Sadness and Snowbird

This season started off slowly with very little snowfall and an inconsistent snow pack. In early January Jackson Hole Mountain Resort had received a mere eight inches of snow, yet it wind loaded in such a way that it filled Cheyenne Bowl. While doing control work, our beloved Ski Patroler, Mark “Big Wally” Wolling was buried in an avalanche and consequently died.


It started the competition season in a somber way, making you realize how delicate life can be. We all must push our own boundaries and limits and sometimes by testing those we go too far. When I go to various competitions and events I have to realize what I am capable of and push myself to be the best competitor and rider that I can be.

This season The North Face Masters kicked off at Snowbird with riders like Travis Rice, Mark Carter and Shannon Yates; all going big for that coveted Katana Sword. Just days before the event there were rumors that it might be canceled because lack of snow, yet we all made preparations for the trip to the Bird. Like all good events, the weather cooperated and produced seven feet of snow in four days.

The first few days were a series of waiting and postponing events, and subsequently we were all able to shred the fresh powder. There, I met up with some of the most aggressive and talented riders in the world where we all pushed each other to new heights. We poached signature lines, rode to uncharted cliffed out rocky area's and just had to think "light like a butterfly" to get through. Shredding with lady's like Ratty Sheidow, Julie Zell, Halina Boyd, Cristy Deysher and Karen Fisher makes you realize the amazing abilities that exist among female riders and competitors.

After being on weather hold for two days the storm slightly let up and MSI decided to run the entire event in one day. It would consist of one run down the Silver Fox venue, highest score wins. The judging panel consisted of such legends as Tom Burke, Julie Zell, Temple Cummins and Andy Hetzel. They had to be dispersed throughout the course because the visibility from the bottom of the venue was so low.

When it was my turn to go, I was amped. I knew where my line was and I had ridden it successfully a couple times before the actual competition. It was a wide open start, heading skiers left on the upper ridge. The powder was deep and the snow was fresh. I made fast, wide turns down to my first air off a rock drop; landed in the back seat and it wasn't clean. I was disappointed but I still had the majority of my line left to ride. I couldn't allow one bobble to distract me.

I headed fall line down the ridge to my exit into a peppery rock band about the bottom of the venue. I dropped down the chute cautiously, knowing that no mistakes could be made, turned onto my heels and headed through the band, then turned, pointed it, stomped my cliff drop and into the final bowl. I charged through the powder fast and swift but just as I powered into a turn I hit avalanche debris. The debris was from a slide that had happened two days earlier, but it had been covered by several new inches of snow... I never saw it coming. Too, bad, I flipped up-side-down and back onto my feet and charged the rest of the way to the finish line.

I received cheers of enthusiasm from the spectators and other riders about my line because no other lady's went into that area. In fact on of the only other competitors to go into that rock garden was T-Rice. I was disappointed that I wasn't able to ride a clean run, yet I was stoked to have ridden such a technical and creative line.

There was a plethora of talented riders that made their way to the inaugural event but Shannon Yates and Mark Carter were the two riders that took home the Katana Swords, both having charged and stomped every obstacle in their way without hesitation. They; my friends have found the secret. Shannon went on to win five of the six events she entered this season, including Squaw's infamous Tram Face, as part of the World Freeride Tour. Congrats lady, you are killing it!