Later this week, women would make freeride mountain bike history for the second year, carving their mark into the cliffs once thought untouchable and proving their place here. Emotions continued to run wild as I traveled along with my friends Kira McGrigg and Kaia Jensen.

We rolled into Virgin, Utah with a van full of snacks, sparkle, and anticipation of seeing women redefine gravity at Red Bull Rampage. What we found was more than a freeride event - it was a movement.

As a Rampage first-timer, I felt like an evolving primordial organism that had discovered newly developed eyes and limbs. Everything in sight was a whirlwind of excitement. The sheer size of the Rampage mountains protruding from the earth, scattered with steeper than steep rock faces, mega drops, and massive jumps galore.

It was all so mind numbing to consider. Rampage athletes were a different breed, no doubt, and I couldn't wait to scream my face off in support of  the women that were about to show the world what they were capable of on a bike.

Even more mind-blowing is the amount of time and energy each rider spends with their dig team to bring their vision to life. Rampage in its purest form requires back-breaking work in the relentless heat of the desert, full days building features from the rugged earth with enough precision to keep riders from falling off of cliffs, proceeded directly by calling upon their nerves of steel to begin dropping into the behemoth they just carved into the cliffs.

A chilly morning shuttle to the main event area was well worth the early wake up call, especially to witness an otherworldly desert sunrise. We then joined other spectators as they gradually scrambled up the surrounding hills to get the best view to see all of the action go down.

One by one, we witnessed the most insane mountain biking I've ever seen in person. Absolutely demolishing their lines, every single rider brought a unique flair and character to their line. Cami Nogueira's jaw dropping chute, Hannah Bergemann and her easy, effortless precision in every single feature, and Robin Goomes with her huge floaty backflips. 

In the end, it would be a well deserved second consecutive win for Robin, with Hannah in second and Georgia Astle in third.

It was easily one of the most inspiring experiences in my life. The influence these riders have on females in biking, young and old, novice or expert, is essential to its progression. When you see your heroes pushing the limits of what they're capable of, it makes it that much more tangible for us to raise the bar for yourself, both on the bike and off.

Back in 2021, I was lucky to witness Hannah Bergemann's Hangtime event in Bellingham, WA, where a I got to see firsthand a group of women riding our biggest local jumpline. Inspired barely begins to cover what I felt from that experience. Hoping to one day get invited to Hangtime, I embarked on my own journey to discover what I was capable of.

Fast forward through a few years of working hard to progress toward that goal, my dream came true. This year, not only did I get the chance to ride in Hangtime, but I also got to fly out east to ride in KaJay Rooke's Thunderstruck - another event critical for the progression of women's freeride. 

I wouldn't have had something tangible to strive for. Considering the plethora of women that exponentially increase participation in mountain biking each year, these events will continue to be incredibly impactful for generations to come.

After a wild week in the desert, it was clear there was some magic dwelling here between the red rocks and sagebrush. Among the community and camaraderie, one thing was for sure - the spirit of freeride is alive and well - and the female pioneers on the frontier of freeride are paving the way.