The Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club is kicking off its winter competition season this weekend with Jumpin’ & Bumpin’ at Howelsen Hill on Dec. 7-8. 

The hill will host two major events — the Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Winter Start and U.S. Cup Opener, and the Rocky Mountain Freestyle season opener moguls competition. 

Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined

The best U16-and-older ski jumping and Nordic combined athletes in North America congregate at Howelsen Hill each year for the Winter Start competition. Hosted by the Rocky Mountain Division and the SSWSC, it is the first U.S. Cup event of the 2024-25 season. 

Nearly 70 athletes participate on the HS75- and HS100-meter ski jumps for the first of two Junior World Championship Team tryouts. 

The competition begins at 9 a.m. Saturday with jumpers flying off the HS100, followed by the HS75 hill until 1 p.m. Nordic combined athletes then take their talents to the rodeo arena for the 5-kilometer cross country ski race at 3 p.m. 

Sunday has a similar schedule with HS100 jumps running 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and the cross country race again at 3 p.m. in Romick Arena. 

Awards ceremonies are set to take place each day at 4:30 p.m. in Olympian Hall. 

Moguls 

Along with the Nordic events, Rocky Mountain Freestyle will host the 2024 Ski Town USA Freestyle competition at Howelsen Hill with elite moguls skiers competing from around the country. 

Howelsen Hill is home to one of the only mogul courses open in North America and the event will begin with an hour of training runs before competition starts at 12:45 p.m. with the first of two runs. 

The second competition run takes place under the lights at Howelsen Hill at 5:30 p.m. with awards to follow at 8 p.m. on the Howelsen Lodge patio. 

Spectators are welcome to watch and celebrate the start of the winter season at any of the events. Those who are unable to attend in person can view the livestream on SSWSC.org.