Dummy Downhill at Diamond Peak

The 25th annual Dummy Downhill at Diamond Peak is set for Saturday, March 27, 2027, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in Incline Village. Put on by Diamond Peak, it is the ski area's signature spring event: teams build a dummy, strap it to skis, a snowboard or a sled, and send it off a big jump while the crowd waits to see whether it flies or falls apart.

What the Dummy Downhill Is Like

The day starts with a show on the snow behind the Base Lodge, where the dummies line up for judging and spectators can walk right up to them. The builds run wild, since the main limits are weight, something that slides on snow and keeping it all family-friendly, including the costumes and songs teams bring along. Celebrity judges work their way down the line scoring creativity, then team captains help haul their creations up to the top of the jump. Once launches begin, the base area turns into a cheering section, and the crashes get as much applause as the clean landings. Non-skiers are welcome, so it works for the whole crew. The event even made it into the 2025 Warren Miller SNO-CIETY film, which tells you how much of a Tahoe spring tradition it has become.

Event Highlights

Launches off the big jump usually begin around noon, and each dummy is competing for something. Awards go to creativity, best crash, furthest distance, shortest distance, survivor and most sustainable, so a spectacular wipeout can win just as easily as a long flight. The sustainability award is judged by IVGID Waste Not, which looks at recycled materials, less plastic, how much litter a crash leaves behind and any sustainability message built into the dummy. Winners are announced at the awards ceremony on the Base Lodge Deck around 2 p.m.

2027 Schedule

Saturday, Mar. 27 (approximate times)
10 a.m.: Dummies check in at the Base Lodge and are judged on creativity
After judging: Team captains help load dummies and unload them at the top of the jump
Around noon: Jumping begins
Around 2 p.m.: Awards ceremony on the Base Lodge Deck

Cost and What to Bring

Diamond Peak's event page doesn't list a spectator fee, and the event has been free to watch in past years. Entry details for 2027 dummies haven't been posted yet, but registration is typically available by February. Every entry has to weigh under 75 pounds, slide on snow using skis, a snowboard, a sled or a similar device, and stay family-friendly. Nothing live and no pyrotechnics are allowed. Pets and outside alcohol aren't permitted, so leave the dog at home. Sunglasses and sunscreen are smart for a late-March day on the snow.

Parking and Getting There

Diamond Peak is at 1210 Ski Way in Incline Village, off Country Club Drive from Highway 28. Standard parking is free, and paid preferred slope-side parking is also offered. The lots can fill on busy days, so check the Mountain Report for capacity updates, and when needed Diamond Peak opens overflow lots at UNR at Lake Tahoe, Aspen Grove and Lakeshore Drive. Diamond Peak's published 2026-27 ski shuttle schedule, which runs during ski season, has free morning pickups around Incline Village, including a Green Route from the Hyatt that runs every half hour from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with return trips from the mountain about every 30 minutes from 2-4:30 p.m. TART buses also serve Incline Village and connect to the shuttle at the Hyatt.

Find entry rules and registration updates on Diamond Peak's Dummy Downhill page.