Fancy rails? What about huge airs? What if there was a combination of the two over the most unique features around? Echo Mountain Park in Evergreen, Colorado recently opened their free rider’s paradise, and kicked off their season with the Traffic Jam competition on Sunday, December 17th. The jam lived up to its name, as riders hucked themselves over SUVs, snow cats, and, of course, the famous Smith limo. The day began at 10am, with a jam session, where both skiers and snowboarders, boys and girls, showed off their tricks to the judges in hopes of making it into the finals round.
During the qualifying jam session, the audience was given free gear from the lovely sponsors as they watched the sick tricks and gnarly crashes from the viewing deck. Inside the lodge, a full on BBQ was offered for a mere $7 to anyone who was craving a good, hearty meal. Also, due to it’s remote location, the views off the mountain had something to offer while the riders were gearing up for their runs.
As they began to receive their finalist bibs, the tricks got sicker and the falls nastier. Skiers and riders made it into the next round with 720 truck drivers, cab 5’s, rodeos, and cork 5’s. The competitors also showed off their skills on the rails with five-O grinds, 50-50s, and 270s on and off.
In the end, the lone woman in the competition was not able to get herself into the finals, but she did represent for the female side, throwing 360’s and attempting the Smith limo rail with grace. The top 3 men for skiing, Luke Nutting, Tyler Strip, and Bobby Haupt, respectively earned themselves money, goggles, helmets and other schwag, along, of course, with the respect from their fellow skiers. The riders on the podium included Derek Summering on top, Dylan Alito in second, and Justin Court coming in with a solid third.
Overall Echo Mountain did an impressive job with the jam, and just recently hosted the 4FRNT Big Air Battle on Friday, December 29th. The lucky winner of this jam won a full year’s sponsorship from 4FRNT skis. Look out for more information about this up and coming mountain, as they continue to host sick rail and air jams with all the hottest new riders around.
Words by Molly Sullan
