6 Athletes Headed to the Freeride Junior World Championships

The Freeride World Tour features the rising stars of competitive freeride skiing and snowboarding, showcasing talent, determination, and a deep love for the mountains. Representing Palisades Tahoe, these young athletes are carving their paths on the global stage, embodying the adventurous spirit and rich legacy of our mountain community. This season, they’ve earned the opportunity to compete in the prestigious Freeride Junior World Championships in Kappl, Austria. From January 13-16, 2025, they’ll join 64 elite junior athletes from 17 countries to compete in the expansive powder fields of the Tyrolean Alps, proving that the future of freeride skiing is brighter than ever.

We touched base with 6 athletes competing in the Freeride Junior World Championship:

Jack Dolan

Indy Boyer

Tyler Thomson

Julia Bouligny

Zeb Schreiber

Cass Jones

Jack Dolan

How did you start skiing or snowboarding? What keeps you coming back?

Jack: I grew up in a ski-loving family, making weekends spent at the mountains a cherished ritual. The thrill of skiing became a beloved part of my childhood, deepening my passion for the sport.

Indy: I started skiing around the same time I was learning how to walk. What keeps me coming back is the thrill of skiing. Every day is a new experience for me when I’m skiing, and I will never be tired of it.

Tyler: I grew up surfing in San Clemente, California, then we had to move to Reno, so I picked snowboarding right up to compensate for surfing. So many different reasons why I keep coming back, but simply because there’s an endless range of possibilities in the mountains

Julia: I started snowboarding when I was around seven or eight. My dad snowboarded for a long time and wanted to share his passion by teaching me and my siblings how to ride. By the time I was nine, I was spending more time at Alpine Meadows and joined the Palisades snowboard team when I turned ten. I am now seventeen and I keep coming back because I enjoy the freedom that snowboarding gives me. It’s a way I can challenge myself, explore different lines, and experience the mountain in new ways each time.

Zeb: I began skiing when I was two, I skied for a few years then decided to try snowboarding. After a few years of snowboarding I switched back to skiing and joined a ski team at Alpine Meadows.

Cass: Growing up with my dad, snowboarding was always a part of my life. I keep coming back because nothing compares to the freedom and creativity I feel carving lines in the mountains.

Indy Boyer

What made you choose Palisades Tahoe as your home mountain? What makes this place special to you?

Jack: I picked Palisades Tahoe as my home mountain due to its rich history and the legacy it embodies. This place holds a special significance for me because it has been a gathering spot for many of the pioneers of freeriding, who have made these mountains their home.

Indy: I chose Palisades Tahoe as the mountain I’d ski at because of the unbelievable freeride terrain both Palisades and Alpine offer me. The community was another deciding factor, all of my closest friends have joined me at Palisades, and we have created a tight community together.

Tyler: I always knew Palisades was the place to be. I didn’t really get to choose that this place would be my home mountain though. I was getting into a lot of trouble and my mom decided to give me positive reinforcement by having me join the Palisades Tahoe Snowboard Team and I fell in love with it ever since. I keep coming back due to the limitless terrain and trying to make my mark here, make this place so special to me. I remember that 1st day I showed up to meet my team at Alpine and I remember looking up, just wowed by what we have in our backyard. There’s no other place like it.

Julia: I have snowboarded at Palisades for as long as I could remember. We live in the San Francisco Bay Area, and it is at least a 3-hour drive to get to the mountains, but it is worth it. I love the mountain because of the range of steep challenging terrain I constantly have available for me to ride. Alpine Meadows has really nice freeride options as well. I basically have access to two great mountains and they are only a short gondola ride away. Palisades is special to me because of the memories. I have been lucky to ride many great mountains across the United States, including Crystal Mountain, Breckenridge, Big Sky just to name a few. However, whenever I am back in the Lake Tahoe area at any resort, I feel at home with the beauty of the lake and mountains, but when I am at Palisades Tahoe, I have the great experiences to reflect on. Memories of time with family and friends on powder days, hiking, spring skiing when there’s not many people on the mountain, or waiting at the top of venues at Palisades and Alpine Meadows make the mountain special to me.

Zeb: The people and their shared love for skiing and snowboarding, as well as the world-class terrain are why Palisades Tahoe is so special to me.

Cass: Palisades Tahoe is where I’ve spent countless days riding with my friends and pushing myself in every condition imaginable. It’s more than a mountain—it’s my community, my inspiration, and where I feel most connected to the sport.

Tyler Thomson

What does freeride mean to you?

Jack: It’s about creating unforgettable memories with the people I cherish most. There’s something special about being in the snow and navigating rugged terrains alongside loved ones, sharing laughter, challenges, and breathtaking views.

Indy: Freeride means riding free in my opinion. Being able to harness the natural features of the mountain and ski them to your liking, all the while having the best time of your life.

Tyler: Freeride to me means exactly what it is “free ride”. You can go anywhere and do anything, and you have the ability to paint your own canvas in the mountains.

Julia: Freeride means trying new things. The sport allows me to try new tricks/features, explore new parts of the mountain, or even take me to other mountains!

Zeb: Freeride is the purest form of skiing. Freeride is my way of expressing creativity.

Cass: Freeride is about expressing yourself through the terrain and adapting to whatever nature gives you. It’s a blend of skill, creativity, and respect for the mountains.

Julia Bouligny

Aside from the competition, what part of the FJWC experience are you looking forward to the most, and why?

Jack: The part I look forward to the most is the opportunity to go to Europe, I have never had the chance to go before.

Indy: I’m looking forward to finally skiing the Quellspitze venue because I’ve been dreaming about skiing a line down that amazing venue for many years now and I hope to get redemption from not being able to ski it last year.

Tyler: To be able to go to Europe for the 1st time ever and experiencing how they do it out there. Also, I heard that nobody rides off piste so I’m looking forward to those powder turns.

Julia: I have never snowboarded in any country other than the US, so I’m excited to travel to Austria and looking forward to taking in the experience of a new place and a new culture.

Zeb: At FJWC I am most excited to explore new zones, and meet new people. I hope to make some very valuable connections that will impact my skiing career.

Cass: I’m stoked to ride with athletes from around the world who share the same passion for freeride. It’s about the connections and getting to explore epic new terrain in Austria.

Cass Jones

If you could return to your early days of competing, what would you say to your younger self to help them enjoy the journey more?

Jack: If I could go back to my early days of competing, I would tell myself to cherish the moments with the people around me.

Indy: To help my younger self enjoy my ski journey more, I would say to not get lost in the competition part of skiing, ski for yourself and no one else.

Tyler: I’d just tell him that you will have a ticket to Worlds eventually, because just last season I was ready to give up and quit after I took a tumble at the Palisades 3*, I didn’t think I’d even qualify for the JFC. And the season before that I had my best competition season but didn’t get the results I was looking for and was short of qualifying for the JFC. So I’d just tell him to never give up and that we’ll make it eventually.

Julia: I would probably tell myself not to take the competitions too seriously. I was always trying to make sure I won and dealing with my nervousness. I think the most important part was having fun, and my younger self might have missed out on that a bit. Hopefully on this journey to Austria I can feel free to put myself out there more and connect with new people from around the world who I can keep in touch with for many years.

Zeb: I honestly have no regrets from my younger years competing. One piece of advice I think every young competitor should hear is don’t put useless pressure on yourself, treat every competition like it’s just another day skiing.

Cass: I’d tell myself to focus less on results and more on the fun of riding with other talented people. The best memories come from the journey, not just the podium.

Stay tuned to support the Freeride World Tour Juniors as they represent Palisades Tahoe on the global stage! Visit the Freeride World Tour website for updates and information on how to watch the event. Let’s cheer on these incredible young athletes as they compete in Austria from January 13-16, 2025, showcasing their skills and the adventurous spirit of our mountain community.