Flower Skate Shop Rail Jam 2024

For me the Flower Skate Shop Rail Jam is now a must send event. For the 4th year in a row, the Jam at Snow Ridge closed the season down on the Tug Hill. It has become the embodiment of NY park. A carnival of riding, it’s sheer pandemonium as bodies get tossed. 55 riders come from across the state, some driving hours, to ride a 100’ magic carpet and slide on rails. It almost seemed wrong to be riding rails on a powder day but deep down it felt so right.

Route 26

Along with the contestants, Mother Nature has been in regular attendance for each Flower Jam. The last three years have been beautiful bluebird spring days. This year with significantly less snow on the ground, she delivered a foot of fresh snow to soften the course.

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Bolton Valley Delivers

A storm was looming, but where to go? Feeling tired from the work week, and unprepared to spend the weekend away, we pondered the pros and cons of a handful of options. With Robert’s recent PSA to “get it while it’s good” front of mind, Evan and I hopped in the car Friday night to make the best of the weekend storm ahead.

access road

The last-minute decision was made to set out for a late-season powder day at Bolton Valley. We drove to Burlington VT, making hotel arrangements along the drive, arriving just after 1:00 AM. Saturday we woke to 5 inches of snow at the hotel, yet we were confident that this was just a taste of what awaited us.

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Belleayre and Plattekill

I had one day to ski last weekend and for me, this year, that means the Catskills. I wanted to ski those intermediate pitched bumps underneath the Belleayre Express. I also yearned to be back with my people, at Plattekill, on what was likely closing day.

race course

Early in the week, Plattekill was promoting St Platty’s Day without specifically mentioning skiing. Believe me I get it, Saturday was a long ways off. I decided I’d ski Belle in the morning and head over in the afternoon for Plattekill’s most excellent corn beef and cabbage dinner special.

I arrived at Belle an hour before first chair. There were already hundreds of cars in the lot at Overlook.

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