From dirtbag roots to Park City polish

A friend invited us to ski at Park City for a few days—way outside my usual dirtbag economy. I was definitely out of my element, but fortunate to have the time and opportunity to ride at a place I’d never choose for myself. Once you find your groove, it’s truly a great place to ride. We ain’t at Snowshoe, Toto!

After reading Chris’s post on Carvers Connection, I jumped at the chance to try hard boots again—my first go since the early ’90s. Back then I rode a Burton setup: hard shells, soft‑ish boots, plenty of lateral wiggle. Sadly, that old all‑mountain ripper is now a dusty and forgotten relic in the rafters.

Prior to departing for Utah, I tracked down Chris’s site, sent him a message, and we set up a demo. On the arranged demo day in Park City, Chris rolled in with a stack of gorgeous handmade boards; my ride for the day was a Thirst XC 171, crafted in Idaho. As we got outfitted, we dug into UPZ boots—plastics, stiffness tweaks, and future designs. They felt surprisingly comfortable right out of the box, though walking in them was pure comedy. My decade‑old Malamutes have spoiled me, so clomping up stairs in hard boots had me discovering muscles I’d forgotten existed.

The test ride was humbling. Normally I’m the one waiting at the lift for everyone else, but on Park City’s mellow Home Run trail I was jerky, paranoid about catching an edge, and digging decades deep for techniques to avoid self‑imposed body slams. By the end I managed to link together some smooth, flowy carves, though I wished we’d hit steeper groomers before time ran out.

Following Chris was another reality check—he flowed effortlessly while I micro‑adjusted like mad to keep my creaky chassis upright. The demo blew past expectations. Chris is a legend: fun to lap with, geek out with, and share the stoke. If you’re in Utah and hard‑boot curious, hit him up. It’s worth it—cheaper than a mountain lunch and beer.

As a Mid‑Atlantic spray‑on‑snow rider, I’m convinced this belongs in the quiver. Already scheming another demo next season—softest UPZ boots, graphite speed machines, and pushing trench depth to new limits.