Team Freeride

Calling all little rippers!

Team Freeride (Ages 11-17) – #1 program in the Northwest:

9 and 10 year olds may be accepted during a tryout period. Please contact Sean Bold at 360-663-3032.

We’ve taken professional skiers from the Northwest and turned them into coaches. We’ve thrown out the handbook on how to run a ski school and developed our own style. We’ve partnered with companies who are dedicated to free riding and want to support our vision. This is the Crystal Mountain Freeride Program.

Dates, details & registration

Becoming a Crystal Mountain Freerider
Not everyone will become a pro, but guaranteed everyone will become a better rider. Our freeriders are some of the best up and coming youth skiers and boarders in Washington State. Our passion is the same as yours: to find the deepest snow, ride the sickest lines and huck the biggest cliffs.

This is what it takes:
• 9 & 10 year olds (by try-out only) & 11-17 year olds with the ability and focused attitude to challenge yourself and push your limits
• All riders must be able to ride all chairs and feel comfortable on steep terrain
• Riders will go out with coaches and be put to the test prior to becoming an official team member
• Riders that don’t make the cut will have an opportunity to join a developmental program to help them reach team member status

What We Do
Our curriculum is designed to help you reach your full potential as a free rider and to give you insight into what it takes to make it within the industry. Our major areas of focus are:
• Backcountry
• Freestyle / Park
• Line choice
• Riding steep terrain
• Bumps
• Snow awareness / Safety
• Cliffs and drops
• Gear evaluation
• Technique

Unique to our program is the focus we place on developing talent that can compete at the national level. We do this by providing experience in working with photographers and cinematographers, portfolio and resume development, sponsorship opportunities, connecting with pro athletes and free ride competitions and training.

Our Coaches
Our coaches are some of the best free skiers in Washington with portfolios and resumes to back them up. Most of all, they love ripping the pow. They have been selected not only for their professional backgrounds, but for their character both on and off the hill.

Wayne Grevey, the creator and head coach of this program, is a well known face at Crystal. He’s a member of Team Crystal and has been an ambassador for the mountain for over a decade- check out his bio on the team page. Almost as strong as his passion for skiing is his passion to develop the next generation of freeriders coming out of Washington State. And most importantly -to keep skiing fun. He worked with Sean Bold, the director of Snowsports, to create a program that breaks the mold of the typical ski school format and provides an experience unlike anything else offered at Crystal.

Northwest Freeride Programs
This is a sister program that operates in the off season and at locales away from Crystal Mountain during the winter. For those who are as hooked on the sport as we are and need to get their fill throughout the year, check out what we’re all about.

NEW THIS YEAR
The Crystal Mountain Triple Crown: Washington State’s Junior Freeride Championship.
This championship is made up of 3 one-day big mountain events on January 21st (canceled), February 11th, March 24th(rescheduled January 21st comp), and April 21st. Open to male and female skiers and boarders ages 11-17. There will be a limited amount of slots available to participants. Registration will be done online and costs $85.00. The date and details for registration will be announced soon. We strongly recommend that participants join the Crystal Freeride Program to get training and coaching this season or, at the very least, drop in for a session or two. Judges will use the IFSA format. Venues will be determined based on weather and snow conditions, but will likely be three of the following: the Throne, Elk Chutes, the King, Silver Basin, and Bear Pits.
Brought to you by Crystal Mountain, K2, Contour, Red Bull, OR, Smith, and Dakine.
More information coming soon!

Partners in Freeride
A big thanks to all our partners!