Terrain parks

Terrain parks have come a long way since their conception a few years ago, and now are a major draw for boarders, with a huge range of equipment from pipes, rails and kickers to high-tech sound systems. Designed as playgrounds for snowboarders (and based on skateboarding parks), terrain parks were introduced in the early 1990's as a place to practice tricks and jumps, and also as designated areas for boarders before they were freely accepted and allowed on the pistes alongside mainstream skiers. Now the many sophisticated and world-class terrain parks around the world are attracting vast numbers of skiers themselves, who come to practice their freestyle action, and perform the same kinds of impressive tricks and aerial jumps.  

 

Terrain parks feature a separate area housing a range of obstacles, such as jibs, jumps and verticals. Jibs in a terrain park refer to features such as tables, rails and benches of various shapes and sizes, made of steel or plastic, which allow boarders to ride them in a parallel fashion, jump over them or spin on them. Terrain park jumps are generally made of snow and range in height immensely, whilst verticals feature various pipes, such as superpipes, half-pipes and quarter-pipes. Terrain parks can very in difficulty, but often have a separate area for beginners, and can feature hugely diverse obstacles, from entry-level kicker rails to 30-meter jumps. The development of terrain parks has come a long way in recent years, with more impressive and challenging design aspects for riders appearing, and convenient features such as their own lifts, on site-bars and high-tech sound systems. Established terrain parks in Europe include those in the French resorts of Tignes, Val d'Isere, Meribel, Les Deux Alpes and Avoriaz, all favourite destinations for snowboarders, with Austrian terrain parks including those in Mayrhofen and Lech. Terrain parks in Switzerland are featured in Laax, Saas-Fee and Les Diablerets, whilst one of the best parks for snowboarders in Italy is found in Livigno.  

 

Terrain parks - Head to the US for some world-class pipes and jumps 

The US has a variety of world-class terrain parks, with Breckenridge perhaps one of the most highly-rated parks in the country, housing extensive parks for beginners, intermediates and experts in one place. Other popular resorts home to popular terrain parks include Buttermilk, Keystone, Copper Mountain, Jackson Hole, Mammoth, Vail, Killington and Northstar at Tahoe. Whistler Blackcomb in Canada, which plays host to numerous international competitions, has a fantastic terrain park, home to creative features and an impressive superpipe.