Since 2008, approximately 50 testers from around the U.S. have congregated in Powder Mountain to shred on and evaluate next year’s bindings, boots and skis. Some testers make it back every year, putting their home mountains second for a week with Backcountry and their fellow testers, many of whom are now like family. And each year a few new faces trickle in, too, adding fresh perspectives, equipment demands and OB experiences that ultimately keep our gear review applicable for a wider bc audience. Catch up with two of these testers: one veteran, Sheridan Davis, and one newcomer, Mary McIntyre.
Name: Sheridan Davis
Hometown: Alta, Utah
Home mountain: Alta Ski Area
Years testing: Every year at Powder Mountain, except three years ago when I had an ACL injury. I came up [to Powder Mountain] but didn’t test.
Occupation: Ski bum, but I work hard at it. I work for Jet Blue Airlines, I’m a caretaker for a house in Alta and the assistant manager at the Rustler Lodge.
Favorite ski tested: The G3 Empire
The conditions today: Really fun. The fresh snow off Paradise gave us great conditions. There was some mank, too. There was the whole gamut, which is great for testing.
Favorite part of the test: The social aspect. Seeing friends I don’t see except for the test. It’s a small skiing world. This makes it even more friendly.
Advice for a first-time tester: Enjoy yourself. Don’t be ashamed to have strong dislikes and likes. Try not to listen to other people. You have permission to not like what you don’t like and like what you like.
If you could invite anyone to the test, dead or alive: Shane McConkey. I’d love to pick his brain about design ideas. And Dolores LaChapelle, who wrote Deep Powder Snow. It’s a tie between those two.
Spirit animal: Skadi, the Scandinavian goddess of skiing, is a wolf, so I’ll say dog, or any canine.
Name: Mary McIntyre
Hometown: Salt Lake City
Home mountain: Brighton Ski Resort
Years testing: First Year
Occupation: I have a lot of jobs. I usually just work until I have enough money to travel.
Favorite ski tested: Either the Black Crow Corvus or Ski Logik’s Ullr’s Chariot. I gave them both 9s in the review.
Conditions today: In two words, hot pow. In more words, it’s been a really fun day with variable conditions. There’s cold pow in the back of the mountain, by Paradise, and spring conditions in the front.
Favorite part of the test: Every day gets better as you get to know more people. Just being on the mountain and getting to know people from all over the country.
Gear Test surprise: The age range. I took someone’s place who couldn’t make it here this year, and he’s in his sixties. I thought it would be mostly older men, so I was surprised to see such an age range.
Spirit animal: Mountain goat.
Mary takes the place of someone in his 60’s!!! WTF, I resembal that remark ahh