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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Woods Valley SFM Skatepark Rail Jam

Over the last few years I have been lucky to cover some amazing events and tap into the culture, the community and the park vibe in upstate NY. A few stand out as true zeitgeists like the first Berms, Bruises and Beers at Hunt Hollow. In Rome NY one movement is traveling with such velocity that it cannot be ignored.

Woods Valley

The SFM Skatepark Project was born from the tragic passing of Stone Mercurio last April and since then has grown into one of the “most prolific grassroots movements in Rome.” Family and friends quickly organized to honor Stone, a native Roman who loved to shred and loved his city.

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Northampton Ski Park: Opening Weekend

For the past few years the Midwest rope tow scene has been firing off. Some of the best riders flock to these small hills to ride some of the best terrain parks in the country. The rope tows provide a valuable life line to the industry in the form of new skiers and riders. They offer the perfect place to learn without shelling out big bucks for mega passes.

Upper Rope Tow House

I have memories of my own, learning at Brantling in Sodus. Near the city of Rochester there are two rope tows; Powder Mills in Pittsford and Northampton Ski Park (NHP) in Brockport. Both are operated by Swain as learn to ski areas, but a few years ago the NHP started featuring a terrain park.

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