Words and Photos by Jess Werner

Skiers love the fall for a variety of reasons. Endless movie premiers, the weather is finally cooling down yet not cool enough to break out the full body down, anticipation for the first snow of the season is seemingly unbearable — did I mention freshman girls? On top of all this, the Colorado State University Snowriders Club and Galvanic Design put together a campus rail jam that had anxious skiers and snowboarders eager for opening day.

On the drop.

Giving the 270 on the old college try.

The rail jam was put on as part of a homecoming event for CSU, which took place in the center of campus on Wednesday Oct 8th. The rail jam seemed completely out of place as it was 80 degrees outside and miniskirts flooded the crowd.

Since snow isn’t too bountiful in 80 degree temperatures, 300 lb blocks of ice arrived at CSU and were then thrown through a shredder large enough to make an Enron executive drool in excitement. I have no idea how the freshly blown snow lasted the entire even with the heat and 50 contestants riding as hard as they did.

By the end of the event skiers were getting comfortable and had 270′ &450’s on, 270’s out and spectators were delighted with the ever so popular frontflip off the incline box. In what may have been the best singles event ever, ladies were sessioning alongside the gentlemen. Phone numbers were exchanged, plans were made, E-harmony.com would be jealous.

The set up was fairly mellow yet appropriate for a pre-season event with a 30-ft down rail (with a ledge on each side), and a 15-ft flat-box with a 6-ft drop. All of the jibs, taps, and crashes were welcomed by an excited audience.

I’m still trying to determine if school was canceled that afternoon or if a record number of students played hookie because the student center was packed! I guess when you’re eagerly awaiting the 2008-2009 priorities shift from scholastics to jibbing.

This gentlemen’s head exploded soon after this photo was taken.

Big ups to the sponsors! Cricket, Red Bull, Capita and Salomon were making sure that people left with something in their hands. Also, stay tuned because the Galvanic Crew has been busy all summer piecing together a 12 stop campus rail jam tour that fires up in January of 2009 at UCLA and wraps up in Portland, OR.

Thanks to everyone who put together this great event Because of them my anxiousness for snow has now developed into a full blown obsession.

Stay tuned to Freeskier.com for more information about the 12 stop campus rail jam tour coming this January to a college (hopefully) near you.