A professional skier from Wyoming has stunned the global skiing community by setting a new world record speed descent down Jackson Hole’s legendary Central Couloir, one of the steepest and most technical runs in North America.
28-year-old Liam Carter, a Jackson-based big-mountain athlete, completed the near-vertical chute in an astonishing 11.6 seconds, reaching top speeds of over 130 km/h according to GPS telemetry reviewed by event judges.
The attempt took place early Saturday morning under clear blue skies and near-perfect snow conditions. Spectators and fellow skiers gathered at the base of Corbet’s Couloir to witness Carter drop into the razor-thin entry point of Central Couloir before rocketing down the narrow channel with a level of control described by observers as “mind-blowing.”
“It’s the line every skier dreams of but very few dare to push to this limit,” Carter said afterward. “I’ve trained for months for this one moment. The descent felt like just a few heartbeats.”
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort officials confirmed that safety teams were stationed throughout the slope, and the descent was monitored with high-speed cameras and official timing gear to ensure accuracy.
The previous unofficial record stood at 14.2 seconds, making Carter’s achievement a major leap in extreme skiing performance.
Mountain operations director Sarah Whitmore called the event “historic,” adding, “Central Couloir is one of the most feared chutes in the Rockies. What Liam pulled off today is something the ski world won’t forget.”
Carter’s record has been submitted to the International Freeskiing Federation for official verification.
