This Is How To Ski Alaska: Watch Professional Skier Throw Down a Terrifying Line

Originally posted on Powder | By Ian Greenwood | Last updated Apr 6, 2026 2:23 PM ET

There comes a time in most skiers’ lives when they start thinking about Alaska.

The peaks, the classic ski movie segments, the helicopter bumps—if you’ve ingested ski media over the years, you’ve glommed on to the idea that Alaska, perhaps more so than any other place on Earth, is where you go to experience the pinnacle of skiing.

Ross Tester’s line from the recent Freeride World Tour stop there won’t do anything to dispel that.

With this one, he cruised into a well-deserved third place amid a stacked field. Take a mind surf with Tester by tapping in below. Tap or click to watch. Keep reading for more.

For fans (and the athletes, too, presumably), the FWT’s long-awaited return to Alaska produced a collective sigh of relief.

In the run-up to the competition, warm weather and unstable snow beset FWT organizers, canceling a slew of events on the other side of the pond. That set a high bar for the Alaskan revival: the people wanted some freeride highlights.

And they got them. Good snow mixed with an ever-increasing level of talent on the FWT produced some of the best runs the circuit has ever seen.

Tester, obviously, threw down. So did his challengers on the podium. Toby Rafford, the winner, narrowly dodged rocks after launching a huge 360. Ugo Troubat, who came in third, also laced a memorable line.

Sybille Blanjean won the women’s field with a fast and strong run, demonstrating mastery over the imposing Alaskan venue. Lou Barin and Zoe Delzoppo joined her on the podium.

All told, the outing was everything freeride is supposed to be. Mind-blowing—but calculated—skiing took center stage, pushing the sport's evolution just a bit further.

It was, maybe, a watershed moment for competitive freeride. The discipline’s grown and changed in recent years, as has the kind of skiing it takes to come home with a medal. The Alaska Haines Pro hammered that point home.

As for us? We’re just glad to be along for the ride.