Jackson-Snowbird Tram Off
Athletes Will Compete For Most Vertical Feet In a Day
Snowbird, Utah - With their snow, vertical, steeps and trams, Snowbird and Jackson Hole have become legends in American skiing. But which resort has the toughest skiers and riders? In what could begin one of the greatest rivalries in skiing, four Snowbird athletes riding the Snowbird tram will race four Jackson Hole athletes riding the Jackson Hole tram in a head-to-head, most-vertical-skied-in-a-day-wins competition.
Tuesday, January 7, 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., two skiers, one telemarker and one snowboarder will ride tram after tram, logging as much vertical as quickly as possible; the team with the most cumulative vertical wins.
Snowbird's all-women team will consist of professional snowboarder and Snowbird Freeride Team Member Shannan Yates, professional telemark skier Kasha Rigby, and professional alpine skier Nora Pincus and an additional unconfirmed athlete.
Jackson Hole's team: Ambassador Tommy Moe; snowboarder John Griber; telemarker and Nordic Center Director Scott MgGhee and champion freeskier AJ Cargill.
Snowbird Tram Facts: 2, 900 vertical feet, 7-8 minutes, 22 mph max speed. It's possible each athlete could ski/ride 75 miles and 87,000 vertical feet if they board 30 trams during the competition.
Jackson Hole Tram Facts: 4,139 vertical feet, 12 minutes.
Routes: Skiers/riders will abide by resort safety rules. Snowbird: groomed Chip's Run through Peruvian Gulch (2.5 miles). Jackson Hole: course is an off-piste route until about half way down. It includes Rendezvous Bowl, Corbet's Couloir and Downhill Chute to Amphitheater then Gros Ventre.
Methodology: Winner will be determined by most cumulative vertical feet skied and ridden by the entire team. Team members will not wait for one another (and neither will trams). No trails will be closed and competitors must obey all skier and rider safety rules. Each resort team's total vertical feet will be tallied throughout the day.
Snowbird's Post-Tram Off Party will take place in the Tram Club located on Level 1 of the Snowbird Center.