Late afternoon ski, perhaps just before Ken and the dreaded evening refreeze. Started at P7 though not groomed, see Paul's report. No bare spots on Booth or Penguin and descents weren't tricky pre-refreeze but might have been nasty an hour later (5pm vs. 6pm). I am glad I didn't descend either #31 or #4 - I might have used scary rather than exciting to describe them.

Once up Booth, Ridge was in great shape! Wide enough to accommodate skate and classic traffic. Well set classic tracks that weren't pushed too far to the edge - so your right pole was not sinking every stride.

Skating would have been excellent, but I choose to classic and test my waxing skills. The snow was varied to say the least. Its a rare day when a 100m stretch has shaded areas with dry powder, exposed sections with slush, tracks that alternated powdery, glazed, slush and corn. Every waxer's nightmare.

Eric used Carrot this morning, Jo-Ann Teho Green later in the morning. Neither of these would have worked when I was out. I initially I got up Booth on silver minus klister with a thin violet cover. But that wasn't enough grip in the wettest sections and iced in the powder. So I tested Vauhti's new K12 on one ski and Vauhti Aluminum on the other. (covering the de-iced klister)

Both waxes are silver coloured and rated for +1..-1C, but more importantly purport to work well in mixed snow types. And so they did to my satisfaction! Only on the wettest tracks on the parkway were they really without grip (red klister needed), and they managed the driest sections of Burma (perfect carrot snow) with acceptable drag. It was abrasive and I did loose wax, mainly on the Burma bobsled run and avoiding the guy sprawling on the parkway at the bottom. Overall 8/10.

I doubt any single wax would be perfect everywhere today given the variability and blend of conditions, you just had to make do.. or skate. Classic the rest of the week will get easier. Gradually the powder will transform, the slush dry out. Probably klister covered with hard wax will work well, but which ones depends on when you ski.