Assuming one has the stamina, this new terrain park might be very appealing. Where’s the stamina come in – the park at Alpine Meadows ski resort is a mile long!
The much-anticipated mile-long park is now open at Alpine. Located in North Lake Tahoe, Alpine Meadows says it has always been on the cutting edge with its park setups.
Designed under the guidance of Jonahs David, Alpine’s Terrain Park Manager and Corley Howard of Snow Park Tech (SPT) Project Manager, the park is a mile-long consecutive run including more than 40 features (all of Alpine’s combined parks offer more than 80 features total).
Named the “Firing Line,” the intermediate to advanced park accessed via the Summit Chair, includes a series of jumps, jibs, wall rides, hips, and just about any type of feature one could imagine.
“You will be able to get really creative with your lines and ride the park in a lot of different ways," said Squaw Valley and Alpine team rider, Pat Moore. “I’m excited to have a lengthy park to get long, fun runs with my friends. Having a mile-long park means more opportunities to learn tricks and less time on the chairlift.”
Park one of kind in Tahoe
Alpine claims that the mile-long park is the only one of its kind in Tahoe, and will resemble a slopestyle course with different sizes of jumps side-by-side, and many unique jib features that won't be found anywhere else.
Features currently installed include a large S-rail, canon tube, wrecking ball, hitching post, oil drum, and various rails and boxes.
Some features are built with recycled snowmaking pipe, lending another unique touch by incorporating a sustainable material. There will certainly be no shortage of lines to choose, making this one of the most advanced and technical parks for learning new tricks.
If a rider doesn’t want to lap the entire mile-long run and the upper advanced section, they can opt for just the lower section of the Firing Line, accessed via the Round House chairlift.
Lots of options in park
For those that prefer an option with small to medium features, there is still a mile-long run if riders take Loop Road and hit the Side Winder park, then continue through Hot Wheels Gully and hit The Bunker near the base.
David has worked closely with his crew and SPT, the leader in snow park building for more than 15 years, to ensure the best flow and setup throughout the lengthy run.
“I’ve always liked the idea of a long park with a ton of options,” David said. “Our goal is to have a top-to-bottom park that rivals any other park out there. We are trying to match our world-class terrain with a world-class terrain park.”
Park crew includes 17 people
David and his on-site crew of 17 will continue around the clock, testing the setup and changing out features to keep it interesting and exciting throughout the season. David also said they are planning on doing a big rebuild in spring to match the snow conditions.
“Our goal is to provide many options with a good flow,” David said. “We have a foundation of jumps and snow features that we set all our jibs around. We try to swap jibs out every couple weeks to keep it from getting stale.”
Progression park for beginners
In addition to the Firing Line, Alpine also has a separate small progression park for beginners called Cannonball and a jib arena, dubbed The Barracks, at the base of the mountain. There is also a start park, Boot Camp, which is a dedicated teaching terrain with micro-features, gentle transitions, soft pitches and signage that explains how to ride the features. With endless park options this winter, it looks like Alpine is definitely the place to check out.
For more information, visit www.skialpine.com
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