Shred Fest, a two-day winter kickoff festival, celebrated the start of the season with live music, film screenings, vendors, food trucks and breweries Nov. 5-6.
Marea Adams, a sophomore environmental science major, competed in the women’s ski rail jam for her first time Nov. 6. Adams originally grew up in a small town in North Lake Tahoe, California.
“It’s a fun preseason event and just getting back on snow [felt] good,” Adams said.
Adams said the competition is a ski and snowboard rail jam style, which allows competitors to have multiple attempts using different terrain park features, hiking the small course and continuing in a rotation.
“I like the jam style format and the energy because you build off of each other and you get multiple attempts,” Adams said.
There were 10 others competing in the women’s ski rail jam, which is the first year Shred Fest has had that many participate, according to Adams.
“I know most of the girls I’m competing against and they’re super dope so I’m stoked to ride with them,” Adams said.
To be eligible to compete, Adams said skiers and riders must submit an application, attach a ski video or edit, include a list of sponsors and detailed background experience with skiing.
The event was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Adams.
“I moved out [to Salt Lake City] last year and I had heard about it from years before, but I was always back home,” Adams said.
Other Westminster College students attended the festival to watch the competition and experience live music, including Anna Watt, a first-year outdoor education and leadership major.
“I’ve never been to Shred Fest before but what attracted me to it was the fact that it was focused around skiers and snowboarders,” Watt said. “I loved the idea that there was going to be live music, skiing and snowboarding and good times.”
