with the National Demo team members, exploring terrain, skiing tactics and generally just enjoying themselves at the end of a season. Every few years though, the event is held outside the US. 2006 afforded the opportunity to ski in Chamonix, France, an unbelievable playground of giant, jagged mountains and deep spring snow. This year's snowfall was abundant, and provided extremely good cover for the entire event. ULLR, the Norwegian ski god, came through in a big way, with fresh snowfall in the week leading up to the event and sunny skies with temps in the 30's a norm for each day of skiing. The town of Chamonix is beyond charming, with streets filled with shops, restaurants, bars and businesses, pedestrian traffic clogging the sidewalks and spring blooms in the air. The Hotel Alpina was the lodging choice for the group, with over 225 people staying in this 7 story 3-star hotel. Skiing was done at areas called Flegere, Brevent, Les Grand Montets and Le Tours. An unbelievable trip was also taken on a glacier, an area called Le Valle Blanche where two glaciers meet to form a larger one called La Mer de Glace, or the Sea of Ice. Amazing scenery, terrific skiing and awesome coaching from the current and former Demo team members made this a very memorable trip. One day was also spent at Courmayeur in Italy, just a short 7 mile bus trip underneath Mont Blanc, going from one country to the other in a matter of minutes. Chamonix is an exquisite destination, one that all skiers and boarders should strive to visit at some time in their lives. Up to 7000 feet of continuous vertical at Les Grandes Montets, areas to take a picnic lunch and eat on the slopes (a little wine and cheese during the day never hurt anyone!), sights worthy of calendar photo shots, and abundant eateries for when the day is over, all of these contribute to a worthy locale, one that is among the greatest playgrounds our sports can enjoy.

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