Marmot Basin now has its very own highway to Heil.

Two-time Olympic silver medalist and former world mogul champion Jennifer Heil visited the hill on April 3 for the unveiling of a new run named in her honour.

The steep run, formerly known as Geikie Street, was christened ‘Jenn’s Run’ by the Olympian, who spent the day signing autographs and encouraging many freestyle skiers to keep up the sport. While a knee injury kept her off the moguls, she still took time to enjoy the hill, show off her massive silver medal, meet her fans and catch up with old acquaintances.

Heil did a great deal of her skiing early on at Marmot Basin on her way to becoming an Olympic athlete, and still considers it her home hill.

“I get to ski for fun about three days a year, and when I do, I ski at Marmot,” Heil said. “I really like Eagle’s East and the Knob is always great,” Heil said.

She also took some time with many freestyle skiers competing at the hill. The sport has grown since she skied the hill with local skiers such as Chris Peel and Randy Timmins, and she said she’s excited to see the program has grown quite a bit since she began.

Heil said she plans to return to the world cup circuit next year. In the meantime, she’s attempting to finish her degree at McGill University in Montreal, and is planning her life after skiing. On top of local sponsors, Heil has a make-up line named after her and a Birks jewellery line and is investigating her business options.

Watching the mogul course, she mentioned it would be an ideal location to host a World Cup event some day.

“The quality is the same you’ll find on world cup races,” Heil said.

The ski hill is happy Heil continues to visit Jasper.

“Jenn exemplifies so many great qualities on and off the ski hill.  Her terrific work ethic and vibrant personality make her a fantastic role model for kids who wish to follow in her footsteps. Marmot Basin is proud to name a run in Jenn’s honor to recognize her amazing achievements in freestyle skiing and her devoted efforts to encourage kids to engage in sport and to follow their dreams”, said Dave Gibson, Marmot Basin president and CEO.