SKI AREAS

Q. Why should I take a park & pipe lesson?
A. The park and pipe are fun and challenging features of the mountain resort. Getting familiar with the etiquette and flow of the park will help you fit into the park environment. Having a coach provide a learning pathway that includes skill building, knowledge, and personal tips can help fast track you to better performance and personal accomplishments. A lesson is designed to help you meet your goals within a safe environment and process so you can enjoy the fun and challenge associated with pipe & park riding.

Q. What will I learn in a park & pipe lesson?
A. Park and pipe lessons offer a variety of learning points from understanding the park and the various elements, to the riding skills needed to be more proficient, to learning about the culture and lingo of the park, to learning about oneself and your own "thrill zone". Be sure to talk with the school, coach, or camp to communicate your goals.

Q. Can anyone sign up for a lesson in the park and pipe? Do you have to be an expert?
A. Lessons can be tailored for a wide variety of skill levelsfrom beginners to experts. However, some basic riding skills are recommended as a foundation for competently riding in parks and pipes, and being ready to take on the challenge of park features and tricks. For instance, being able to glide (straight run) both forward and switch (backwards) and maintain balance while rolling over small bumps or knolls. Also, being able to link turns to control speed and direction. A rider will want to be able to control the edges to either flatten the board(s) and slide (butter) or tip on edge for some grip (carve). Also, demonstrating the ability to flex and extend through a full range of motion and in all joints, such as gently jumping up and down maintaining balance while standing in place and/or gliding shows park readiness in a rider.

Q. I'm intimidated about all the big features in the parks. Is there a place for me to start that's in my comfort zone?
A. There are many terrain features outside of the park that can be used as the learning ground for park riding. A park and pipe lesson and coach can help you discover the terrain selection, movements, and skills to start with. Also, a well designed park will have a variety of feature sizes and shapes that provide a starting point and progression of challengeyour lesson and coach will help you start in your comfort zone and progress.

Q. Am I too old for trying out the park and pipe?
A. This depends if we're talking about age in terms of years or spirit. The park is another part of the resort and mountain experience that does not discriminate in terms of age. It's more a matter of spiritare you intrigued by the park, allured by visions of tricks and air-time, wanting another riding challenge? Many parks have a youthful culture, a flow that may be fast moving, and air-time, boxes, and rails are risk-taking challenges. Regardless of your age, a young and adventurous spirit will help you enjoy the park experience.

Q. I'm not used to leaving the ground when I ride, so how do I go about learning pipe and park fundamentals without just throwing myself into the park and into the air.
A. If your skiing/riding experience has been more "surface," rather than "air" oriented, then developing air-awareness and balancing is a great place to start. There are easier and more progressive ways of learning this than the just launching into the park. For example: Trampolines: Getting some supervision and time on a trampoline can really speed up the learning curve. The trampoline provides a soft landing, the athlete controls the size of air, and the amount of repetition and practice for a given amount of time is unparalled by other environments. The athlete can also focus on timing, spatial awareness, and kinesthetic awareness, while not having to worry about slope traffic, speed, and skiing/riding skills all at the same time. Check in your area for local gymnastic facilities that have public sessions for trampoline training. Diving Boards: Similar to trampoline training, diving boards provide some additional focus on directional movements (moving toward a specific target) and good landings. Balancing Toys Dialing in your balance and muscular control on balance boards, skateboards, and swiss exercise balls is a great way to progress your skills. These toys promote greater core strength and the ability to make fine-tuning adjustments with small muscles, legs, feet, arms, etc. Small Features on the Slopes Of course you don't want to stay indoors forever. Take your dryland skills to the slopes and apply them on smaller "park-like" features around the mountain. Bumps, ridges, dropoffs, side hills, etc., all become creative opportunities to hop, jump, slide, and spin at different angles.

Q. Should I consider protective equipment? What is available, useful, and/or recommended?
A. Just as with all skiing and snowboarding, there is an element of risk in the park and pipe. You might want to consider wearing protective equipment. There's a lot of personal preference when it comes to choosing this equipment. Make your decisions based on what you are comfortable in and what gives you confidence and helps you feel protection while trying new tricks. Comfort is the key. You're more likely to wear the protection if it's comfortable, allows you to move the way you want, and still fits in with your choices for fashion, form, and function. Let's go "head-to-toe" on some of your options: Helmets are probably the most obvious piece of protective equipment to consider. They certainly do offer a big level of protection for your head and impacts it may have with firm snow, rails, and boxes. Chin/Mouth guards can be a good addition to protect your jaw and pearly whites. Helmets that have built-in or optional chin guards and mouth guards (like those football players wear) can be found at just about any sporting goods store. Body Armor - with the popularity of so many extreme and contact sports, there are many brands, models, and options for protective padding all around the body. Many motocross, bmx, in-line skating, and skateboard shops have a variety of gear that is comfortable to wear and fits easily as a layer under your coat and pants. Protecting the tailbone and hipbones with padded shorts or pants is common. Knee, elbow, shoulder pads, and wrist guards are other options.