Day 1: Qualifier on Northway Peak
Just before we arrived to Crystal, they received over a meter of snow within 4 days! Knew conditions were to be at an all time high for the upcoming competition, which makes on hell of a difference when riding. The heavy snowfall took a lot of anxiety out and could then concentrate on just laying down a fast and fluid run. Got to spend the first day inspecting the course and sending drops in other zones all over the mountain and feeling out the snowpack.
Dialed in a smooth, technical run on Northway Peak for qualifiers. Locked me in the top 8, which brought the highest scoring 17 riders of 32 to finals at The King.
Bottom of Qualifier Venue (Day 1) Northway Peak
Atop Qualifier venue POV (Day 1) Northway Peak
Day 2: Finals on Silver King
Finals was the first bluebird day in a week. Conditions were on point and everyone was ecstatic about such a proper venue with over 1,000 vertical feet of options.
Base of the finals venue.
Had a high exposure line picked out after two days of visual inspection and ready to go for the winning run. On my last extended hike up The King for finals; I had a major change of thought in respect for self preservation. Instead of my original line straight down from the peak, riding spines and tight chutes directing into the highest exposure area on the venue with a high speed double littered with protruding rocks and fractured tree trunks. Decided to totally altering my run and going an entirely new route. Knew this idea would be restricted to a 15 min visual inspection from the nearby peak just before I had to rush up for my drop. I made the decision to bounce over to the skiers left and sent the cornice DEEP into untouched pow with a mini AK spine in my sights. Proceeded down this hill into a tight treed area I was unfamiliar with, maintaining as much speed as humanly possible. Possibly the funnest competition run yet!
