The Lowdown on Resort Parks

The parks of the Wasatch are as varied as the peaks that surround them. Each resort offers freestyle terrain features of different skill levels to accommodate a wide range of riders.

Park City Mountain Resort–
The crew at PCMR has spared no expense while creating their parks, and the resort features a selection of terrain that caters to every rider from beginner to professional. Pick & Shovel provides entry-level features for those just wanting to get their feet under them. Once you’ve built up your confidence move on to Jonsey’s and enjoy its intermediate jumps and boxes to step up your skills. The Payday Jib Park is also a great way to test your gusto on a mix and match of different bonks and boxes. If you’re feeling lucky, and crazy, take a slide over to King’s Crown and join the pros as they mash up everything from 40-foot tables to massive gaps. Or you can head over to the Eagle Super Pipe and see where top athletes from around the globe throw down. Be sure to catch the Slug Games Beat the Pro Contest coming to PCMR on March 6 to see local riders test their might against some professional riders.

The Canyons–
Talking with Dan Black, Terrain Park Ranger, it was easy to see that The Canyons parks are all about fun. Dan and his crew take pride in the appearance of every feature, and the jumps and terrain features are meticulously sculpted every day to provide the rider with maximum enjoyment. The Respect Park is divided into an upper and lower section which presents snowboarders and skiers with a plethora of next-level elements that will help you upgrade your skills. The Painted Horse Progression Park also offers some excellent jibs and hits where you and your buddies can challenge each other. The designers from KAB Rails have outfitted these parks with state-of-the-art features and their quality and attention to detail are unmatched.

Brighton–
Situated at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon, the terrain parks of Brighton offer continuous top to bottom freestyle terrain that can be linked together for a leg-burning, adrenaline-pumping session. With a street-inspired selection of rails, boxes, ledges and gaps, there’s never a dull moment. My-O-My is the uppermost park and it showcases larger features that are sure to excite. Candyland is the next stop on the tour-de-Brighton. The jibs and jams on this run exhibit the creativity of the park crew and deliver the goods for nearly every level of rider. The Upper and Lower Majestic parks round out the run and enable riders to enhance their style on larger jumps, rails and wall rides. After a few hot laps through the park, make your way to the pipe and impress the people riding the Majestic Lift.

Snowbasin–
For Ogdenites, the terrain parks of Snowbasin are great places to hone your skills. The School Hill Park is a beginner area that was built for those riders looking for smaller features. Moving up to the Little Cat Park, skiers and snowboarders will find a full spectrum of dedicated rails to slide for hours of entertainment. Once you’ve perfected your technique, head over to Coyote Bowl off of the Strawberry Gondola and check out the fluid jump lines right under the lift. Snowbasin also has a perfectly groomed half pipe that has hosted several competitions over the years, including this year’s Winter Dew Tour.

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