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Daniel Boone Rail Jam Has Huge Turnout For Saturday Night Fundraiser With Close to 3000 Attendees

By Nathan Ham

Skiers and snowboarders put on a show for the fans on Saturday night at the fourth annual Daniel Boone Rail Jam.

Almost 3,000 fans showed up to the event to watch 65 skiers and snowboarders battle it out for first place in their respective divisions.

With temperatures being unseasonably warm reaching nearly 70 degrees on Saturday, it was a battle to keep enough manmade snow on the ramp, but the event workers and volunteers still pulled it off.

According to event organizer Danny Wilcox, workers were buying bags of ice at gas stations, Publix and Walmart to make sure they had enough ice to make the snow.

The crowds started arriving early with people showing up as early as 4 p.m.

The competition got underway around 6:30 p.m. and barely finished before the rain and thunderstorms moved into the High Country.

“David from Ray’s Weather was sending me constant texts. The event would normally go all the way up to10 p.m., so we started late and I had to condense it down to 9 p.m.,” Wilcox said. “The power went out in the sound system, so I couldn’t announce the snowboard category because it was so big, they were having a hard time getting the judging done in time.”

Each year, the Daniel Boone Rail Jam is one of the biggest fundraisers for the Daniel Boone Amphitheater in Boone

“We’re excited to have unique events like this in Boone to go back and support unique places that we have here in the High Country that make Boone special,” Wilcox said.

Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s We Can So You Can Foundation works hard to help support the revitalization of the communities in the High Country. The Daniel Boone Rail Jam is just one of many things that the foundation does to help out.

“We’re just excited to keep growing the foundation and finding more projects in the town to work with to give back through the proceeds of events like this,” said Wilcox.

The event organizers would like to thank the town of Boone for working with them on this project, as well as the numerous sponsors and volunteers for the event, especially Appalachian State University’s Student Veteran’s Association.

Event sponsors were: Mellow Mushroom, VPC Builders, Double Wood Farm, IONCON Engineering, Ameriprise Financial, ExploreBoone.com, High Country Breast Cancer Foundation, Town of Boone, Boone Chamber of Commerce, Appalachian Terrain Park, Skyline/Skybest, Appalachian Ski Mountain, Carolina West Wireless, The Print Path, Mast General Store, Alpine Ski Shop, Salomon, Haircut 101, Clean Eatz, Appalachia Cookie Company, Makoto’s Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar and Casa Rustica Restaurant & Catering.

Snowboarding results

Intermediate snowboard
First – Bo Todd
Second – Daniel Johnson
Third – Michael Moore

Women’s snowboard
First – Sierra Forchheimer
Second – Brantley Mullins
Third – Sarah Szymcczyk

Advanced snowboard 
First – Liam Loftis
Second – Mathew Sutton
Third – Alex Helms

Skiing results

Intermediate ski
First – Clay Burchell
Second – Will Ambler
Third – Todd Inman

Women’s ski
First – Joanna Carr

Advanced ski
First – Carson Isaacs
Second – Tanner Pardue
Third – Isaac Shepherd

Saturday afternoon preparation for the Rail Jam

A truck load of bags of ice was brought in to make snow for the rail jam

Event organizer Danny Wilcox gives a thumbs up on snow preparation Saturday afternoon

Saturday Night at the Rail Jam

VIP spectators enjoy the view of the competition