Flower Skate Shop Rail Jam 2026

The 6th Annual Flower Skate Shop Rail Jam was lining up to be the best one yet. As usual, the boys from the shop and the park crew at Snow Ridge started setting up on Friday. They battled the melting snow and occasional rain to build one of the most creative rail and jib parks I’ve seen.

The features were left to set in overnight and by 10am the next day they were baking in the sun begging to be ridden. I made the transitional walk from gravel to mud and finally found myself walking across an oasis of slush pushed around snow ridges magic carpet.

The team had done a great job of saving snow for The Jam, despite the elements and a small pond forming at the base.

The Flower Rail Jam became my favorite event soon after its inauguration in 2021. It’s the ultimate showcase of stoke, creativity and most importantly community. Each year is a big reunion with familiar faces. The event always attracts new riders across upstate, bringing fresh style to the jams and new energy.

After reuniting with everyone I headed over to the trailer where the women of Snow Ridge — Cindy and Jackie — were selling passes to the masses along with food and drinks. I paid my $25 fee, filled out the waiver and was good to go. Beats were already blaring from the Flower tent as the riders began to warm up.

After sitting on the sidelines last year I was excited to strap in and made my way of the magic carpet. Standing at the top of the park was a little intimidating when you’re rusty and surrounded by great riders, some who are half your age. Hesitation is the enemy of commitment and I dropped in headed for the pill bottles.

Pretty quickly I found my legs and was lapping the magic carpet with the boys. The warm up round was aptly named as people began shedding layers quickly under the spring Sun. By 12:00 it was sweltering and Nick called everyone together for the rider kickoff meeting.

The Jam was to be graded on creativity and the course was ripe for it. Many of the classic features returned like the rainbow rail, sea monster and even a mini boxzilla. The new features were oozing creativity.

Up top the boys assembled a descending line of garbage resembling a firecracker rail. Two mounds of snow had been pushed together to form volcano hips in the middle of the course, one even had an up rail for gnarly transitions.

Perhaps the most popular feature though was the pill bottle with two rails adorning each of its sides. The double kink and flat-down rails were only urban accessible but the really creative found ways to transfer off the pill bottle.

With the stage set and riders prepped, the jam kicked off. Everyone was getting super creative with the new features. Front boards down the garbage cans and huge spins on to the double kink rails.

Inspired by the riding I had an epiphany: wouldn’t it be sick if two guys hit the rails at the same time. The only feedback I received was why not four riders at the same time. I set up below the pill bottle-rail feature and waited with bated breath.

The boys dropped in and delivered. From left to right Bobby, Jack, Dennis and Andrew each showcased their own style while still being perfectly synchronized with each other. It was one of the most hyped moments I’ve experienced at the Rail Jam and maybe my favorite picture ever.

I hung out for a few more hours snapping pics, but that one shot stayed imprinted in my mind. I already knew Bobby from Flower and Jack from Woods, and I got to meet Dennis and Andrew. I’d been following both on social media and both are absolute rippers.

Andrew is friends with all the NHP homies and is just so smooth on the jibs. Dennis hails from the Capital region and is super creative and technical bringing a skate style to the snow.

These riders are what the jam is all about. Stoke, creativity and community. No one worried about medals or podium finishes. They were there to ride and have fun everything else was just secondary. It’s what I’ve come to love most about the end of season jam. Can’t wait to do it next spring, see you then.