Whitefish freeskier Henry Barbieri, 18, was recently ranked No. 1 in the nation in rail jam and No. 2 in slopestyle in the juniors category.

The national competition is the first week of April at Copper Mountain in Colorado. 

“Although I am ranked No. 1 right now, I still have a long way to go,” Barbieri said. “Nationals is a big deal and it’s the rest of the best skiers in the U.S. and it’ll be a challenge but if I come out on top, that’s when I’ll be pretty happy. 

“Pray that i do a good job at Nationals and I come back with a big medal,” he added. 

Rail jam is a category of freeskiing that gives participants 15 minutes to showcase their best tricks on each rail. The competitor who earns the most points on each rail wins. Slopestyle is like rail jam with jumps.  

“A pretty big thing I did this season was a switch double back flip at Whitefish,” he said. “That was a pretty big accomplishment for me this year.” 

The trick is scary because he enters the trick backwards, or switch, and completes a double backflip. He admitted that it’s a difficult trick. 

Barbieri has been skiing most of his life and started slopestyle about five years ago. He began competing with USASA as a freshman and competed as an independent before joining the Bridger Ski Foundation team, along with his younger brother, Hudson, a couple years ago. 

He does not train, as one might think, on a trampoline to learn new tricks. 

“I visualize it in my head and if I feel like I got it, I got it,” he said.  

He did have trouble this year, falling on both his runs in his first competition, earning fourth place, but he has retained his focus. 

The Inland Northwest region had only three comps this season. Barbieri earned first place in all three rail jams, fourth place in one slopestyle and first in the other two. 

Merika Barbieri, Henry and Hudson’s mother, said that since her sons have been involved in slopestyle, they have had at least one trip each year to the Big Mountain Urgent Care. 

“It’s really scary,” she said. “It’s pretty awesome to see the two of them work together. Henry is a great coach.” 

Barbieri and his friend, Remy Maaliki have started a brand together called Feuxyz and the two are heading to Montana State University next fall. 

“I think I'm going to do part time coaching with the Bozeman freestyle team,” he said. “I’ll hopefully do a lot of traveling when I'm there." 

The USASA Nationals 2026 are March 27 – April 2 and will be streamed at liveheats.com. 

Reporter Julie Engler can be reached at 406-862-3505 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at whitefishpilot.com/support.

    Henry Barbieri at the top of the podium with Charles Alexander in second and Judah Franzcyk in third.. (Photo provided)