Jamin’ on the Jibs at Rail Jam

© Tamaryn Tobian / RumBum.com

When you think of snowboarding, Michigan probably isn’t the first place you think of, even though it's where the sport started. Michigan snowboarders will take to the snow anyway they can – even in the middle of downtown Grand Rapids. And that's just what they did this past weekend during the second annual Rail Jam.

A "rail jam" is a jib contest and the Grand Rapids Rail Jam is a three-day long event for both skiers and snowboarders to show off their slickest tricks in the hopes of scoring some serious prizes.

With the help of Board Sport and Terrain Design, The BOB filled their parking lot with truckloads of the white stuff to create a 30-foot terrain ramp complete with rails, boxes and pipes for riders to shred.

“We built the ramp to have a little something for everyone,” explains Brian Snabes of Board Sport. “Overall, it’s probably a six in difficulty, but riders can use which terrain elements they want to make it as easy or as difficult as they’re comfortable with.”

This year, almost 200 boarders and skiers hit from all over the state hit the ramp. Riders were divided into four groups: pee wee, intermediate, advanced, and female. Each group was scored on best trick and over all performance during jams.

“I’ve only been boarding for about four years,” tells Cody Carpenter, an intermediate boarder who excited the crowed with his mad flips and slides.

Thanks to snowboarding's growing popularity, young boarders know that their winter hobby could one day turn into something bigger...like a career. And there was no better place than Rail Jam for the young boarders to test their moves, and see what it feels like to jib in front of an audience.

The thousands of spectators who showed up for Rail Jam weren’t left out of the fun. Besides watching the action, they could shop for gear at vendor tents, eat inside heated food tents, roast s’mores in fire pits, or take in ice carving. Live DJs and local bands, The Outer Vibe and Mustard Plug, helped contribute to the oh so cool atmosphere.