Chad's Gap Explained

Chad's Gap
Coordinates:40.596°N -111.6211°W

Chad's Gap is a 120feet backcountry gap located in the Wasatch Mountains, approximately 0.6miles northeast of Alta Ski Area, in northern Utah, United States. One version of the structure's discovery has it that Chad Zurinskas, a local Utah resident after whom the gap was purportedly named, discovered it as a gap between two piles of mine tailings in 1999 and arranged with filmmaker Kris Ostness to make the first successful jump. The first successful jump was done by Candide Thovex. Tanner Hall aka 'Ski Boss' blew both his ankles to pieces by coming up short on the gap. He recalled it to feel like someone had loaded his ski boots with dynamite. His quote "my ankles are broken, my ankles are broke" has become famous in the snow sports world. [1] [2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: How Chad's Gap became skiing's most iconic jump spot. Rozendaal. Steve. freeskier.com. 20 Jun 2012. 3 Dec 2016.
  2. Web site: 14 year old skier jumps Chad's Gap – 120 feet. mpora.com. 4 Jan 2016. 3 Dec 2016.