NEDERLAND — The Pretty Chill Rail Jam lived up to its name again when it returned to Nederland on January 10. It was pretty chill. It was pretty chilly. And it was packed with energy.

The Jam originally started as a birthday celebration for Geoff Lynch’s son, Summit, and has since grown into a full-blown community event.

Jeff Guercio Memorial Field was buzzing despite an abysmal snowpack across the Front Range. Organizers trucked in snow from Eldora and local spots to make sure the rails were rideable, and riders made the most of every inch. Fire pits glowed, Temaki Tornado food truck was serving up sushi cones, and the crowd stayed bundled and smiling.

A rail jam is a freestyle competition where riders cycle through a rail course over and over in no specific order, throwing tricks as fast as they can. There is no traditional point system. Judges focus more on style, creativity, and flow. It is less about clean math and more about who brings the most personality to the rail.

That approach fit the day perfectly. Riders ranged in age from 8 to 52, and the divisions were stacked.

Organizers added new classes this year: overall champions for men, women, and U17. Each received a custom vintage style mirror award made by local artist Evan Flower.

U10 and U17 refer to age classes. U10 means 10 years old and under. U17 means 17 and under. Zendai Mizrahi took the U10 championship in the combined ski and snowboard category.

Anika Leovoy won the women’s ski and also took the overall women’s ski title. 

Emily Podpirka, an Eldora Mountain Ski and Snowboard Club (EMSC) coach, claimed the Ski Women’s Open. Alex Kochner, the defending champion and longtime EMSC coach, won the Snowboard Women’s Open.

Jasmine Boldt earned Snowboard Women’s U17. Wesley Sims took Snowboard Men’s U17. Bodhi Goodman won Ski Men’s U17. 

Adam Omelia claimed the Ski Men’s Open. Von Kittelberger won the Snowboard Men’s Open.

Omelia also took the overall men’s. Alex Kochner took the overall women’s. Bodhi Goodman took overall U17.

Omelia also made Pretty Chill history.

He is the only two-sport athlete the event has ever seen. He typically does not snowboard, yet still qualified for the men’s final by placing in the top three of his semifinal.

“My favorite part about the pretty chill rail jam is that all the locals come together, just the vibe of the whole thing," Omelia said. "It’s nice to have something in town so everybody can come out and watch.”

That mix of talent and good humor is exactly what founder Geoff Lynch envisioned when he started the event. This year marked a big shift, moving from a private location at Knotted Root Brewing Company to a public space.

“Moving the Third Annual Pretty Chill from a private location at Knotted Root...to a public location because we outgrew our origins while partnering with the Town of Nederland was a new experience, and we learned so much,” Lynch said. 

“We are very thankful for everyone who helped us locally to evolve and grow, including the Town of Nederland, the Nederland Downtown Development Authority, Eldora Mountain Resort/Woodward Eldora, Boulder County, the City of Boulder & Knotted Root Brewing Company.”

Lynch did not minimize the pride and gratitude he felt about running this event.

“The ability to bring so much stoke to such a one-of-a-kind community that we have shared for decades is something I will never take lightly," he said, "and I could never be prouder of the team of volunteers who made everything happen.”

“Please understand that everyone involved with the Pretty Chill Rail Jam experience is a volunteer or a sponsor. We can’t make our home better without each other. Thank you to everyone involved. We did it, and we are just getting warmed up.”

Several local leaders were key to pulling it off. Mayor Billy Giblin; David Lee, the snowboard director at Eldora Mountain Ski and Snowboard Club; and Kevin Sprecher, the terrain park manager at Eldora, were all instrumental in making the event possible and bringing it across the finish line.

Sponsors lined up to support the day, including Burton, Burton Denver, Eldora, Woodward Eldora, EMSC, Head Ski, Tyrolia Bindings, Shane McConkey Foundation, Protect Our Winters, Torment Magazine, I70 Things, Dirthawgs, La Sportiva, Lorien Powers Studio Jewelry, Honey Wax, Ned General Store, Decent Bagel, Crosscut Pizza, Peak Wine and Spirits, Knotted Root Brewing, and the Nederland Downtown Development Authority.

For a few cold hours in January, Guercio Field felt like the center of the snowboard and ski universe. Kids, coaches, longtime locals, and first-timers all shared the same space and the same rails.

Pretty chill, indeed. #summitisstoked