FAIRFIELD, Idaho — The jumps are massive at Soldier Mountain providing an opportunity for the best skiers and snowboarders to prepare for the upcoming slopestyle season at this mom and pop resort.
The public can come watch the show on Saturday and Sunday. People can either buy a $25 ticket and hit the slopes or you can just walk up the hill to see these athletes from U.S. Ski and Snowboard fly through the air.
"What these girls and boys are doing on those enormous jumps is absolutely astounding," said Scott Fischer, a local skier who wanted to check out Team USA. "We are literally right underneath the jumps, you can’t get that anywhere else and it's a little resort."
Renowned park builder Charles Beckinsale traveled here to build the course. It features a massive jump, followed by a step-up jump and it ends with some rails to finish it off. We previously reported on this back in November.
"It has been amazing, the jumps are awesome and the course is flowy," said Courtney Rummel of the U.S. Snowboard team. "I like how we have the little step up, we never usually have that. It’s awesome that Charles built that the course, it just flows together and I like it."
Rummel competed in the Beijing Olympics in 2022. She grew up in Wisconsin and started snowboarding at the age of eight because of the influence of her brother. She has been on the U.S. team for seven years now and looks forward to another season.
"I’m working on my front double nine," said Rummel. "Which is where I go off on my regular foot, flip twice and land on my other foot so I land switch."
Soldier Mountain signed a three-year contract with U.S. Ski and Snowboard to host this training and in the process doubled their snowmaking equipment. This partnership has been a win-win so far for our local community and for U.S. Ski and Snowboard.
They traveled from Park City, Utah for this specific course. The ski patrol tows them up the hill so they lap the course as slopestyle has quickly become the most popular discipline for up-and-coming skiers and snowboarders and the team appreciates the hospitality.
"Thank you so much for having us," said Rummel. "I love it, I’ve never been to Idaho before, but this is awesome."
The training is weather dependent and we saw that play a factor on Friday. A strong wind forced the athletes to make adjustments in order to clear the jump.
