81cm of fresh snow in the past 24 hours; another 30cm forecast overnight. 176cm base before we’re even at the official opening day. The Silencers are waxed, sharpened and adjusted for the new boots I picked up at the Whistler Turkey Sale; there’s a full tank of gas in the car, and I’ll be hitting the Sea to Sky first thing in the morning. My season starts tomorrow, and I can’t wait.

I also have something new to try out tomorrow: Opedix S1 leggings. Both my knees are badly damaged enough that I can’t ski without significant support, and last season I relied pretty heavily on GII Trainer braces – effective but uncomfortable and bulky, especially over the course of a full day. I read about Opedix leggings in a skiing magazine, and after researching them pretty extensively online decided it was worth investing in a pair. They use the same joint unloading principle as the braces, but with fabric paneling rather than metal hinges and velcro strapping. Lab tests found that they removed around four tons of accumulated weight from the joint during a typical day’s skiing. That’s pretty impressive.

I’m not expecting miracles, and I think there’s a danger my knees have deteriorated too far for the S1 to provide enough support; some reviewers did note that while they were appropriate for skiers requiring additional knee support, they’re not suitable for badly damaged knees. Nonetheless, I’m excited to try them out and see if there’s a chance I can ski without the bulky braces. I tried them on tonight and the only way I can describe it is that they made my legs feel springy. Tomorrow will likely be a fairly short day and high winds are likely to curtail visibility (and by association, speed) in the morning, so it’s a good opportunity for a test run.

So that’s my day tomorrow: Sea to Sky in the pouring rain, fresh powder, first tracks, and bionic pants. I think it’s going to be a good one.