How To Win The Fingers Race at Palisades Tahoe, California

There are countless lines coveted by Palisades Tahoe skiers, but none is sexier than winning the Fingers Race on a classic KT-22 powder day.

Professional skier Noah Gaffney is no stranger to winning the race. His POV videos on The Fingers launched his career as a teenager. A few years later, and he's still winning the race with big lines at breakneck speed.

Gaffney, in the YouTube video embedded below, shows what it takes to win the race following a 40+ inch storm that blanketed Palisades Tahoe this past weekend.

Watch as Gaffney sprints off KT-22, traverses to the Nose, scores beautiful powder turns at Mach 5 speed, and then launches off Middle Knuckle with barely any hesitation. It's a masterclass.

Tap or click below to watch. Video filmed by Noah Gaffney on Monday, January 5, 2026. Keep reading for more.

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Gaffney mentions in the video description that this was his first time scoring fresh tracks off Middle Knuckle, one of the largest airs on The Fingers. He could have fooled us.

Gear sleuths, who weren't completely immersed by Gaffney's incredible skiing, may have noticed something interesting about the skis he's using. If they look unfamiliar, that's because Gaffney is rocking a yet-to-be-released Blizzard Canvas 118, an entirely new freeride and freestyle-focused ski from Blizzard.

Blizzard has released the Canvas 108 this season, the slightly-narrower cousin to the 118, but the public won't be able to purchase the Canvas 118 until next season.

Perks of being a pro skier, I guess!

The weather is expected to dry up across California for the next two weeks, so don't expect any big Fingers descents from Gaffney soon.

Still, the 100+ inch two-storm total from Christmas through New Year's should be plenty of base to keep Palisades Tahoe skiers happy.

Follow Noah Gaffney on Instagram and YouTube.