Snow Parks

Most ski resorts have some form of terrain park for snowboarders, although some resorts cater better for freestylers than others. The terrain park is a great place to work on your tricks because it is designed for jumping and jibbing. The introduction of contests in popular events such as the X-Games has drawn major attention to these areas, especially ‘Slopestyle’, which sees riders making their way down a carefully constructed course, trying to come up with the hardest tricks and most imaginative lines they can think of to score big and make crowds go bezerk. At the beginning of 2011 in his first ever X Games Canadian snowboarder Sebastien Toutant claimed gold in the slope style after putting together the perfect run and wowed judges as he made the double corked 12’s look easy.

Tricks and freestyling add another dimension to snowboarding, not only do they look great but they are also challenging and addictive. The feeling when you finally get a new trick right is unbeatable; but it is good to remember that all tricks require a lot of practice, determination and patience.

Features you will find in a terrain park:
Designed as a playground for snowboarders, terrain parks are a major draw for riders. They feature a separate area which is home to a range of obstacles know as jibs, jumps and verticals.

Jibs
Jibs are any type of fixture that can be ridden with the board, either parallel or perpendicular to the ground. Many jib features resemble outdoor items such as rails, benches and tables.

Rails are metal bars which are either rounded or have a small flat surface, riders slide across these rails, which is called jibbing. Handrails are the most common urban feature; they are used by boarders for a whole range of tricks. Boxes are similar to rails but are wider and have an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) surface. These come in all types of shapes and sizes, from flat boxes, to C-boxes to rainbow boxes. Wall rides are also a popular feature; riders build little jumps out of snow set up to launch a rider up against a wall so that they can slide it.
All of these features are usually made of steel and plastic with the exception of the Stash Park in Avoriaz, France which is a natural course and all its features are made from wood making it the only eco-friendly terrain park in Europe.

Jumps
Unlike jibs, jumps are usually constructed entirely of snow and riders perform twists or spins while in the air from a jump. They vary immensely in height ranging from five feet to 90 feet, depending on the ability they are aiming at. Kickers are the main jumps in a terrain park and they are used for air, spins or flips. While hips are also popular, they are a one jump landing which is perpendicular to the take off and aimed at those with a lot more experience. Different types of jumps are available for different skills, including table tops, step ups and step downs.

Verticals
Verticals feature various pipes such as superpipes, half-pipes and quarter-pipes. A half-pipe is a manmade snow tube which is cut in half, while a superpipe is a monster-sized and can be hundreds of feet long. The popularity in half pipe riding has been boosted by the popularity of athletes such as Shaun White and Luke Mitriani who have revolutionised pipe riding and brought it to the main stream, and also the Winter Olympics in recent years.

Terrain parks for different abilities:
Terrain parks feature a hugely diverse set of obstacles from kicker rails for rookies to 40 foot jumps for the more experienced. Most parks cater for a range of abilities from those who want to learn to basics of freestyling to experts who want to show off their skills. Some resorts even have separate parks for beginners, intermediates and experts, while most major resorts will offer freestyle lessons in their ski schools giving people professional tuition-definitely recommended for those with a nervous disposition.

Snowboard parks are set out in much the same was as pistes are with different coloured ratings. Green features are for rookies, while blues are for beginners, red for intermediates and black features are for advanced riders.

Snowboard tricks to impress:

The basics:
The ollie is one of the most fundamental tricks in snowboarding. It can be used as the basis for other tricks, or just to pop the board off the ground. It is one of many snowboarding terms that was borrowed from skateboarding. The ollie involves using the tail of the snowboard as a spring to get the board off the ground without the need for a jump. The rider simultaneously shifts weight to the tail of the board while lifting the nose with the front foot, then springing off the tail and levelling the board off in the air.

Nailed the basics?

360: One of the simplest, yet effortlessly classic moves. A 360 is a move, which involves spinning yourself one full rotation, either frontside or backside. This can be amped up to include grabs, flips and even combined with jibs.

Getting Confident?

Backside Board Slide: Also known simply as a backside, this move is achieved by sliding perpendicular to a jib of your choice (handrail/box) while going backwards. The trick to stomping this is confidence, good balance and speed. Too slow and you can end up on your face, too fast and you will go over backwards. Try going forwards first to achieve the balance point, and hit it backwards when you have done this a few times. This is a technically tricky, but rewarding trick that looks amazing.

Seasoned rider?

Front Flip: Only try this if you are of advanced level. A front flip is inverting yourself in mid air in a cartwheel type fashion. Hi t the jump confidently and with a certain degree of speed. Scope out your landing first and have a spotter on hand. Upgrade this to a rodeo flip by adding a 540 degree spin.

Park etiquette:
Snow parks are the perfect place to get the adrenaline pumping and with a little bit of park etiquette they can be a great experience and lots of fun for all from rookies to pros.

Have respect for other riders and the park itself
Get to know the park; make a note where others are dropping from and their speed
Only use the features that are suitable for your level and progression – snowboarding parks rate their features according to difficulty
If it is busy always call your drop and stick to a predictable line
Don’t cut people off or sit in the middle of passing points/drops
If you fall get up as quick as you can and get out of the way as not to cause danger to others.
If you see that a feature is blocked, either by others making a cross shape or by laying a snowboard down – chances are someone is injured. If you see someone has fallen go and block the jump, don’t wait for someone else to do it
Don’t jump blindly and if necessary use a spotter
Communication is key – let others know what you are doing and watch and listen for what others are doing
Last but by no means least have fun and compliment someone if they make a good jump =)

Safety Gear:
Snowboarding is an extreme sport and therefore there is a substantial risk of injury. One of the most important things to make sure you wear the correct safety gear to minimize the chance of injury.

Helmet: A helmet is ESSENTIAL, and in most parks compulsory. It provides protection to your head and can prevent a serious head injury.

Wrist Guards: Instinct tells you to put your hands out when you fall but by doing this you a risking spraining or even breaking your wrist. Wrist guards help to prevent injury by easing the force when you fall.

Knee Pads: Knee pads provide extra protection and help to prevent contusions.

Back Protector: It is important to protect your back if you are an active snowboarder and investing in a good back protection will help to prevent spinal injury.

Also make sure your insurance covers terrain parks otherwise you will find yourself having to fork out hundreds or thousands of pounds if you injure yourself.