07-08 Park Ideas

[snorovr]

I'm glad there's a good Blue mountain park presence on here going into the 07-08 season...I really believe T*Maki, Shadows, Rodeo Steve, Stevo, Toast, Justo, Skier150, KevinThomas, Keith, Big Ben, Matt Stunt and other park riders/designers feedback is awesome. The thing I like best about the park scene is that it's so progressive and most of the features come from riders/skiers as opposed to some dude in an office thinking a 6-pack or a crackerbarrel is a good idea...I think the death of the Crackerbarrel which is a sculpture and a circus rail means only good things for the 2007-08 Booter mountain season. The snowmaking system in Sidewinder is sick...and I can't wait to see the new park and try out some new tricks...Holla

 

 

Wow...

 

Doug's most constructive/well written post EVER.

[trimreaper]

My intent was not to hate on Bear at all, it was only to give an example that people not normally at Blue might relate to. Matt B obviously thinks the feature was a success, but I'd like to think that for a feature to be a success it is able to be riden by everyone when open. In any case, I too agree that setup is crucial, and things in Sidewinder definitely could be tweaked for easier and higher quality maintanence. Keith (head of parks at Blue) does read these boards and comments and suggestions/constructive criticism definitely doesn't fall on deaf ears.

Blue must be committed to the park, why else would they have taken Keith out of ski school to focus 100% of his time to the park?

[Park Crue]

Blue must be committed to the park, why else would they have taken Keith out of ski school to focus 100% of his time to the park?

 

 

This year we are very focused on constructing and maintaining a rideable and fun park. We are gonna end up with 4 parks. Terrain run is very easy and only for beginners. We have some really easy new boxes and rails.

Comearound will progress to the intermediate level. We are excited about Sidewinder. Whole bunch of new snowmaking will allow us to to sculpt the trail to a very high level. Snocross also is gonna be pretty sick. We're cutting the banks on the s turns with the Zaugg, which means they will be right up on the back of the turn. [No pass behind the banks] It will be like having 4 QP's one after another. And a rail garden after the turns. I have a feeling it's going to be rather good this year.

[method9455]

Blue's park has definitely been getting better and better every year its almost a problem for me now when I have to decide between all the various mountains since everyone has stepped it up so much.

[snownskateguy]

Bulldozer question answered... psh

 

 

must say, it will def be more practical than say, the schoolbus.. but cmon. its a circus. and you could use those materials for so many other better boxes and rails.

and once we get a good base, wont that be half buried? not a good investment imo

Edited October 24, 2007 by snownskateguy

[Humbleslc]

blue is turning into a junk yard, seems like they are using all this crap instead of just getting rid of it

[Stevo]

While that's cool and all.. why? I think having a bulldozer under a box is cool and all, but it limits setup options. As far as a huge box like that going into sidewinder....not really stoked on it. Nice, simple rails are what gets the parks hopping. People don't get stoked on doing tricks on rails/boxes because of what they are. If people want to get excited, they're gonna get excited by having practical jibs you can progress on. Like the swingset- You can go over it- yippee! As far as progression, there's not much more you can do. Not to say people don't find a way to do crazy shit on the circus rails, but there's a point when a park gets to have more "show" than "go". I'd personally like to see more "go." this year. ...not to say there won't be any go. Every year it seems like we take a few steps foward with a few nice jibs, but we take another backwards with crazy shit.

[Justo8484]

Bulldozer question answered... psh

 

 

must say, it will def be more practical than say, the schoolbus.. but cmon. its a circus. and you could use those materials for so many other better boxes and rails.

and once we get a good base, wont that be half buried? not a good investment imo

 

what? WHY? such an incredible waste of time, money, materials, and trail space that could be used for building a nice jump.

[stever2003]

I just saw the bulldozer on the park crew myspace and headed over here to complain, but apparently you guys already have it covered...

 

Ill still complain...WHY A BULLDOZER? The comment on the myspace pic was taunting it as the only one in the world. Who cares? They could put the same box on the slope without the bulldozer underneath and the box would be the same, except with less of a reaction from noobs on the lift saying `awesome, a bulldozer` (this would probably help keep people out, as everyone is gonna want to see this thing up close). I agree with TP4, scrap the bulldozer and invest in the mountain (instead of a bulldozer maybe they could have had that new trail open this year).

[Park Crue]

While that's cool and all.. why? I think having a bulldozer under a box is cool and all, but it limits setup options. As far as a huge box like that going into sidewinder....not really stoked on it. Nice, simple rails are what gets the parks hopping. People don't get stoked on doing tricks on rails/boxes because of what they are. If people want to get excited, they're gonna get excited by having practical jibs you can progress on. Like the swingset- You can go over it- yippee! As far as progression, there's not much more you can do. Not to say people don't find a way to do crazy shit on the circus rails, but there's a point when a park gets to have more "show" than "go". I'd personally like to see more "go." this year. ...not to say there won't be any go. Every year it seems like we take a few steps foward with a few nice jibs, but we take another backwards with crazy shit.

 

 

It's not going in Sidewinder. Sidewinder is gonna be sweet rails jibs & jumps.

[Schif]

Bulldozer question answered... psh

 

When you get to the point that the feature would be the same with or without the bulldozer underneath it its pretty obvious that this isn't a serious park feature, but instead a marketing ploy. I"m not knocking blue, its brilliant from a business perspective. Its pretty dumb from a riding perspective though.

[NolanVW]

It's not going in Sidewinder. Sidewinder is gonna be sweet rails jibs & jumps.

 

Any ideas on where it will be placed?

[stever2003]

When you get to the point that the feature would be the same with or without the bulldozer underneath it its pretty obvious that this isn't a serious park feature, but instead a marketing ploy. I"m not knocking blue, its brilliant from a business perspective. Its pretty dumb from a riding perspective though.

exactly.

[Rodeo Steve]

Any ideas on where it will be placed?

 

Maybe the halfpipe? Then the pipe would be semi-worth riding! haha j/k Nah Im guessing near the cement mixer at the bottom of Lower Sidewinder or in Terrain Run. I dont see it making its way up to come around and it would take up way to much room on such a small trail. It looks like a fun feature. Its gonna be pretty wide so itll be nice to screw around on and stuff. I do agree a better investment could of been made but hey its Blue's call not ours.

 

I really miss the old rails like the massive rainbow that was actually a rail, and the c rail and that sweet flat down back in the day. That flat to step down flat rail was pretty cool too. Lets not forget the sharkfin.

Edited October 24, 2007 by Rodeo Steve

[stbgskibum247]

The box over top of the bulldozer looks like it will be fun as hell, but I agree with there being no reason for having the dozer underneath it. They should just make it hollow and have a rail going perpendicular underneath it.

 

I was reading earlier what people were saying about bear's stairsets. I had a season pass and skiied bear's park 5-6 days a week last season. Here is my opinion, which is similar to most of the people I ride with:

 

The stairset is sick. Unfortunately due to the crowds that usually flood the area that it is in the feature gets run down quickly and there are often people in the way of either the inrun, the feature, or the landing. I have seen every part of it hit succesfully and stylishly by both skiers and boarders. I personally ski and have hit every part of it. The lip up the the box often does get destroyed because that is the part of the feature that most people are ballsy enough to hit. The fact that this feature is set in concrete does obviously limit how it can be used in the park, but it also isnt really a feature that is practical to move. It's funny, cause as far as I know Camelback, Bear Creek, and Blue Mtn all have wallrides that are set in concrete. And I think every one of them made the mistake of setting them almost verti al. Do you guys know of any other mountains that have shitty wallrides that they cant move cause they set them in concrete?

[mbike-ski]

the supports pretty much have to be set in concrete - too bad the wall connections are welded vs. bolted to provide some adjustment

[stbgskibum247]

setting large features in concrete is definitely necessary, it just requires careful planning ahead of time

[Bobert540]

I think the idea's behind these new features is good but it seems like the materials could be used on other creative rail features that do not involve construction equipment. I think having a variety of rails that can be setup in various ways is the best bet for any mountain that is looking to change up their park a few times during the season. These huge rails take up a lot of space and they aren't very versatile. There is creative potential at blue, it just needs to be implemented the right way and through the right people.

[toast21602]

It's not going in Sidewinder. Sidewinder is gonna be sweet rails jibs & jumps.

 

so that means that most of the 'features' in sidewinder now, are going to be removed and placed elsewhere?

[GSSucks]

A ski up bar would be sweet, ski up drink ski away. What more could you ask for.

[snorovr]

A ski up bar would be sweet, ski up drink ski away. What more could you ask for.

 

 

There already is one...

[Park Crue]

so that means that most of the 'features' in sidewinder now, are going to be removed and placed elsewhere?

 

Where did you get the notion that we are removing stuff from Sidewinder to place elsewhere????

There will be some new jibs in Sidewinder. The "features" that are definitely retired are the CB and the DFD C Rail.

[bblunt13]

Round coping is all that i want!!

[NolanVW]

Round coping is all that i want!!

 

There's been a lot of comments about wanting round coping...is it easier to ride on? Less damage to skis? It seems odd that Blue would create features with square coping if there's so many more benefits to round. Can someone explain this more for me...thanks...

[bblunt13]

Well for me it is just alot smoother and more fun to ride. If you look at bear's rails/boxes their pretty much all round coping...i think its the way to go.