DONNELLY, Idaho — Mother Nature has not cooperated with snow so far this season, but this weekend Tamarack Resort hopes to draw people up to the mountain with a unique event that has been a big hit with skiers and snowboarders.
"It is pretty cool, it really brings the park vibe into the Village," said Wolfe Ashcroft of Tamarack. "It has always been a lot of fun, it is young kids to adults and everyone in between."
This Saturday marks the third West Mountain Showdown hosted by Tamarack, but it does take a lot of work to get this venue set up. That entails moving a bunch of snow on Thursday and then building the ramp and the rails on Friday.
"It will be just like it appeared on Saturday," said Ashcroft. "It is pretty amazing what these folks do in the middle of the night."
We were there last year to check out the rail jam as it brings the skiing and snowboarding community together for a fun afternoon.
A large crowd also gathers near the Village to watch the competition and last year the DJ really succeeded in bringing the energy.
"People were throwing down, the stoke level was really high," said Cyrus Corbet, who competed last year. "The competition was so sick."
This year the event happens at a perfect time to bring people up to the mountains following the holiday season. While the weather has not been helpful for ski resorts events like the rail jam showcase the diversity of snow sports.
This weekend families will be able to go up to the mountain to cruise groomers, have a beer in the pub, or hit the terrain park. Tamarack has gone the extra mile to create an environment where every family member can find something fun to do.
"It is not our highest snowfall year to date, but we are making the best of it," said Ashcroft. "Truly it's because of the hard work of the crews to put together an experience that people are used to and we are excited."
Skiers and snowboarders can register for the rail jam here or they can also do it on the mountain in person on Saturday. The amateur event starts at noon with the open competition kicking off at 1:00 p.m.
