When Jake Hopfinger Sent That Double at Corbet’s, the Game Shifted. Now, Doubles Are Old News.

Back in February 2020, just before the world slammed on the brakes, Jake Hopfinger launched himself into the history books. At Jackson Hole’s legendary Kings and Queens of Corbet’s, he became the first athlete to cleanly land a double backflip into the notoriously unforgiving Couloir. Not long after, Parkin Costain matched the feat. The crowd roared, the snow flew, and suddenly the bar for what was possible in big-mountain freeride was smashed to bits.

It wasn’t just a good day for the sport. It was a turning point. An exclamation mark. And ironically, it all happened right before the world went into COVID lockdown — a moment of full-send freedom before the global pause button got slapped.

Fast-forward five years, and doubles now feel… tame. These days, riders and filmmakers are throwing around the word “triple” like it’s just another checkbox on the progression list. Even Hopfinger and Costain, reflecting on that landmark session during a dry-season visit to Corbet’s, reckon a triple backflip could absolutely go down. With no snow in sight and the rock walls of the couloir yawning below, the challenge feels even more daunting — and more tempting.

“The evolution’s wild. It just doesn’t stop,” the pair admit. “There’s this whole new generation lining up, chomping at the bit to go even bigger.”

The takeaway? What once seemed impossible is now the warm-up act. In the world of big-mountain progression, doubles are already yesterday’s news. The triple’s not a matter of if — it’s a matter of who’s going to huck it first.