Crystal- Sat 3/25 demo day

Well it certainly wasn't Haines. I got there early, About 8 o'clock and had to park in Extreme upper C lot, lots of early birds. After grabbing some demos I got to Chinook express just after it opened at 8:30. Rex was running when I got there. A bit of new snow on the trees, fairly cold, overcast. Now the hard part, picking a top to bottom route to compare skis on. Well Green Valley bowl gondy face was skiable. MIFB off piste skiers right was very challenging. MIFB was firm firm. Lower Bull had been groomed but was pretty darn icy. Fortunately, as the day went on things got better and better. Lower Bull and Deer Fly went to springtime, MIFB softened up, including the right side bumps. West Face and the Grubbsteak trees we're okay. I didn't go anyplace else because of the demo thing. Visibility came and went but was mostly okay. Snow showers off and on. It was warm enough that the flats at the base got sticky. I had an ice cold beer on the sunporch listening to the live band to end the day. It was a fun day demoing. I got to try about 12 different pairs of skis. A,B,C lots full, D & E had cars, No lift lines on CEX or REX.

No demos for me today so we hit NW; Paradise Bowl, Penny Dawgs, Tree Run. Great grooming at the NW bottom helped the decision to take "one more run" about 3 times. Then C6 for one big traverse to A basin to watch a couple of competition runs (pretty impressive lines and airs! good visibility and snow for them), a couple more C6 fronts and PB. Nothing great; snow was soft and heavy. But going in with low expectations improves the outlook when things are not frozen, no-go zones. Also Rinky Dink early was maybe the best snow. No lift lines to speak of, not even FQ.

What were the skis you liked most? I liked the volkl 100eights more than I thought I would.