The 2027 YETI Natural Selection Ski finals will be hosted at Palisades Tahoe, California, marking the first time the Continental United States will host the competition’s final stage. Following last year’s finals in Alaska, the 2027 NST Ski will bring 14 of the world’s top freeriders and freeskiers together for a one-day showdown during a February 17–23 weather window, with a live global broadcast.
Palisades Tahoe to Host NST Ski 2027
With 6,000 skiable acres spread across two mountains, Palisades Tahoe offers plenty of terrain for the Natural Selection format. Known for its steep chutes, open bowls, granite features and deep Sierra powder, the resort has played an important role in the progression of freeride skiing for decades.
The mountain previously hosted the 2026 NST Ski Super Session, which helped determine the skiers advancing to Alaska. In 2027, Palisades Tahoe will host the final competition, bringing the world’s best freeriders and freeskiers together on home snow for the first time in the event’s history.
For professional skier and Palisades local Michelle Parker, who will return as an on-snow reporter after previously competing in the Tour, the venue is a natural fit.
“There’s a reason Palisades has produced so many influential skiers. The terrain gives you room to be creative, to take chances, and to find your own way down the mountain. Having Natural Selection here is going to be special. And with Mother Nature in charge and the season many of us are anticipating, the skiers will have to be ready for anything.”
Returning Champions Run it Back
Six athletes have already confirmed their invitations for the 2027 competition, including both reigning champions.
France’s Manon Loschi will return to defend her title after winning back-to-back NST Ski women’s championships in 2025 and 2026. Fellow French skier Astrid Cheylis, who finished second in last year’s competition, will also be back.
On the men’s side, Colby Stevenson returns as defending champion after taking the 2026 title in Alaska with an eight-trick winning run featuring a double cork 1080 blunt grab. New Zealand’s Finn Bilous, who finished third in 2026, joins him, alongside fellow Kiwi Craig Murray, winner of the inaugural 2025 competition, and Canada’s Sam Kuch, who finished runner-up in 2025 before reaching the finals in Alaska last season.
The remaining spots will be selected by a group of skiers with extensive experience across freeride, freestyle and big-mountain skiing. Newly appointed NST Ski Director Sage Cattabriga-Alosa will lead athlete selection alongside the Tour’s Ski Advisory Committee, which includes Chris Benchetler, Michelle Parker, Grete Eliassen, Kristi Leskinen and Markus Eder.
The final field will feature 14 athletes, with additional invitations and nominations currently underway.
Live NST Ski Competition in February 2027
The February 17–23 weather window gives organizers flexibility to wait for the right conditions before running the one-day competition. Rather than sticking to a fixed date, the event will unfold when the mountain is ready.
The competition will feature eight men and six women, with coverage available live on the Natural Selection Tour YouTube channel and Red Bull TV. Viewers will also be able to catch the event on demand afterward.
“Natural Selection and Palisades Tahoe share a lot of the same DNA,” said Matt Peterson, VP of Marketing & Sales at Palisades Tahoe. “This mountain has helped shape freeride skiing for generations, and that spirit of progression is still alive here today.”
With a stacked field, a new venue and a live audience on the mountain, NST Ski 2027 is shaping up to be a major event on the freeride calendar.
