The Mountain High Open Season Rail Jam returns to Wrightwood on Saturday, December 12, 2026, as the resort's first rail jam of the season and one of the first Southern California snowboard contests of the winter. Mountain High — the closest winter resort to the Los Angeles basin (about 75 miles / under two hours from downtown LA in the San Gabriel Mountains) — runs the jam in The Playground jib park at its West Resort on a freshly built course themed around "iron animals." The event is open to men and women of all ages with more than $10,000 in cash and prizes on the line, so it draws a competitive field while staying a free, high-energy terrain-park spectacle for anyone watching from the base. Entry is $20 and requires a Mountain High lift ticket or season pass to compete; helmets are mandatory, and the organizer encourages riders to show up in hunting-themed apparel to match the "Open Season" concept. Riders register inside Big Pines Lodge from 8:00 to 10:00 AM, meet at the top of the course at 10:30 AM, and compete from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM across three divisions: Men's Snowboard 16 and over, Women's Snowboard 16 and over, and a combined 15-and-under Youth division. The format gives each competitor one intro run, a 45-minute open jam, and one outro run, judged on overall impression; the top five from each division advance to a final with two scored runs each. Prizes go to the top three in every division, with awards held at the top of The Playground immediately after the competition at 3:00 PM. Contact the organizer, John McColly (john@mthigh.com), with event questions, and confirm date and operating status against current snow and weather conditions before traveling, since the jam depends on the resort's early-season terrain-park build.

Mountain High Resort

Open to men and women of all ages. Three divisions: Men’s Snowboard 16 and over, Women’s Snowboard 16 and over, and a combined 15-and-under Youth division. A Mountain High lift ticket or season pass and a helmet are required to compete.

Results posted after the event. Mountain High published an official recap and winners for the 2025 edition of the Open Season Rail Jam; the 2026 results will follow the December 12, 2026 contest.

Resort-run open contest (not a USASA/FIS-sanctioned points event)

Upcoming Mountain High Open Season Rail Jam (annual season-opening rail jam) Events

Mountain High Open Season Rail Jam — December 12, 2026