Soldier Mountain, Idaho used to be owned by Bruce Willis. Now, it will be the U.S. Snowboard and Ski slopestyle team’s training grounds.
The news was announced in a press release Thursday, November 13, 2024. The Idaho ski area nearly 110 miles east of Boise will build a training facility that will feature a course from renowned terrain park builder Charles Beckinsale.
The site helps support the slopestyle teams’ need for larger jumps, which are involved in competitions but hard to find in training grounds, the release says.
Olympic gold medalist Julia Marino leans into a tail press.
Photo: Courtesy U.S. Ski & Snowboard/Soldier Mountain
“This is a huge win for a small, independent ski resort like Soldier Mountain,” GM David Alden said in the release. “One of the things that makes Soldier Mountain so attractive is that we’re small enough to be nimble and eager to try new things. And U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s financial and philosophical commitment to a small ski area like Soldier Mountain will ensure we offer a sustainable domestic training venue for the world’s best snowsports athletes for many years to come.”
The team will train there during the inaugural training camps in December and late March. As part of the partnership, Soldier Mountain will double its snowmaking capacity from top to bottom.
The partnership fits hand-in-hand with U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s affiliation with the Indy Pass. The mountain is also less than a five hour drive from the organization’s Park City headquarters.
Luke Winkelmann will train in Idaho alongside the other members of the U.S. slopestyle team.
Photo: Courtesy U.S. Ski & Snowboard/Soldier Mountain
“Soldier Mountain has presented us with a unique opportunity to build world-class jumps in the USA at a time of year that will give our Slopestyle teams a huge advantage going into the competition season,” U.S. Snowboarding Director Rick Bower said in the release.
The United States slopestyle team is made up of Olympic gold medalists like Julia Marino, Red Gerard, and Jamie Anderson. Hahna Norman, Fynn Bullock, and Kaitlyn Adams are on the snowboard rookie team.
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