First Shots at Black Mountain: Day 1 of U.S. Nationals (Photos and Video)

RUMFORD, Maine — A look at the freestyle sprint course on Black Mountain, about 1 1/2 hours before the start. The women’s 1.4 k qualifier kicks off at 9 a.m. and the men start the 1.6 k qualifier at 10 a.m.

Video: Athletes were busy warming up on the sprint course and some coaches had been testing wax since before dark.

Looking toward the stadium, where skiers start the sprint course on the left and return on the right.

Top of the last hill on the sprint course. Then it’s a long gradual downhill into the stadium for the 1.4 and 1.6 k sprints.

A look up the first hill of the U.S. Nationals freestyle sprint course at Black Mountain on Tuesday.

Looking over a pond near the U.S. Nationals sprint course with a snow machine blowing and the sun rising in the background at Black Mountain in Rumford, Maine, on Tuesday.

Alex Kochon

Alex Kochon (alexkochon@gmail.com) is a former FasterSkier editor and roving reporter who never really lost touch with the nordic scene. A freelance writer, editor, and outdoor-loving mom of two, she lives in northeastern New York and enjoys adventuring in the Adirondacks. She shares her passion for sports and recreation as the co-founder of "Ride On! Mountain Bike Trail Guide" and a sales and content contributor at Curated.com. When she's not skiing or chasing her kids around, Alex assists authors as a production and marketing coordinator for iPub Global Connection.