Suffice to say, we had ideal powder ski testing conditions.

Some performed better than others in the bottomless pow we scored in Sun Valley’s Burn zone. We woke up to more than 14 inches of fresh on the morning of our powder ski test day, so testers had ample opportunity to judge how well each pair of test skis floated in powder. One morning during the test week we woke up to more than 14 inches of fresh blanketing the base of the resort in some of the bowls on the backside of the mountain, testers swore they were surfing through 20-plus inches thanks to wind effect. This year, our prayers to Ullr were answered. It’s well known that Sun Valley can sometimes get skunked when big storms dump on surrounding mountain ranges, so when it comes to testing powder skis at our annual gear test at the end of February, we always just hold our breath and hope for the best. Like every year, we invited a crew of seasoned industry professionals-ski instructors, ski shop employees, coaches, and former World Cup racers-to join us for a week-long gear test in Sun Valley, Idaho, a resort known for its steep and manicured groomers, legendary bump runs, perfectly gladed tree runs, and of course, “the Burn,” sidecountry terrain that powder dreams are made of. Looking for the best women’s powder skis of 2024? You’ll find those here. Not every skier needs a fat powder ski in their quiver, but if you’re lucky enough to frequent resorts that measure snowfall in feet rather than inches, dive into this list of 2024’s best powder skis to find the right tool to maximize any powder day. To encourage float and easy steering, powder skis feature wide waists (around 110 millimeters-plus), more tip and tail rocker than you’ll find in all-mountain skis, and lightweight materials to help them stay above the fray. Powder skis are fat skis designed to lift you up so you can get through deep snow-like really deep, best-day-ever snow. When you have all your tricks, or are missing one with the Ace of Spades in hand, dump every trick if possible.Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Take your tricks early, and take tricks with only the cards you intend to. If you don’t have the Ace of Spades, but have the King and or Queen, try to force the player with the Ace to play it. Otherwise, a new round begins and play continues.

If a team’s match score is 500 or higher, that team wins the match.

When all 13 tricks have been played, teams are scored based on the total tricks taken compared to their team bid. Be the first team to score 500 points by estimating how many tricks you and your partner will take in each round to win. In Spades HD, two paired teams compete to win “tricks” of four cards (one from each player), by having the highest-value card in each set. Spades HD is an online card game on Pogo, where you pair up with a friend, fellow community players, or play alone against computer opponents in this four-player game of wits.

Pogo spades