The UNB Rail Jam

Behind the Student Union building on the UNB Fredericton campus, students from across Atlantic Canada are standing in a line with their skis and snowboards. They aren’t standing in a line protesting, they’re waiting their turn to grind the rails setup for the UNB Rail Jam!

Anyone near the UNB Student Union Building has a clear view of the skiers and snowboarders standing at the top of the ramp all the way to the towering pile of snow at the bottom. A sizeable heap of snow stands tall in the middle of the hill along with two thin metal rails, one after the other. It’s certainly impressive, but what makes this event special when you could just go to a ski hill? “Just the fact that security is not kicking us out and we are actually allowed to ski in the middle of campus. Normally whenever this happens security is here within a few minutes telling you to get out” says Nova Scotian snowboarder Jordon Condon.

The Rail Jam allows students to do something unique and have fun while showing campus pride. As straightforward as this idea may seem, this one-day event has had months of planning behind it and days of setup. The UNB Ski and Board Club and several volunteers from across campus have spent days moving the snow, shipping everything from across the country and setting up the equipment. It’s no Crabbe Mountain but the event has a wider community appeal. The Briggs house annual polar dip took place before the rail jam and an RBC setup provide hand warmers, hot chocolate, and music to make the rail jam even better for spectators.

Although nothing has been publicly confirmed, the success of this year’s rail jam means that if you missed it there’s a good chance you’ll be able to catch it next year!