FREESKIER’s 2019-2020 Backcountry Ski Test, presented by POC, kicked off on Red Mountain Pass, in Colorado’s beautiful San Juan Mountains today. Based out of the incredible Red Mountain Alpine Lodge, located just north of the pass summit, our group of 16 trekked into the high alpine in search of spring corn snow on the best touring skis of 2019-2020.
Thirteen brands provided our testers with planks, including 4FRNT, Armada, Atomic, Blizzard, DPS, Fischer, Faction, G3, Icelantic, K2, Line, Salomon and Völkl. Our testers were kitted out in POC’s Obex SPIN helmets, along with Fovea and Orb goggles, both outfitted with the brand’s clarity lenses. With the sun as bright and high as it was today, we needed ’em. Testers utilized G3’s Alpinist+ Universal and Glide skins, which aided our climbing in snow conditions that ranged from frozen wind-board to afternoon slush.
The testing crew was able to try out Scarpa’s highly-anticipated Maestrale XT boot, the next evolution of the brand’s best-selling Maestrale series. The lightweight, super stiff touring boot received high praise from our group, be on the lookout for it this fall.
The day was marked by high-alpine corn skiing in the United States’ closest rival range to the Alps, in terms of sheer relief and magnificence. Don’t @ us, the San Juans f*cking rule.
