The University of Vermont is known for its intense ski and snowboard culture, and that love and passion for the sport was on full display at the ski and snowboard club’s biannual rail jam, Thanksjibbing.

The event was held on the hills outside of McAuley Hall on Trinity, where students gathered around to witness their fellow catamounts trick off rails in ways that would impress the panel of judges.

The spectacle of a rail jam is something that is not offered in many other universities — students cheer and hold suggestive posters while bundled up in winter clothes, cans of Red Bull and ski merchandise get tossed into the crowd and a DJ provides the scene with an energetic backdrop.

One of the first core memories I have at this university was attending my first rail jam in Fall 2023, as I remember being in awe at some of the talent my peers had, while also chuckling with my friends whenever someone tried to send a backflip and fell onto the snow.

This year, I wanted to capture the camaraderie that takes place during each rail jam — the shared and uniquely “UVM” experience that many students have come to look forward to each semester.