For years, I’ve avoided the snowpark for fear of broken limbs, instead, opting for some fresh powder off-piste or a few speedy runs down the slopes.
But yesterday, despite my apprehension, I spent the day shredding the Golden Roofpark with some amazing Outdoor Chicks. And it was actually loads of fun!
My legs were super tired so it was a relief that I wouldn’t be trudging up some peak with a snowboard under my arm or manoeuvring slushy moguls on the piste.
The snowpark is the ultimate place to chill. Cool tunes, nice people, and a totally relaxed atmosphere. Time to breath and enjoy the sun. Such a nice change from rushing around the mountain in pursuit of powder and fresh tracks.
We started with sun salutations for some pre-shred motivation.
Then, the first park run was a ‘recce’ run to check things out. For me, that meant avoiding most of the “big” obstacles and just tipping off a few ledges on the side. Luckily, we had some skilled companions to show us how it’s done.
Before the second run, Tereza turned to me and said, “Are you jumping?” I pointed, “That one?” We were indeed talking about the same thing, a fairly big mound followed by another equally intimidating mound. I hesitated for a moment and then replied, “Sure, why not!”
Both Tereza and Anja gave me some advice on how to approach the jump and after that, I took a deep breath and went for it. I didn’t get much “pop” on my first attempt but it gave me an idea of the feeling to expect. The next time, I got a bit more air — what an amazing feeling!
On the chairlift back up, I couldn’t wait to try again — to improve on what I'd just done and maybe learn some tricks!
We spent the rest of the day enjoying the sun, chatting, and laughing. Then, after a few more laps of the park, it was time for a nice cold beverage with a pretty unbelievable view!
OK OK, so I’m happy to admit when I’m wrong, the snowpark is NOT a scary place at all. Plus in spring, the snow is much softer and a lot more forgiving. To be honest, the jumps are far less menacing than they look at first glance.
So, if like me, you’ve always had some deep-rooted fear of the park, give it a try and you might surprise yourself. Long sunny spring afternoons are the perfect time to find out.
The best part? You can spend the day laughing with friends or go it solo! It doesn’t matter. Everything goes!
Or come along to the next Outdoor Chicks shred session ;)
Don’t worry, you don’t have to remember all the terminology — jibbing, backslide, cab, triple cork, bagel, back lip pretzel.
Confused? Me too! But if you’re a beginner most of the terms are probably not that relevant to you yet anyway!
Although, I’m not quite sure what these moves are called...
Props to the lovely Hayley Thomas (@altgrafik) for her excellent photography skills.
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