A snowboarder rides a rail during warmups in the Grit Rail Jam at The Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Friday, amateur snowboarders from around the country took part in the Grit Rail Jam as part of the NBA All-Star Weekend. Forty tons of ice were hauled into the outdoor space of The Gateway in Salt Lake City, shaved and packed onto a 30-foot ramp.
Powder hounds from up and down the valley flocked to the competition. They sported Send-O-Vision sunglasses, mullets of all sizes and beanies that sat so high on the head it was amazing they stayed on. Sentences heard on arrival included, “Boy’s got a 170 plus pow board — like massive on those lip slides buddy,” and other incomprehensibles.
Participants as young as 14 dropped into the ramp, gapped ledges, grinded rails and stairs, before hitting a jump into however many rotations the small 2-foot ramp could produce. A basketball backboard would function as a park feature, and later be used in the dunk contest. Spectators cheered at the carnage, taking smartphones out of their premium branded fanny packs to film the spectacle.
Snowboarder Aiden Hascall crashes into rail at the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Jack Myhre, for the Deseret News
Veda Hallen, women’s first place finisher, ends her run at the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Jack Myhre, for the Deseret News
Snowboarder Luke Lund hits the backboard off of a rail as he warms up for the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Fans gather to watch snowboarders in the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
A snowboarder bends his board on a rail during warmups in the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Jeremy Jones jokes with the crowd at the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Jack Myhre
Snowboarders move onto the top of the course for warmups as they take part in the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Snowboarder Luke Lund back flips during the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Jack Myhre
Snowboarders take part in the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Snowboarder Luke Lund hits the backboard off of a rail as he warms up for the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Fans enjoy the sun as snowboarders take part in the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Snowboarders watch as others ride the course during the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Snowboarders take part in the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Snowboarder Aiden Hascall rides a rail during the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Jack Myhre, for the Deseret News
Snowboarder Aiden Hascall dunks a basketball during the Grit Rail Jam at the Gateway in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Jack Myhre, for the Deseret News
Jeremy Jones — rocking a neon Carhartt beanie, baggy jeans and cane — was the master of proceedings. He revolutionized freestyle snowboarding before suffering career-ending avalanche injuries in Utah’s backcountry. His presence provided the event with a legitimacy it needed.
“I just signed a painting of my own face!” he laughed into the mic, before describing another run in the precise technical jargon of an expert. “Buttery switch 180 into a crisp boardslide. Great run.”
Riders flew down the short course before trying to slide stop on what quickly became bare concrete. A VIP stood in the splash zone holding his baby, a judge sat at a high table littered with empty Red Bull cans, and a camera man prayed with every run that his tripod would survive an impact.
Before the second round, a crew (most likely your favorite local lift operators) ran out to rake the thinning snow to improve traction. A three-legged dog ran out on the course and had to be chased down.
Henry Macomber, alias “Squid,” was a very promising contestant before crashing out hard in the second round. Jones was first on the scene while organizers searched for medical help. Macomber hobbled off the slope clutching his shoulder, reminding the audience of the sport’s high stakes.
Though he was not included in the finals, Aiden Hascall, known only to the crowd as "Hotdog Pants," repeatedly bombed the hill half strapped into his board. He was the only contestant to nearly behead Jones with a late back flip.
It was Shaun White’s sudden appearance that energized the crowd (at this point very cold) before the final round. He showed up bedecked in his own winter gear brand (a sponsor of the event), taking selfies with fans while judges scribbled on their scorecards. After every run, the amateurs looked up to see White’s reaction for validation. He pointed at them and grinned as if to say, “You done good.”
Justin Phipps took home the men’s first place medal and Veda Hallen won the women’s gold. They both earned the chance to compete in another Rail Jam Saturday, alongside the professional competitors.
