Today was the unofficial start of Winter X Games 12 here at Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, CO. As the day’s grey skies wore off into the snowy night, skiers and snowboarders alike started to get a feel for the giant superpipe. There was quite the turnout for the first day of practice, including veterans like Tanner, Simon, Olenick and Andreas, along with relative newcomers like Hayward, Dorey and Riddle. The snow couldn’t keep many away as tentative straight airs turned into full-on runs and technical tricks were thrown every run. For 4 hours the athletes sled-towed the superpipe and started to slay it.

Additionally, there was a great camaraderie among all the athletes, as many hadn’t seen each other since the fall or summer. For the most part, everyone was just stoked to be at the X Games with their friends, competing on the industry’s biggest stage. Included are some snapshots of the evening, with plenty more to come this week as the X Games countdown has begun.