For two weeks every winter, a rarefied group of ski jumpers travel the Midwest competing in a Five Hills Tournament across some of America’s most notable ski jumps. Thousands of fans pack local ski clubs to witness competitors launch themselves from the large towers that rise menacingly above the flat Midwest landscape. A ski jumper himself, Cooper Dodds’ color photographs highlight a Nordic tradition transplanted in middle America and sustained through extensive volunteer support and young athletes obsessed with the art of flying.

Contributions by: Peter Geye