Level 1 Rail Jam Recap

Puffing on a shrimp pipe in a tropical chalet tucked atop flawlessly engineered artificial snowy mountains on his private island, goodr CEO Carl the Flamingo pondered aloud to himself– where are all the gnar in-person ski parties for 2-plankers looking to carve up only the very dopest of slopes? Where could a beach bird with the nerve to swerve scratch that itch at a mountain-side rager?! Where can this feathered snow fiend de-boggle his snow goggles and rock his hot toddy body like his very life depended on it?!?

(In the spirit of transparency– Carl got reeeeeal into ski lingo after goodr got into the snow goggles game with the advent of our hit Snow G snow goggles and it’s… a lot.)

Sure, Carl had the most technologically advanced artificial ski resort known to man or bird, but still, he wanted, nay – needed, a deeper connection with fellow downhill thrillers who want to get gnarly and shred powder at the sickest parks around. He strapped on his trusty Bunny Slope Dropout Snow G snow goggles and tunneled down through a cubic mile of snow to reach the goodr Snow Science and Party Lab Facility, where he got to researching. And that’s when he found it… a park rat haven for earth’s most stellar slope dwellers: Level 1 Rail Jam Series. But first, let’s drop some context…

What is a Rail Jam?
Before we get out over our skis here, let’s make sure we’re squawking the same language. For any non-expert-slope-dwelling flamingos that might be reading this, a rail jam is an epic jib contest. You might be thinking: “What the f*ck is a jib? Are you saying “jib” as in ‘I like the cut of your’?! What kind of definition immediately needs another definition within it?!?” Well, dear brah, the snow world is gnarly AF so you better buckle up your ski boots and get ready to go downhill QUICK.

A “jib” is the name of a non-snow object skiers jump on or over to do tricks. “Jibbing” (that’s right mofos, it’s a noun AND a verb) is the term for busting out those sick tricks on rails, jumps, and other non-snow surfaces. You may wonder, “Right, but isn’t the point of skiing to be doing it in the snow?” Not if your purpose is showing off the gnarliest possible moves in front of a crowd of hella hype spectators cheering you on. And since goodr exists to give you permission to be authentically yourself– we’re all about rippin’ and slippin’ however you please.

Now that you’re one of the foremost experts on jibbing, a “rail jam” is a wild jibbing competition where skiers or snowboarders battle it out trick after trick, competing for legendary prizes while being cheered on by a crowd of (often) hot toddy-buzzed spectators. You may be saying to yourself, “Cool cool cool, but what does it literally, physically look like though?” At rail jams, competitors make their way up to the top of the ramp, strap on their skis or board, and get wild ripping down the ramp toward the element (like a pipe or a rail) with as much of their own signature flair as they can summon. Flipping, sliding, turning, and fully eating sh*t in the snow are all strongly encouraged. Current rail jams have a variety of prizes attached and hundreds of spectators will show up to join in on the action.

Why is the 2023 Level 1 Rail Jam Extra Epic?
What sets Level 1 Rail Jam apart is their sincere commitment to boosting the careers of emerging athletes in the Freeski space. They’re also one of the few open-entry and in-person ski events that offer legit prize money. And it gets even better, because not only does Level 1 Productions offer $10,000 of prize money for each of the five stops on the tour, but they also let the riders choose who they think should go home a little bit richer by letting them vote to decide the winner.

Here was this year’s prizing breakdown…
$4,000 Women’s winner-take-all
$4,000 Men’s winner-take-all
$2,000 cash for tricks, handed out during the event

But it’s not just about the athletes on the course– showing up to one of these events is just as exciting as being the one risking a face plant on a metal pole. They hired a rad MC to announce each event to the spectators watching and ran a free raffle with skis, goggles, sunglasses, and the keys to a fully armored submarine (one of those was a lie, we’ll let you decide which one.)

BUT WAIT!!! We haven’t even mentioned one of the best parts. What some people and/or exactly one flamingo CEO might say is the single sexist part of the whole tour: goodr was the presenting sponsor of the 2023 Level 1 Rail Jam Tour.

Being an avian CEO of the people, Carl the Flamingo wouldn’t simply make it snow on the Level 1 Rail Jam Tour from his pink and ivory tower, he wanted to get in on the action himself. He rescheduled several high-priority, extremely exclusive piña colada and shrimp tastings, strapped on his Apres All Day Snow G snow goggles, and ripped up the rails at the Level 1 Rail Jam’s grand finale in Big Bear, CA for his FIRST-EVER public in-person skiing appearance!!! (Carl tricked out the pink and ivory tower with a disco ball and a sick stereo system and he’s never been a bird to say no to a good tower rave, so this was a major step for him.)

That said, Carl of course ensured that his minions err, um – cherished employees – were on the road for each and every stop in the tour and you better believe they documented it under penalty of shellfish belches. Don’t worry, Carl tossed some free Here For the Hot Toddies Snow G snow goggles in their kennels before they loaded them up in the trunk.

Level 1 Rail Jam Tour: Travel Diary
Each stop of the Level 1 Rail Jam Tour was gnarly in its own way, but at every event athletes and spectators received a free pair of one of our three Snow G snow goggles designs: Here for the Hot Toddies, Apres All Day, or Bunny Slope Dropout.

Sugarbush, VT – January 7, 2023
We started off the tour in Sugarbush, VT, which coincidentally, is a term that Carl is no longer permitted to use around the office. Just kidding, Carl doesn’t bring that into the workplace. But he does insist on being called that in his personal time. Shout out to the radical rippers who took home the W: Harald Hellstrom and Dasha Agofonava.

Trollhaugen, WI – January 27, 2023
Next up, the goodr flamingos made their way to the Midwest for an event in Trollhaugen, WI. Spoiler alert, there was an alarming lack of trolls. Did something happen to them? Were they hiding in plain sight?? Did they only WANT us to believe they were missing but secretly they watched all along??? It was probably all for the best though as boozy flamingos and trolls have a notoriously tense relationship. Congrats to stellar mountain dwellers Audrey Friess and Jackson Karsteter on their win.

Brighton, UT – February 25 2023
The third stop of the tour was in Brighton, UT where the ratio of gnar shredding badassery to chupacabras was sky-high. Which was great. We didn’t even want to see a chupacabra and that night no one quietly texted “Sorry Nana, I thought I could finally get you that chupacabra pic to show off at your next cult club meeting, but fate is a cruel, cruel mistress.” None of that happened. However, we can happily confirm that Ian Osby and Laura Sullivan took home the top prizes.

Eldora, CO – March 4, 2023
The Level 1 Rail Jam stop in Eldora, CO was so rad, even the spirits from the local ghost town turned out to specter. Err- specter. Sorry, we meant- specter. Oh my god, SPECTATE. We saw ghosts and ghosts saw us. You get it. (Just like we got some sweet ghost pics for Nana’s cult club.) Congrats to the wickedly wild Marion Balsamo and Tucker Fitzsimons for taking home the hardware.

Big Bear, CA – March 12, 2023
Bear Mountain in Big Bear, CA was the final stop of the tour, so the goodr flamingos obviously had to go all the flock out. Not only did goodr CEO Carl the Flamingo show up to shred and grind in person, but he also brought Carl’s Snowball Savagery– a snowball knockdown carnival game where spectators could win Snow G snow goggles. The event saw both epic landings and wipeouts, but in the end, Marion Balsamo and Keegan Kilbride went home with the win.

Where Can You Find goodr and Snow G Snow Goggles Next?
Carl has finally recovered from the aprés-aprés-ski hangover and he’s already hype to get back on the slopes for the next event. In the meantime, make sure to get your pair of Snow Gs right here on our website. These anti-fog, anti-slip snow goggles come with two interchangeable magnetic lenses at a price point that won’t leave your budget out in the cold. Have an idea where Carl should take his Snow G snow goggles next season? Post it on your story and tag @goodr or slide into our DMs for a chance to get jibby with us!!!