While I agree with the majority of what the OP says, making it possible to craft/desynth ites to geodes and vice versa wont fix anything because since smithers will want to make money, they will resell geodes for a slightly higher price than they buy the ifritites, which would mean you're still depending on AH mechanics to finish a trial. and that would be bullshit.

Just increase the frequency of fire weather or adjust drop rates all together, whichever is easiest