1st Annual SNO-GO Fest Descends on Brighton, UT

The 5-day event brought together many of the sport’s most talented riders to push the boundaries of what’s possible on ski bikes.  Images: @spencerkofoed

December 22, 2023 | Salt Lake City, UT — SNO-GO Fest, the first-ever pro athlete invite event dedicated to ski biking, concluded last week at Brighton Resort in Utah. The gathering, hosted by SNO-GO, was an invite-only event dedicated to pushing the boundaries of the sport of ski biking with some of the world’s best bike athletes trying new tricks in the resort’s terrain park and exploring difficult natural features.

To kick off the event, SNO-GO unveiled Reed Bogg’s custom rig (built from the SNO-GO Shifted  chassis) designed to mirror his 2023 Redbull Rampage Yeti SB 165 and Endura Rampage kit. Design and artwork by Everykin.

Outfitted with a Marzocchi Bomber Z2 Limited Edition 150 mm Fork and a Raceface Cockpit, this winter weapon for slaying gravity fueled powder descents put all the athlete's jaws on the floor. Each athlete then received their own SNO-GO Shifted bike setup with a fork and cockpit from their existing sponsors.

One highlight of the event was Jerrell Webster's notable progression as he stomped a backflip over a 30-foot table jump at Woodward Resort in Park City on his first attempt. Nic Hilton showed how street-style park features are possible by landing a boardslide to fakie down a handrail in Brighton’s terrain park. Kurtis Downs etched his name in the history books by performing the first-ever heel-clicker during the event, and Christian Arehart showed that even switch tricks, which are familiar to slopestyle mountain biking and bmx, are possible on SNO-GOs by successfully pulling off a fakie backflip.

In addition to the on-mountain riding, SNO-GO debuted a special indoor roller version of its bike during the festival, allowing the riders to push the boundaries of tricks with soft landings in Woodward’s indoor foam pits. While the snow biking experience is reminiscent of riding a traditional bike, the unique design and weight of the equipment present a distinct sensation in the air. This innovation allowed riders to gain confidence and take their tricks to the snow, as demonstrated by Jerrell's successful execution of a backflip just an hour after attempting it in the foam pit.

Throughout the event, riders explored a wide variety of terrain, including groomers, powder, trees, and park runs; however, tree runs proved to be the most thrilling terrain to ride. Even on the final day, the riders couldn't resist more, turning their planned "one more lap" into multiple descents through the gladed runs.

Reflecting on the event, Kaidan Ingersoll expressed his excitement, stating,

"I knew this would be fun, but SNO-GO Fest exceeded all levels of fun I thought possible."

Nicholi Rogatkin also shared his enthusiasm, exclaiming,

"That was unreal, actually."

AWARDS

• Jerrell Webster - Rider of the Week
• Nicholi Rogatkin - Best POV
• Christian Arehart - Best New Trick
• Nic Hilton - Best Rail
• Kurtis Downs - Most Sendy
• Kaidan Ingersoll - Biggest Slam 
• Reed Boggs - Fastest on the Track
• Josh Hoffer - Class Clown

SNO-GO Fest has pushed the growing sport of ski biking forward, helping to expand the boundaries of what is possible on these bikes both on the mountain and indoors. The event served as a testament to the ever-evolving nature of extreme sports, evolving equipment and the incredible skill and passion of those involved and has, undoubtedly, had a lasting impact on both the riders, the SNO-GO team, and the event’s many spectators.

All snogoers were riding a variation of the Shifted bike during SNO-GO Fest. Check out our stock model equipped with a Fox 36 fork and Deity cockpit here.