Let’s go to the (Terrain) Park!

By Paul Miles

At some point in our lives, everyone likes to go to the park. Swing sets, slides, hanging ladders and anything that spins… it’s all there. Yet at the same time it’s a place that brings a little more risk for injury than sunning at the beach or watching a sunset from the front porch. Which brings the magic question: Can I enjoy a terrain park at the mountain or, for so many parents, how can I safely bring the kids there without ending the day with a complimentary trip to the hospital?

Before the jumps, boxes, rails and all the assorted features, it starts with knowing your environment and a few “rules of the road.” For example, if you walk behind someone on a swing set at the local playground and get hit, who’s at fault? The person on the swing or the day dreamer that walked behind them. I’m guessing we all know not to walk behind the swing in the first place and knowing the ropes in a terrain park is guaranteed to reduce avoidable accidents.

My first suggestion is to book a lesson, yet for so many reasons beyond this article, this doesn’t happen… so what’s the next best thing to do? 

Read any signs that are posted at the entrance to the terrain park. Really. In this time where we all just scroll to the bottom of the page and check the box that we read a disclaimer, these signs can be very helpful in avoiding risk (read as: INJURY!).

Know where you are going! Like any trail from a green circle to a black diamond, terrain parks also have designations for difficulty. A simple Google search for ‘terrain park size designation’ yields an excellent road map to suit your skill level: 

Extra Small (XS) – Designed for beginners. Features are very close to the ground, such as small rollers, flat boxes, and tiny jumps. Small (S) – Also geared toward beginners or those learning freestyle basics. Includes low-risk, small-scale jumps and rails. Medium (M) – Aimed at intermediate riders. Features typically include 10-to-30-foot jumps and jibs that require more precision. Large (L) – Designed for advanced riders. Features include 30-to-90-foot jumps, complex rails, and large pipes. Extra Large (XL) – Specifically for expert/professional riders. Often referred to as “Pro” parks, these feature massive jumps and highly technical, large-scale obstacles. 

Know where to be within the park or more importantly, where NOT to be! This is a similar scenario as walking behind someone on a swing at the playground. Unless you are going off a jump or a feature, NEVER, EVER ski across the landing area of a jump or feature, regardless if you can be seen from above or not. Although you may be the “downhill skier with the right of way” per the Skier/Rider Responsibility Code, this does not apply in a terrain park. My personal experience of watching a five-year-old go around a jump and do wedge turns down the landing, with mom and/or dad gleefully watching, as a 175-pound skier/rider is dropping out of the sky is a situation that no one wants to be involved with. That is not the place for a five-year-old to be, so let’s all be mindful of the rules in the park.

Reconsider that lesson, as a trained freeride coach or instructor can also be invaluable. Their knowledge on how to get on a box going straight and possibly doing it with your equipment sideways… without your feet instantly slipping out from under you and the ensuing body slam that we all have witnessed!

Season long programs can also be an option for those that are at a specific mountain on most weekends. Check with the ski school or competition training center at your local hill for availability.

I’ll be following up with a few tips and thoughts on HOW to do some introductory tasks in the park, but for now remember terrain parks can be (and should be) fun, challenging and very exciting. [For online article, insert video here.] They can also bring inherent risk and injury especially when used with little or no knowledge going into them. Read the signs and pay attention to the “rules of the road.” If you’re not sure of something, ask. Most people will be quite helpful knowing you are trying to learn the proper way to navigate the park instead of adding more havoc to the terrain park experience.

Paul Miles (miles.paul.008@gmail.com) is PSIA-Level 3 certified, a staff trainer at Mount Snow, VT and previously held USSA-Level 200 certifications in moguls and aerials. He has retired from competition coaching where he has had the pleasure of coaching athletes from an introduction to terrain parks to future Olympians in both moguls and slopestyle.