Day 1:
5 am. That’s where our day starts—loading skis and gear into a van with the Mammoth team in the Vons lot. It’s cold and dark outside, and we are barely able to see anything as we get into the van, half-asleep but still nervous and filled with anticipation for the weekend.
As a Junior Freeride Competitor, I compete for the Mammoth Team, so our team travels to the Tahoe Region for our competitions. The day before a competition, we leave Mammoth at 5 am for on-snow and visual inspection before actually skiing the line. The way inspection works, (for those unfamiliar with freeride protocol), is that competitors and coaches are prohibited from hitting/jumping off of any features, or skiing a line with speed and/or how they would ski it in a competition. More information on these protocols can be found here.
I compete for the Junior Region of the International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association (IFSA), which is competitors age 19 and under. IFSA was founded in 1996, by Shane McConkey and has exploded across the world ever since. IFSA had different regions depending on where you are located. The Mammoth team competes in the Tahoe Junior Freeride Series or TJFS for regional competitions, and the team travels for national competitions.
It is usually two coaches with a number of competitors ranging in age from 14 to 17 in the Mammoth vans. We get to the resort at around 10 am and gear up and get on the mountain by 10:30 am. Once on the mountain, the team heads to inspect features and areas that are skiable for the competition. During this inspection, I tend to take pictures and videos of every feature and chute that I am considering skiing off of or through, as well as pictures of the entire venue as a whole.
After inspection, the team and coaches usually come in for lunch, and we check in. This is where we get our bib numbers which is a sticker on our helmets. Once check-in is complete, we pack up and head to our team AirBnb. Throughout my entire time competing, the AirBnB that I get to share with my teammates and coaches has provided me with some of the best memories I have made. Our team house is always filled with laughter, fun, and just the pure joy of being there in the mountains with the privilege of competing with each other. Everyone is so supportive of one another, and it truly makes for one of the best environments possible.
From 6-7 pm, we have an athlete meeting, in which the TJFS (Tahoe Junior Freeride Series) director, Jason Dobbs goes over the venue closures and judging protocols for the next day. Jason always reminds everyone to stay safe, and be careful, reminding us to always pick a line within our abilities. We eat dinner around 7 pm, with everyone contributing to the cooking and cleaning of the house and kitchen.
At 8 pm, in preparation for the next day, the whole team goes over their lines, and what they are going to ski. For competitions, I usually draw my lines on the pictures I have taken on my phone. My coach projects the pictures on the TV, and everyone goes over their lines and gets advice. I enjoy this part, as it is super helpful to hear different perspectives and see what everyone is planning.
During the time when everyone is talking over their lines, our coaches are busy waxing our skis. I am always eternally grateful to my coaches and all they do for our team. They wake up at 5 am to drive us almost 200 miles, they cook for us, they drop us off at the resort and pull the car around, and they help us through the mental and physical challenges of competing. When I asked my coach Jordan if he enjoyed competitions he responded that his favorite part was “being there for my athletes and watching them succeed.” My coaches always are the most supportive and encouraging people, as well as inspiration for the whole team.
After everyone feels comfortable with their lines, the dishes are done, skis are waxed, and we all head to bed around 9 or 10 pm. The next morning is always an early one, with us waking up around 5 am once again.
Day 2:
The next morning, everybody is nervous and tired, so the breakfast table is often pretty quiet. I normally feel very nervous from waking up until I am at the start gate, ready to drop in. However, some of my teammates feel nervous at different times throughout the day, so it varies for everyone. We arrive at the ski resort around 7 am so we can attend the athlete meeting held at the lodge.
On the day of the competition, there is always another inspection period, typically from 9 am to 10 am. I spend my inspection going over my line again and checking features to make sure nothing has changed much overnight. I also test the sketchy sections of the snow and make sure the coverage is still okay for skiing. Since conditions in the mountains can change rapidly, it is always required to have an on-snow inspection day of competition. My team always goes to the bottom of the venue, and we also do a visual inspection. In a visual inspection, I visualize myself skiing the venue perfectly, hitting every feature with ease, and skiing fluidly throughout.
After inspection, I generally head to the bottom of the mountain, but it depends on my drop time (when you do your run for the competition). TJFS tries to drop the first athlete around 10:15 am, so drop time varies from competition to competition. If my drop is soon, I try to head to the top of the venue right after inspection. However, if my drop is later, I will go down to get a bite to eat before my competition. I usually try to head to the top of the venue an hour before my drop, so I can spend time with my team and coaches, before dropping into the venue.
At the top of the venue, I get super nervous, so I try to find people to talk with. I have made so many new friends from so many different places this way. I ask them about where they’re from and what they’re planning to ski. This way, I can take my mind off of competing and just remember what freeride is all about. The freeride community is an amazing community to be in. I had the chance to interview Jason Dobbs, the director of the TJFS events, and an incredibly talented skier. He said that his favorite part about putting on TJFS events is “the stoke and the community” and that even though he has been doing this for twenty-two years, his favorite part is still how people still show off their stoke and skills through these competitions. I am incredibly grateful for everybody involved in this community.
Once I am about 10 people away from my drop, my coaches tell me to activate. Activating includes some jumping jacks, squats, or running up and down a hill. During this time is generally when I feel the most nervous, so my coach goes through breathing exercises with me. When I’m five people out, my coach will help me clip into my skis, (standard practice for competitions) and then get ready to drop.
Once the person in front of me drops, and I am at the start gate, I feel completely at peace. All the nervousness from before completely disappears, and I feel like one with the mountain. The start gate guy calls my bib number and counts me down and just like that I’m off.
The actual run itself is never that stressful. I enjoy skiing a run all to myself and having no one to watch out for. Sometimes a run will go how I planned, and sometimes not, but that’s the sport of freeride. It is unpredictable and wild, I always just try to do my best no matter the conditions. Sometimes it will be a bluebird powder day, and sometimes a snowy, whiteout, low visibility day. Conditions are always unpredictable, and as a freerider, you just have to be prepared no matter what.
When I ski into the finish corral, a wave of relief, happiness, and excitement washes over me, mixed with the fading adrenaline and the breathlessness of the run. However, the best part is always seeing my teammates waiting for me there. This is always my favorite part of a competition, because even if I fall or don’t do well I know my teammates will always be there to cheer me on. Seeing their faces at the bottom of the run makes every early morning, long drive, and exhausting trip completely rewarded. There’s no better feeling than laying down a great run and having amazing people cheering you on at the bottom.
Following my run, I get to stay and watch all of my teammates do their runs. I love being there for my teammates, and watching them stomp their runs is a feeling unmatched by anything. The genuine camaraderie and love that our team has for each other is truly an ode to what freeride is.
The competitions try to end around 3 pm, so after the last athlete drops, is when the competition ends. Awards are about 90 minutes after the last athlete drops, give or take. Awards are held at the lodge, often turning into a raucous affair, with teams cheering for their athletes. On the Mammoth team, we pride ourselves on being the loudest cheerleaders for everyone on the team. Sometimes the team will stay for awards, other times not, it always depends on the weather and road conditions.
After awards is when I drive home, usually with my parents, but sometimes with the team, depending on the competition. My parents, whom I am forever indebted to for their devotion and love, drive almost eight hours there and back just to watch me compete. My freeride weekend ends when I get home around 11 pm.
While these weekends are exhausting, they are also incredibly rewarding. From the early morning drives to the pre-run nerves, all these moments add to the experience and growth. The support of my teammates and parents, the dedication of my coaches, and the energy of the freeride community make every competition special. No matter the outcome of my run, I always leave every competition feeling grateful; for the mountains, the people I’m surrounded with, and the love of the sport. At the end of the day, freeride isn’t just about placing well—it’s about the experience, the friendships, and the shared stoke that make it all worthwhile.
