January 11, 2004
Lifts/Runs
Lifts Open: 9/10
Runs open: 107/107
Snowfall
24 Hour: 4cm (2in)
48 Hour: 7cm (3in)
7 Day: 31cm (12in)
Year to date: 416cm (164in)
Snow Pack: 198cm (78in)
Photos and text by Gerry George
 The bitterly cold, cold snap that settled into the area just after New Years has moved on leaving us with balmy spring like temperatures. While I won't miss the cold, I'm not particularly fond of the warm either.
Saturday brought some wet snow mixed with a bit of rain to the lower half of the mountain and the nice, freezing rain from the day before left a sweet layer of ice crust between that and the older champagne. Conditions were interesting to say the least.
Not digging being wet with splotches all over my goggles I bailed after one run on Saturday thinking there were better things to do.
Sunday was a bit cooler and the snow conditions were actually a heck of a lot of fun. I ran into Norm and Dave in the parking lot and ripped around with them for most of the day before Dave pulled some muscles and had to bail.
 Concussion Chutes and Upper Easter were tremendously fun as all the crust was chewed into soft pack. Snake ridge was not really chewed as much as the rest of the mountain and was still rather tricky. Even trickier was the snow off the top of the Face Lift. Wind pack, breakable crust, soft pack, all in one turn. Mmmmm.
Face Lift? Yup. Finally running and as uncomfortable as ever. The lower half of the mountain was pretty firm and fast and had me thinking I should have sharpened my edges prior to coming out. While not absolute boilerplate it is pretty solid. I think once the groomers get to it a few times it will get better. Forecast isn't looking super for the week. Sun, clouds, flurries. Pretty ho hum but at least the temperature is supposed to stay below zero.
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