep, light snow. Hey, I'll take partial credit as I called out that specific day, as a powder alert day -  several days in advance. It turned out to be a December to remember.  Once again, a recent trend; January and February were funky with inconsistent  new snow, occasional high snow levels - basically a lack of any storms with much  soul. There were some good days to be sure, but it was slow. However, we were  blessed with excellent coverage and the groomers were tasty, especially  considering most Western US ski areas suffered with no new snow and a painful  lack of base coverage.  I liked the inversion in January. An inversion is when warm air is above over  cold air - opposite the normal atmospheric profile. The mountain air was warm  with stunning, clear skies and brilliant sunshine in the mid 40's at 6500ft,  while Seattle shivered in the claustrophobic fog icebox: the upper 20's - low  30's. When I was skiing at the top of Crystal we were in short sleeves and could  see Mt Hood in Oregon and Mt Baker to the north - all in one sweeping view. Winter inversions are common, but this one was a very rare considering its magnitude  and consistency (several days). The warmth, even continued through the long  winter nights which induced a slight snowmelt, with a very minor rise in  mountain stream flows. I have never seen that in January with a dry weather  pattern. There was improving epic worthy powder in March (I liked 21-24) and April had some very respectable powder (13th/14). Overall the season ended with an above normal snowpack, displaying an especially robust snowpack in the medium and lower  elevations.   I skied last Sunday at the Cinco de Mayo spring ski day at Alpental - what a blast.  The skiing was great, the vibe was total fun in the sun. (see pictures)

Awesome March 22nd

Cold, and crystal clear. Just Ken and I went, found Hershel and Margret Pharms.  I have never seen a more beautiful day. It was about 21 in the parking lot and 10 at the top.  7" new, and there had been a big day on thursday.  This one was great too, and we skied right angle from the top first thing, running down the ridge with KD's buddy Kenny in yellow pants.  And another run or two before North Back opened.  We had two down the middle of the Northback.  Finally, we did Gate 8 down thru Niagra's.

It is one of the great runs in the Northwest.  Dayton didn't remember having done it and gave it a triple "Wow". Just a great day. It's been pretty mild ever since, now the 27th.

Groomer Day on Feb 12

Bob Conlon of Chicago came to town and we went to Crystal.  I'd give it a 5 with hard pack and fog the main features.  Oh we went fast, and we had one run in Paradise Bowl which indicated there was nice snow on north slopes, but overall, it was good to get to lunch and then the Elk.  Hope he comes back for the good stuff some day.  It's a nice way to spend time with work colleagues.

The Kids for the weekend of Jan 21.

Awesome time with the kids.  Julia, Drew and Alice.  Really good day of sun and powder and all that makes us love at Crystal.
Julia and I had a good one at Alpental too the following day.  Julia's 35th birthday celebration weekend was one to remember.

FEBRUARY 7, Enough Powder on Crust makes for a big day.

Jeff Fiorini and I planned on taking advantage of the old cold snow day for over a week and were happily surprised to have Dan Ogborn and Hershal Pharms join us.  When we found long time friend Peter Giese in line, we were set.
High 20's, 7" in 2 days, but we found far more than that when we went looking.  Intermittent clouds and fog.  Reasonable, not great light.
Surprisingly we found good snow on the eastern and northern aspects.  A few runs in the main area, and then on to Northway which turned out to be very good.  We made or normal runs , headed down Sally's Meadow and down. I got stuck on a cliff face and had to walk out just to the right of the Northway chair.  Had the sense, or the lack of balls, and turned around to find a way that didn't read and look say "Cliff".  Last run down the Niagaras to Lunch at the Elk was really good.  A few after lunch in the building fog, with the last run down the shoulder off of 6, which was CRUNCHY.  We were happy to end it and gave it a 7 to an 8 .  There were some 9's in there, but too many 4's to get a big rating, but man, it was still good.

Beautiful Powder Day January 10,2013

Stuart Silk, Jeff and Sally Fiorini and I got on it and it worked very, very well.
Cold, good visibility,and in some place up to 15" of powder.  We started right down the front side of Sunnyside, and just kept looking for the goods.  When North Back opened, we go there pretty quick, and the video is testimony to how good it was.

 

We didn't last long, just after lunch, but a beautiful day.  2012/ 13 continues to be a very memorable year.

December 21 @ Crystal. EPIC day.

Often overused, the term is true for this day.  It was cold, in the low 20's and the snow was falling intermitently. Stuart and Michael Silk and Mark Callahan got up there @8:15. Parked at the Silver Skies where Mark has a place.  We were on the gondola and started on West Face, untracked.  It just kept building all day.  Lot's of new snow, somewhere between 1' and 2". Chair 6 closed the day before, as was Northway.  We made laps on 6 until lunch, then skied Powder Bowl and Bear Pits.  As we got to the top, at 2, and the Northway Light came on.  We went to the traverse and got into the Meadow only to find untracked.  A virgin slope all the way to the bottom with everyone in whoop mode.  Long line at the chair, late move to Gate 8, came down the left side on the Niagra's side .  Here is the video from that. An incredible day.
By the sounds of my voice, you'd think I was scared of the deep snow.  Nahhhh, not me.

1-1-13 at Alpental

All by my lonesome, got up at 9 and it was deep in fog on the bottom of the mountain, but the fog layer was only on the lower mountain and it was beautiful up top.  No new snow, but plenty of cold snow bumps.

Alpental is very steep early in the year.  They need another 5' to really get the holes covered, but what a December.  Over 150" fell up there.