Shredding through heaps of snow, trees and drops is a regular occurrence for Western Washington University’s Freeride Ski and Snowboard team. The sport tests the limits of each athlete as they maneuver through all the features a mountain offers during competitions.
The team practices out of Mt. Baker Ski Area, although they don’t have a set practice schedule for all the members. Instead, small groups of the athletes from the team will frequently meet up to work together on their skills.
Freeride and Ski has the foundation of traditional skiing and snowboarding teaching, but in the competition space, it gives the riders freedom to be creative while testing their own abilities. The competition venue is in a sectioned-off area of a mountain slope, and the competitors get to scope out the different zones and features they have and choose where they will be riding down, said Garrette Doyle, co-president of Freeride and Ski.
“The more creative you get and the more you push the boundaries of skiing, I would sort of say, the more points you get,” said Ripley Scales, an athlete on Freeride and Ski.
Athletes are scored on line, control, fluidity, style and technique. While they aren’t required to do any tricks, many do, knowing that the judges measure their confidence while riding down the mountain.
“I threw my first 360 in a competition last year,” Scales said. “Didn't land it, but did ski out of it.”
While out on the mountain, the athletes will give it their all, whether it’s something they have been practicing for months or something they haven’t tried in a competition before.
The sport requires intense concentration to ensure the rider hits every category. Skiing down from such great heights and catching air time from drops can additionally contribute to a rider’s adrenaline spiking.
Despite the intensity the sport demands, each participant builds a sense of community. All the riders feel the same sense of jitters and adrenaline while they wait at the top of the mountain for their turn, Scales said.
“The sense of community there is awesome, we always bring glitter and we get to meet great, new people,” Scales said. “Everyone is talking, people bring Fireball shooters; it's kind of just a party on top, and everyone is nervous together, which is really fun.”
According to Doyle, Freeride and Ski competitions allow people of all ages and internationally to compete, so while competing, the riders can meet people from around the world who share a passion for the sport — Doyle has met folks from South America and Europe.
Freeride Ski and Snowboard’s main mission is to provide a space for riders to encourage each other to improve skills, and provide an accessible way for people interested in getting to competitions. Gear and passes are already a significant cost associated with the sport, so the team doesn’t want the rider to bear the burden of getting to competition alone, too. The team will use money generated from fundraising to offset the costs of hotels and gas for their travel to competitions, Doyle said.
“For people who want to compete, the team does a really great job of supporting you, getting you to competitions and supporting you out of competitions,” Scales said. “Having that sense of community and having a place to find people who are like-minded to you and meeting friends is awesome.”
For those interested in trying out skiing or who want to participate recreationally, Mt. Baker Ski Area provides lots of programs for riders to try out, said Britta Fast, administrative assistant at Mt Baker Ski Area.
The Ski Area offers daily programs such as “Best for Beginners,” where each participant receives tailored instruction to gain a sense of ski etiquette and the mountain's layout. It also offers the programs, ‘Women's Program’ and “Senior Thursdays” for intermediate skiers who want to cultivate community on the mountain rather than just instruction, Fast said.
“It's a great way for them to get introduced to the mountain and learn some good habits and etiquette in skiing and snowboarding,” Fast said.
If you have any interest in pushing your abilities or finding more community in snow sports, you can contact Freeride Ski and Snowboard on Instagram about joining the team. The team will participate in its first competition of the season in early February at Red Mountain, Canada, Doyle said.
“We're all so happy to be on it, and we're all so happy to share this awesome thing that we're all a part of,” Scales said. “So, if there is interest in it, anyone will give you advice, and anyone will help you.”
Katherine Konicke-Dunlop (she/her) is a Sports and Recreation reporter for The Front. She is in her second year at Western, majoring in News and Editorial Journalism. Katherine can be spotted out hiking or with her eyes glued to a book in her spare time. You can reach her at katherinekonickedunlop.thefront@gmail.com.
