Terrain Park - Is it worth the effort?

[justbob]

One of the new things at Alpine this season is that there are supposed to be multiple terrain parks. My question is based on the visitors to Alpine is a terrain park a good investment? My own take it that there is a lot of effort and money put into the park. But the use doesn't seem to warrant this big effort. There just aren't that many skiers/riders who use it. Do you think that having a park is essential to the marketing of Alpine?

BTW, props to the trail crew for bringing in enough snow over the holidays to make a real road to Promised Land. Other nice things include a complete Rays Rut road and grooming on the runout from Gentian Gulley.

[jmahater]

You must be OLD!

Yes it's worth the effort. Get a clue. Kids like terrain parks. Alpine is not just for old farts.

[justbob]

You must be OLD!

Yes it's worth the effort. Get a clue. Kids like terrain parks. Alpine is not just for old farts.

Obviously, I do not go in the park. But I don't see many others. Even kids. How many use the rails and boxes on Red Ridge that they keep having to dig out? I can't remember seeing one person.

[gone2alpine]

I think this may be a chicken or egg question. There are a couple of factors that seem to have led to decreased people in the Alpine parks the last 2 seasons:

• Lack of a college pass for at least last season definitely sent many park people running for other mountains
• Lack of promotion within the park - fewer visible events over the last few years. Did they do Sundays In The Park last year? There were certainly fewer Snowbomb events and USSA and USASA events.

Jonas is certainly making an effort to keep Alpine on the map. The features are starting to appear and I am sure there would be more if we had more snow to work with. As last year, there is currently a lack of midsize features that are comfortable for progression. The jump from Tiegel to Dance Floor features is too big.

I am not sure what to make of the Weasel's Tail (aka Mystery Park aka Loop Road Park). The mounds arent sure it they want to be a roller, hip, bank turn or jump...plus packed in super tight for really using more than one jump. Hope there are plans for more mid-sized features on Kanga ridge in the near future.

[powderjunkie]

G2a is pretty much 100 percent right. And yes, there are people who use the park. Alpine just shot itself in the foot by advertising how family friendly it is, while completely neglecting to advertise the new park.

"if you build it, they will come.". The park isn't fully built, but as long as alpine sets up a few competitions ie sundays in the park or snowbomb stuff, park skiers will be drawn back. They left because jma wasn't taking good care of them, but this yaer, it looks like management has taken a bit of interest again. But god forbid the park should go where it used to, that spot is racers only now.

The new location for the park is cool, but I must say I dislike having to cross the racecource when I come back from outer beaver and Estelle.

[Sinecure]

I'm with G2A on this one. I'd really like to see more progression though. Huge jump from Tiegel to the other parks. Bury one of the rails on the Ladies Slalom/RedRidge/DanceFloor (what's it called, anyway?) park. Right now those rails look scary to most folks. I'd also like to see more of a jump progression. It is a huge step from the Tiegel and Loop Road jumps to the ones on Dance Floor.

I was impressed by one of the snowboard instructors jibbing off the storage container on the loop road park though. And I understand there are a couple of tree slides on that park if there's snow. I have to go look for those today.

Kids love the park. Big kids and little kids. I'm an old man and I even like watching and occasionally trying stuff. I can 50/50 the box on my 210 snowboard now. Maybe by the end of the season I can boardslide on it.

[DuLesse]

I'd like to quietly raise my hand in support of the terrain park. There are several nationally ranked slopestyle athletes that call tha Pine home. It's true, we've been pretty busy getting our big mountain legs strong, but it's now about time for park season. I don't know what we would do without the ability to train on Tahoe's Best.

Seriously... Jonahs has put a brand on the Alpine Meadows park jump. I've seen the evolution with my own eyes and after years of hardwork our jumps are known across the country. This is something very special... and very worth it.

[Chris]

I was speaking with a Race Crew supervisor earlier this month - I won't name names 'cause I may be miss-quoting - who said that Alpine constantly struggles with fitting the Race Courses, Parks, and open terrain. This year is another attempt to fit the puzzle-pieces together in a new order to try to make the best out of a crowded situation. They're (the management) definitely open to constructive, relevant criticism.

[Skier Boy]

I think it is very much worth the effort. People say it's not because there are not many people that use them and that is because the only terrain parks they have are huge rails and huge jumps or small boxes and jumps without rails. So if they put in an intermediate park, or made the lips to the small jumps bigger and made the jumps themselves bigger, then a lot more people would hit them. I hit the mystery park today and it has such potential to be cool with some good size jumps, but they just keep doing stupid things with it. First it was small jumps with no lips, then it was three rollers, and now it is three jumps that don't know whether to be rollers, jumps, or hips. So my answer is yes, if they made good jumps, had good boxes, and had good rails.

[TeeHoe]

I think that maybe justbob was thinking more from a financial perspective, and I have also wondered if the park is a financial asset or burden. Alpine obviously makes the most money on the typical family from the bay, all of whom buy day tickets and hamburgers. The question then becomes how influental is a terrain park in their choice of ski hill. I think some market research is in order.

Personally, I wouldn't support Alpine any longer if they eliminated the park. I love Alpine and I would miss it horribly, but I would take my business elsewhere.