Utah is infamous for The Greatest Snow on Earth®, with over 500 inches of light, snow falling each winter. While deep powder faceshots are still welcomed, enter the rise of Utah’s terrain park industry. Currently there are nine resorts with terrain parks, all of which mostly consist of beginner/advanced parks and all follow the ‘orange pill’ terrain park safety programs and procedures. So whether you’re sliding your first rail or want to hit a 60’ foot jump into an airbag, Utah’s terrain parks offer something for all shredders. From a 1.1 mile long park to a 22 foot superpipe, Utah’s terrain park scene is constantly changing the game. Check it out yourself.
BEAVER MOUNTAIN
Beaver Mountain's Terrain Park
Quick Facts: The last family owned ski area in Utah. A total of 62 years and counting.
Key Events: Hosts annual boarder-cross events and an annual year-end Big Air Contest.
Fun Fact: Discovering the backcountry of Beaver Mountain is where the locals hang out and pick-up hitch hikers heading back to the resort.
Every spring Beaver Mountain hosts a spring bash featuring a big-air contest. This is not a small jump by any means and each year contestant’s travel to Northern Utah to participate in big airs and high fives. Beaver’s terrain park started in the class rooms of Utah State University welding shops a couple of years ago and have since grown to a in-house operation with two parks featuring natural and made features. Rollers to 35’ tabletops to double kinks and 15’ rails have become a staple for the northern most resort in Utah. Beaver mountain is still independently owned.
BRIAN HEAD
Brian Head's Park
Quick Facts: Numerous terrain parks on 2 mountains.
Key Events: Mardi Gras weekend.
Fun Fact: Highest lift in Utah at 10,920.
Located at Utah’s highest elevated launching point, Brian Head sits at 9,800 feet and has been in the terrain park business for more than 14 years. Hosting banked slalom, rail jams and slopestyle contests throughout the years, Brian Head now has a full time terrain park staff to maintain and ride the park each day. Continually improving and expanding terrain park includes a car jib, wall ride, over 30 rails and boxes as well as sculpted jumps ranging from 10’. This highland resort offers both natural and man made adventure.
BRIGHTON SKI RESORT
Brighton Resort's Terrain Park
Quick Facts: 4 parks, (PEEPS Pass Required to enter MY O MY Park) - 1 - 18” Zaugg Cut Super Pipe - Over 50 jibs. (All feature are custom built by KAB Rails)
Key Events: Gatorade Freeflow tour, Volcom Peanut Butter & Rail Jam, Red Bull Buttercup, ThirtyTwo Day & NEFF Beach Bash.
Fun Fact: Here’s a list of current pro snowboarders who have worked for Brighton’s Park Crew or are involved with the design of the parks: Jake Welch, Cam Pierce, Alex Andrews, Ted Borland, Brandon Hobush, Nick Dirks, Chris Coulter, Parker Duke, Chris Cloud, Parker Worthen, Dylan Thompson, Will Tuddenham, & Derek Dennison
The longest running terrain park program in Utah, Brighton has helped pioneer Utah’s terrain park knowledge and safety. Brighton features three interconnected parks; My-O-My, Candy Land and Majestic, for a ‘top to bottom’ park ride with intermediate and advanced features available. The My-O-My park is a Peeps (Park Etiquette and Education Program) Park only, which requires an online guided tour through terrain park education before gaining park access. Candy Land features a huge mix of jibs, rails, and smaller jumps for all ability levels. Majestic Park upper and lower is divided up into a rail jump run and a Halfpipe. Featured in numerous videos and magazine editorials, Brighton may not boast the biggest parks in Utah, but a good time is usually had by all. With the installment of lights for the night boarding in Candy Land to a new beginner park every skill level has somewhere to practice terrain parks safely.
CANYONS RESORT
Canyon Resort's Terrain Park
Quick Facts: 1.1 mile terrain park, Natural zone in aspens, the Gong.
Key Events: Rome Pre-Jib, Canis Lupus Challenge, Ski and Snowboard Grand Prix
Fun Fact: Canis Lupis is a .5-mile long natural half-pipe that hosts slalom event every year.
Just a few short years ago Canyons Resort placed tremendous emphasis on their terrain park program and has become a serious contender in hosting many world ranking events. Last season Steve Duke and his terrain park crew hosted the Team Shootout hosted by Transworld Snowboarding in addition to building a world record hip jump sponsored by Red Bull. Transitions Terrain Park that consists of the only 1.1-mile long park run in Utah. This beginner to advanced park exceeds 50 features of boxes, rails, jumps and natural jibs. The Respect Terrain Park is where the advanced rider can really step up their game with 40’ jumps, kinked rails and natural jibs. Inspired by a sponsored freeride team of professional skiers and snowboarders, they build to suit all abilities and styles. So whether you wanted to work on taking laps down a mile of jumps and rails or take it back to the old school with natural wood jibs the Canyons created something for everyone.
EAGLE POINT
Eagle Point Ski Resort's Terrain Park
Quick Facts: Standard features in innovative lines for beginners to advanced riders.
Key Events: Annual Real Presidente Rail Jam.
Fun Fact: Eagle Point is looking for new talent to become a part of the free-ride team.
Eagle Point may be Utah’s newest resort, although an established terrain park is already in place. Accessed from the Monarch Triple Chair the terrain park offers up to 15 features, jumps and rollers. New for the 2012 season, Eagle Point's terrain park staff will continue to push the terrain park safety and building features that their clientele expect.
PARK CITY MOUNTAIN RESORT
Park City Mountain's Terrain Park
Quick Facts: 22’ Halfpipe is the leading standard and one of the first in the wold to be built, 3 terrain parks, All Star Team.
Key Events: King of the Wasatch.
Fun Fact: The King Crown Terrain Park offers the states only airbag.
They don’t call this Park City for no reason. With the creation of PCMR’s terrain park program 10 years ago under Jim Mangan and the addition of some of snowboarders most influential and motivated riders they have created a training ground for the next generation to come up in Utah. Park City is host to the Park City All Star Team of some of the world’s best snowboard and ski athletes including: Kazu Kokubo, Joss Crhistensen, Stevie Bell, Sage Kostenburg, Aaron Bitner, Tanner Hall, Torah Bright and Tom Wallisch to name a few.
Of course, PCMR hosted the men’s and women’s snowbaord halfpipe events for the 2002 Winter Games and continues to provide world class training grounds with the 22’ Eagle Superpipe and three terrain parks, Three Kings, The Ridge and King’s Crown. The Ridge is the perfect beginner park built for those starting out with terrain park safety and beginner rails and boxes. Three kings is the perfect intermediate/advanced park with c-boxes, 30’ jumps, down rails and wall rides. Three King’s is where the pro’s practice triple corks on jump bags and serious work got done for the making of their 2010 film, “I Ride Park City”. With snowboarding progressing so fast Park City Mountain Resort is trying to stay ahead of the pack by building, maintaining and create a one-stop riding experience for all levels.
POWDER MOUNTAIN
Powder Mountain's Terrain Park
Quick Facts: Features Junkyard, Natural and standard features.
Key Events: Night Jams, Grom Fest, Spring Session.
Fun Fact: 7,000+ skiable acres, snowcat accessible skiing,
Combining snowboard terrain parks staples across the country, Powder Mountain took all of the popularized parks and put them all on their mountain. The Sundown Terrain Park is designed for beginners to intermediate riders with jumps, jibs and rails to get started and comfortable with before heading across to The Hidden Lake Terrain Park. Designed for advanced to expert level riding, the terrain park is separated into three more parks, The Junkyard, Lumberjack Zone and Hidden Lake Halfpipe. By widening and flattening the entire Hidden Lake run in the summertime, it allowed the terrain park crew to place 11 new rails and boxes to the existing park. Jumps can now have multiple take offs and make a natural Lumberjack Zone of rails and bonks of varied lengths. The junkyard features represent a popular addition to any park, where non-traditional features test the ability of the rider and offers a more creative experience. The Halfpipe is 400’ long and 40’ wide and ranges between 8’-12’ and opens mid-January. So whether you are accessing natural, manmade or other, Powder Mountain has something for everyone.
SNOWBASIN
Snowbasin Resort's Terrain Park
Quick Facts: Features of 65+ rails in their arsenal, 4 terrain parks, Snowshoe Park
Key Events: Winter Dew Tour
Fun Fact: The Banana Chute is a 4,000’ chute heading down into downtown Ogden Valley.
Snowbasin’s rail arsenal has grown to over 65 rails for the 2012-13 winter season. The Snowbasin park crew has been busy building the new features, many of them from recycled materials. For an easy progression, there are multiple parks at Snowbasin designed as small, medium and large. The progressive new terrain park system incorporates lessons with ski school and obstacles that are well maintained, consistently groomed, and fun for all abilities. These improvements as well as a dedicated Prinoth Bison X Snow Cat for the parks are the result of Snowbasin's continued commitment to the growing number of snowboarders and free-skiers visiting our resort.
A number of events will take place at Snowbasin this season as well such as the Friday Night Jib Fights Series and the Slug Games
SNOWBIRD
Snowbird's Terrain Park
Quick Facts: terrain park features low rails and small-to- medium jumps on Big Emma run.
Key Events: Subaru Freeride Nationals, IFSA Junior Regional Freeskiing Competition and Freeride Junior World Championships.
Fun Fact: Located just 29 miles from Salt Lake International Airport, Snowbird is North America's most accessible resort destination
Designed with the beginner in mind, Snowbird's terrain park is the perfect place to learn the basics in a friendly setting. The mellow vibe accommodates stress-free progression to intermediate features. Although Snowbird's terrain park is relatively small, the resort's natural terrain is a favorite among top freeskiers. Snowbird hosts several big mountain competitions, where skiers perform their tricks off natural jumps and cliffs. Find plenty of park-like terrain on 2.5-mile Chip's Run in Peruvian Gulch.
WOLF MOUNTAIN
Wolf Mountain's Terrain Park
Quick Facts: 4 terrain parks on 20 acres.
Key Events: Monster Jam, Night and Day rail jams.
Fun Fact: Night riding available.
Wolf Mountain may be the smallest resort in Utah, yet, it boasts four impressive terrain parks. Find 25+ jumps from the 15’-60’ range. Park ability ranges from novice to pro and with a contest hosted every month, it's a great park to commute to for night park riding and slopestyle sessions. There is also a pond skim contest and Chinese downhill to end the season in style.
Terrain Park Safety - http://www.terrainparksafety.org/
For more terrain park-related information, check out these blog posts:
December 26 2013 0 Comments
Most terrain parks have giant jumps, small rails and crazy guys racing through! For gals, it can be a bit intimidating. Brighton opened a gals only park honoring one of its one, Krista Moroge.
December 6 2012 6 Comments
Snowbasin Resort made a decision a few years ago to add "premier park resort" to their resume and their efforts are paying off...
by Park Rat Tom
March 27 2012 0 Comments
Do you ever wonder where to find all the fun side-hits, trees & gaps at a new resort? Follow a local! KC Russell shows us the way...
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by Park Rat Tom
February 22 2012 3 Comments
Parks + Powder, need I say more?
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