Stephen Regenold
Snowboarders pick favorite resorts
Gretchen Bleiler is a self-described terrain park snob. "When I say a halfpipe is perfect, I mean perfect," said the 25-year-old snowboarder from Aspen, Colo.
But if anyone deserves to be discerning, it's Bleiler, a silver medalist at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy, in the halfpipe event.
Bleiler, who's snowboarded since age 11, spends hundreds of hours a year carving turns on halfpipe walls, sliding rails and hitting jumps. She's essentially an on-snow stuntwoman, flying high, grabbing her board, and spinning through the air for show in terrain parks across the country.
Terrain parks -- designated areas at downhill resorts with jumps, rails, halfpipes and other features -- have become ubiquitous at North American ski resorts. Setups vary, but most terrain parks include a litany of objects, ramps and obstacles to jump, slide, ride and grind...
Snowboarders pick favorite resorts
Gretchen Bleiler is a self-described terrain park snob. "When I say a halfpipe is perfect, I mean perfect," said the 25-year-old snowboarder from Aspen, Colo.
But if anyone deserves to be discerning, it's Bleiler, a silver medalist at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy, in the halfpipe event.
Bleiler, who's snowboarded since age 11, spends hundreds of hours a year carving turns on halfpipe walls, sliding rails and hitting jumps. She's essentially an on-snow stuntwoman, flying high, grabbing her board, and spinning through the air for show in terrain parks across the country.
Terrain parks -- designated areas at downhill resorts with jumps, rails, halfpipes and other features -- have become ubiquitous at North American ski resorts. Setups vary, but most terrain parks include a litany of objects, ramps and obstacles to jump, slide, ride and grind...
Stephen Regenold
Snowboarders pick favorite resorts
Gretchen Bleiler is a self-described terrain park snob. "When I say a halfpipe is perfect, I mean p... more
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1
Northstar-at-Tahoe
Calif.
Jeremy Jones and Bev Vuilleumier
Two pro snowboarders -- Jeremy Jones and Bev Vuilleumier -- picked Northstar-at-Tahoe as their favorite place to ride. Northstar's jumps, hips, rails and boxes -- along with a 420-foot halfpipe -- made it an easy choice for Jones and Vuilleumier. In all, the resort has six parks and multiple halfpipes. "Northstar's boxes and rails are the best anywhere," said Vuilleumier.
2
Whistler Blackcomb
British Colombia
Priscilla Levac
Two halfpipes, jumps and more than 70 rails and jibs to grind make the parks at Whistler Blackcomb some of the best in the world. Priscilla Levac, a 25-year rider from Quebec, moved to Whistler recently to hone her skills. "The jumps are always super sick with nice big takeoffs," she said of the resort. "I just get really stoked riding this park."
3
Mammoth Mountain
Calif.
Molly Aguirre and Rob Kingwill
Pro rider Molly Aguirre picked Mammoth Mountain for its "awesome variety along with well-built and well-maintained features." Rider Rob Kingwill seconded the motion for Mammoth, citing the resort's multiple parks and meticulous attention to jib, jump and halfpipe detail. In total, Mammoth has three parks, dozens of jumps and rails, and three halfpipes spread out over 75 acres of snowy terrain.
4
Snowmass
Colo.
Gretchen Bleiler
Olympic snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler said Snowmass is the best place for wide open world-class terrain. Indeed, this massive Colorado resort has three terrain parks, two halfpipes and a cited figure of just two people per acre on the slopes at any given time. "There are a lot of places you can go to ride great parks, but most will be packed with people and you'll have to wait in line to hit anything," she said. "Not so in Snowmass."
5
Breckenridge
Colo.
Chad Otterstrom
Five distinct terrain parks and four pipes make Breckenridge Chad Otterstrom's top resort pick. Otterstrom, a 30-year-old who lives at the base of the mountain, said Colorado's consistently snowy winters make Breckenridge's jumps and pipes among the country's best. "You can ride the same jump all year and it will never change," he said "You can always count on Breck to be maintained perfectly."
6
Timberline Lodge and Ski Area
Ore.
Hans Ålund
Boasting the longest season in North America, this Oregon resort on a high flank of Mt. Hood is open almost year-round. Swedish pro snowboarder Hans Ålund -- a 25-year-old film star who runs an outerwear company called Haze -- heads to Timberline's 8,500-foot Palmer Snowfield to train each summer; the terrain park is open into August.
7
Mountain Creek
N.J.
Shayne Pospisil
As the single East Coast area to make the list, Mountain Creek is a midsize area with 1,000 acres of overall terrain. Pro Shayne Pospisil, a 21-year-old from Manasquan, N.J., grew up riding Mountain Creek's parks and pipes, which he said have some of the most unique jibbing features in the country. "They have rollercoaster rails to wall rides to any other kind of jib feature you can possibly think of," he said. "That's why their park stands."
8
Mt. Hood Meadows
Ore.
Brett Butcher
Brett Butcher, a 25-year-old from Portland, Ore., picked a hometown resort as his favorite place to ride. "The resort is constantly changing up the park, keeping it fresh and exciting," he said. New for this season, Meadows will debut "Paradise Parks," a freestyle terrain experience featuring up to eight different parks spread around the mountain face.
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