Picture this: a steep, sun-baked slope freezes overnight and becomes a rock-hard, nasty surface of ice and crust smattered with rocks and trees.

This was the slope that competitors skied for the semi-finals of the US Freeskiing Nationals at Snowbird, Utah. Many of the competitors said they just wanted to get down it.

click for semi-finals pics

If nothing else, the bony and firm conditions helped separate the Batmen from the Robins, and the Wonder Women from the Supergirls. There were no powder landings (except the one that Shane McConkey found first). The conditions were a true test of all-around skiing, including decision making skills, and this separated the skiers who chose appropriate lines and stayed in control from those who bobbled, slid or fell down the heinous slope.

This was true in the minds of the judges, at least. The small crowd of shivering spectators also witnessed numerous recoveries that won their hearts.

Making it look easy, Ryan Oakden from Fernie, BC, led the day by a huge margin of over five points in the men's event. Guerlain Chicherit, former World Extreme Skiing Champion from Tignes, France, was behind, in 2nd place. Nick Alexander, originally from Rochester, NY, was 4th, and Oakden's childhood friend, Moss Patterson, was 5th going into the finals.

Patterson kicked off the day as the first skier down the frozen course. As the guinea pig, he skied a powerful run and threw a backflip to boot. "I think they're getting kind of old, but they're so much fun to do," he said. The judges liked it. Nick Alexander was also one of the first five competitors down the slope and finished in the top-5 with Patterson.

"The good skiers make it look easy," said head judge Michel Beaudry. "The snow got a little bit better as the day went on, but to go first in these kind of conditions and finish in the top-5 is amazing."

According to Beaudry, the judges do not make any exceptions in adverse conditions such as we've seen here. Tough snow is part of Mother Nature's behavior. The winner of this event will prove to be the best all-around skier, whether it's a powder day or crud. So, the judges simply judge what they see, and if a skier skids through a turn or loses control, they'll score accordingly. It ultimately means that skiers need to choose lines they know they can nail — as it should be.

The conditions were difficult for everyone, but Shane McConkey was the first to find some powder.

Reading the hill like nobody else's business, Shane started his run at the top of East Baldy aiming strait down the fall line, sending rocks tumbling ahead of him and following them down. Then he cut over to a cliff area where nobody had been yet and landed a 20-footer, sinking up to his knees in the pillow of powder that was protected on all sides by cliffs. Next, Shane made some 5+ rock moves, mantled another cliff, and launched a 30-footer onto steep, stiff snow. Then he threw a front flip off a smaller rock by the bottom, skiing smoothly and solidly into the finish area — on one ski. This left him disqualified after one of the most sensational runs of the day.

McConkey, president of the governing International Free Skiers Association, was involved in making the rule stating that skiers must finish with "essential gear" or be disqualified. Two skis being essential gear (he also lost a pole toward the top) meant McConkey broke his own rule.

"We made the rule so that people wouldn't leave shit on the mountain, in the middle of other people's landings and lines so somebody else would have to go get it," said McConkey.

Technically, if a ski comes off, the competitor has to hike to get it, and everybody waits.

A few other competitors lobbied for making an exception in this case, arguing McConkey landed the forward flip "like butter," even though his ski came off he didn't flinch, and he still skied the run "with style." But the athletes ultimately voted that the rule should stand. Most hope McConkey gets an honorary run during the finals.

In the women's field, Jamie Burge is currently leading by over four points. Big Sky, Montana's Jenna Funston is in 2nd after taking 2nd in the quals earlier in the week. Aleisha Cline, from Sunshine Village, BC, is 3rd, followed by Jackson Hole's Jessica Baker and Red Mountain, BC's Kirsty Exner in 4th and 5th, respectively.

"I just wanted to get down," said Burge. But she skied her run with confidence that truly set her apart.

Jenn Berg, winner here two years ago, skied an agressive line when the sun came out in the afternoon. "I thought it would be spring conditions, but it was frozen spring conditions from yesterday," she said. As she descended the slope, her skis hit the rock wall on the other side of a small chute when she dropped in diagonally. "I just told myself, 'don't tip over.'" She didn't tip, but the bobble cost her points that will keep her out of the finals.

Dawn Cardinal, the sole telemark competitor at this event, made drop-knee turns on shitty snow look easy. A fall kept her from making it into the finals. "My ski came off and my boot came unbuckled, so I stopped to fix it and I just said, 'the judges are going to have to wait.'"

Needless to say, judges don't like to wait in the shade on a cold windy day and Dawn didn't make it into the finals. But she skied like a champ.

Did the judges manage to stay warm with the free hot-cocoa?

"No way," said judge Jeremy Nobis. "I was freezing my ass off." In spite of being cold, Jeremy said he likes being a judge. "It's fun for a little while. During the quals some people were asking me how to ski better, and if they could follow me down the mountain." After the semi-finals, Jeremy signed posters at Powder Magazine's "Powder to the People" RV.

Nine women and 32 men will advance to the finals on Thursday.

— Michelle Quigley Pearson, MountainZone.com Staff