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Terrain Park Etiquette

Cheese

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Jan 4, 2012
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Not exactly sure what you're trying to do. The hits of today are really designed to be hit solid so if you were to throttle back, you wouldn't make the landing. That's why most resorts have small, medium and large hits in separate areas. Hitting a small jump large or a large jump small isn't going to end well. Head for the park that has "your size" jumps.


If you're hitting the knolls, ramps or jumps designed to get onto a rail, barrel or other stationary object just to get air then I'd say you're in the wrong. Go to the areas mentioned above if you're trying to jump.

As for the half pipe, wait in line, once it's your turn to drop, it's yours. If you catch up to someone, back off as they have the right of way. If someone is on your tail, they're in the wrong for not waiting long enough but don't get hurt standing your ground.
 

Piste_inyoFace

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Jan 2, 2019
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As to OP question...like the signs say, be smart & start small. Nothing wrong with u taking a lap and side jumping off the Ramps and not using the features. Sure some may roll your eyes at you but those guys are just asshats. Everyone has to start somewhere. Don’t feel intimidated....also very important— don’t stop in a landing area. Make sure u are clear off all landing areas and u really shouldn’t have a problem. Just be respectful of everyone and wait for everyone ahead of you to go before you do.
 

skiur

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You paid for your ticket/pass so you have just as much right to go in the park as anyone else. Just don't make any dangerous situations and be aware.
 

jmgard

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Nov 30, 2016
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Stay out of landing areas!!! Seriously. Just by doing that you are ahead of a lot of people of all ages I encounter in the parks. Also try not to jump off the sides of little kickers for rails/boxes as those deteriorate quickly and that makes it more difficult for those hitting the full feature. If you want a jump that size, most places will have a small or "progression" park which is a great place to start.
 

ss20

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A minute from the Alta exit off the I-15!
Really it's just a matter of waiting your turn before you use the feature, using the feature however you desire, and clearing the landing area.

One of my favorite warmup laps at Killington is doing Skyeburst-Northway-Dreamaker park and just feeling the weightlessness of going over the large mounds of snow (not the kickers) in the park.

I actually dabbled in halfpipes last year. I managed to (minimally) clear the walls at Okemo and Killington's pipes. Very fun. Quite the adrenaline rush once you figure it out and get comfortable. I did it on a couple of nice spring days when the walls were soft and not slicked-over ice. A great way to end a run down the mountain on what would otherwise be a runout.
 

Smellytele

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How many ski areas still have halfpipes? I haven't seen one in years. (don't ski K except early and late season and haven't skied Flatkemo in years)
 

sull1102

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Very few. I don't even think Stratton has one anymore and they were huuuuuge into the snowboarding/freestyle/halfpipe craze back in the day.
Not so anymore, once Burton took the US Open out west it was game over. Plus right around that time Carinthia really stepped it up for Sneaux and that was it. Now Stratton's park is mediocre at best and far behind Carinthia or K. Similar to Waterville where the Parks crew was excellent and a real draw for years and then new owners showed up and slowly but surely killed the park scene bit by bit.

As to OP, avoid getting the sides of launches for rails, boxes, similar features, but otherwise you're good man. Just don't cut the lines, stay out of landing zones, and have fun!

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machski

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The River does do up a half pipe, fairly high and fairly long. I can go up and down each side about 4 times, but I am basically making lazy "S"s. The guys who can really do it get a lot more out of it than I do.

The only issue with the River's half pipe might be the orientation to the sun. One side gets a lot more sun than the other, and one side is markedly different from the other. The sunny side, skier's left, is often a lot smoother and filled in. Skier's right is often harder and chunkier.... basically a good many holes in the wall where the sun can not soften it and help to fill it in thru use or the pipe groomer.

I have not seen it this year yet, though it is on T-72, way over to skier's right. They also do a mini pipe down on lower mixing bowl, just above the groomer parking lot where it connects to easy street. This mini pipe might be 6 feet deep and is nice and soft and loads of fun for someone who wants to play in it.

These pipes don't get put in place until well into the season. A good deal of snow and time has to go into these, and for the same amount of time, they can do up a bunch of other features that the boarders seem to like a whole lot more anyways. Dare I say, almost an afterthought or put on the back burner.
The Pipe on T72 is a very low priority these days. I was always surprised they did not figure a way to have hydrants closer to the pipe. Loon still builds one out usually too, at the bottom of LMP.

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Glenn

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Oct 1, 2008
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Very few. I don't even think Stratton has one anymore and they were huuuuuge into the snowboarding/freestyle/halfpipe craze back in the day.

I think they'll do a mini pipe in their park as the season builds up. But certainly nothing huge.
 
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