Amid the sounds of spring taking hold all around Colorado, was the distinct scraping sound of shovels and asphalt heard throughout The Hill on March 4th, 2010.  The ear-wrenching sounds were in preparation for one of the University of Colorado’s favorite student events – the annual Cricket Campus Rail Jam.  By five pm, a two-story scaffolding, plywood, astro-turf and snow structure stood tall in the center of the intersection at 13th & College.  The feature was surrounded by an amped-up crowd of CU ski and snowboard bums who came out to see the top talent of the university show their stuff on three challenging features with nearly impossible landings.

I decided to focus on one competitor throughout the competition: Nate Kranz, a freshman at CU whose Minnesota mini-mountains developed him into a seasoned rail-jockey and un-intimidated flat lander.  Here are a couple of photos that stood out from the competition (plus one of another competitor, Cam Boll, because the shot was too nice)