SAM Magazine - Crystal Mountain, Wash., January 10, 2009 - With surrounding resorts reopening after warm rains caused havoc to conditions and spiked avalanche danger, Washington's Crystal Mountain remains embattled due to road closures. The Washington Department of Transportation has continued road closures on Highway 410, the only access road to the ski area due to mudslides.

"The troublesome weak layers buried deep in the snowpack from early season have become more consolidated with the rain earlier this week and significant load," says Paul Baugher, Crystal Mountain Patrol Director. "Lots of caution needs to be used right now but once the snowpack has adjusted to this new load it will be like hitting the reset button. The snowpack is much more friendly when you are just dealing with the new snow instability and not deeply buried weak layers."

WDOT has told the resort that the department hopes to have cleared the highway be Sunday.

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