Alpental NEEDS a snowboard park

Or to be politically correct a terrain park, maybe in the semi-flat wasteland skier's right of Sessel, and actually I just want one -- mountains tend not need things per se.

It should be a different sort of terrain park, less of a crowded skate-park-style park and more low profile, with spread-out features that use the natural terrain and enhance it, kind of like the MTB trails on the Vancouver Northshore.  The ideal would be pow to the bottom of shot six then regular resort riding peppered with "terrain enhancements" back to the lift. 

So in a place where you might get a little "natural" lift anyway, enhance it with a built-up take off and landing.  Or in a gully where you might bank a turn extend it up to vertical.  And any small dips in the terrain ought to be spanned w/ boxes.

I think some forward thinking ski area should do this all over the hill: not a super-dense cluster of skateboard features but spread out, flowing features that follow the natural contour of the mountain.  The level of difficulty should be easy but should allow for better riders with some creativity to make things harder on themselves.

Who's with me?  I'm forty, have been snowboarding since 1983, and am no longer interested in picking one (park) or the other (pow, hopefully).  I've seen you ski, you crusty alpental locals -- you are rippers and could easily handle it, and need to slow down a little bit on Sessel anyway.


Oh yes, and I also want rails and boxes on the comeback road from the BC at Alpy -- much more interesting than avoiding snowshoers -- but that's another story.  And did I mention that the Muir snowfield is the ideal pitch for the world's longest super pipe?

I'll join you for a "super pipe" but I am afraid that that is about it. I love to see the boarders get together on a kicker and of course there are plenty of opportunities for that at Alpy but I sure don't think that that the resort needs to be responsible for a terrain park. The natural terrain proves plenty challenging for most of us and if there are man hours to be had, I would like to see them getting the B.C. in shape and open a.s.a.p.. I suppose that I like Alpental because it is underdeveloped and I for one would like to see it stay that way. Anyway, with the same lift ticket, the resort will drive you the three minutes to West and you can "rip up the fun box" and "shred the rails".

Uh, no.

Alpental IS a terrain park, there is no need to add to that.

Besides, there's a huge natural kicker right on Upper International, just below the traverse to the Knoll 1 gate.

Alpental doesn't need it, it was tried before, even the snowboarders that ride Alpental aren't into it. Central is marketed for its parks, Alpental for its terrain. Lets keep it that way.

Glad to hear some support for the Muir Snowfield super pipe!   I think the National Parks folks will be down with it too. 

And I appreciate your voices of minority dissent, but still must assert that Alpental without a "terrain enhancement" park is like a Playboy centerfold without "terrain enhancement," i.e. not a centerfold but rather the pictorial before or after the centerfold.

But if you still must disagree, how about a killer boulder garden, ala Bear Valley's, installed on lower nash?  How hard could it be to helicopter in 50 or so 5 to 10 foot rocks to drop-off on your way back to the lift?

I would settle, though, for just a box or two set up for this upcoming last weekend of the year -- what could it hurt other than a few tailbones?

What makes you think its last weekend?