What a difference a decade makes. In 1983, snowboarding wasn't even permitted at Big White. Boarders had to hike up the
mountain in order to ride the area's bountiful terrain. Now that snowboarding is a permanent part of the resort
equation, one-plankers from all over Canada are trekking to Big White in increasing numbers. Certain sections of Big
White can now best be described as winter skate parks.
December 29, 1969
Snowboarders have also benefited from The Summit's new owners, as evidence by a newly purchased halfpipe grooming
machine. The area now sports two halfpipes and a terrain park at Summit West and a halfpipe at Summit Central. All
three pipes and the park are lit for night riding. They are so popular that even after the area shuts down for the
season, boarders continue to ride them as long as the snow remains.
December 29, 1969
Chair Two, the Grubstake, provides an exclusive entrance into 49 Degrees North's snowboard park. With the only Pipe Dragon in
the Inland Northwest, the resort pulls off an Olympic-size halfpipe every year that runs 350 feet long, 12 feet tall,
and 48 feet wide. Above the pipe is a snowboard park replete with natural and manmade obstacles, including tabletops,
spines, a quarterpipe, and hits both big and small. The park continues to grow each year as the new owners dedicate
December 29, 1969
While skiers and boarders both get lots of turns and air out of Paint Brush, snowboarders tend to be the riders who
head to Timberline's two winter halfpipes. Both are standard size Olympic competition pipes. Their location varies from
year to year depending on the snow conditions. More often than not the pipes are located near the Paint Brush area. All
of Timberline's halfpipes are built with a Pipe Dragon. In the summer, Timberline builds four more halfpipes up on the
glacier. All day long you can catch the pros perfecting freestyle maneuvers in the halfpipes.
December 29, 1969
Mount Bachelor has the distinction of being one of the country's first resorts to open its entire mountain to
snowboarders, and today snowboarding is more of a priority then ever. Bachelor is the only resort in Oregon to employ a
separate staff dedicated to maintaining their terrain park and halfpipes. Each pipe - one each for novices and experts - is
sculpted with a Pipe Dragon. The novice pipe, located under Sun Rise Express, has six to eight-foot walls and is 200 to
300 feet long. The advanced pipe lies under the Yellow Chair and near the West Village. It's a standard Olympic
December 29, 1969
Snowboarding has been a part of Mount Ashland since the resort's inception, and the area is furthering its commitment
to the sport by relocating its halfpipe. In years past it has been near the lodge, but it will likely soon be built on
Dream, where the snow conditions are usually more consistent. Size and vertical drop are standard at 300 feet and 110
feet. The resort also has plans to purchase a Pipe Dragon. In the meantime, the pipe is maintained by snowboard
instructors and other local boarders willing to put in the work. As far as the trails are concerned, snowboarders might
December 29, 1969
Mission's terrain park has been around just a short time, but the resort is working to give boarders what they want.
Accessible from Chair One, the park covers about four or five acres with six to eight obstacles that include a
tabletop, rollerz, kickers, a small quarterpipe, and jumps of various sizes. In the mean time, there is incredible free
riding at Mission in Bowl Four and the Outback.
December 29, 1969
Ski Bowl has laid out the welcome mat for snowboarders by building a terrain park that covers three runs and a
halfpipe. Covering Surprise, Easy Street, and Broadway, the park drops 1,500 feet (458 m) from the top of the Multorpor
lift and contains up to 20 features, depending on the snow conditions - which in the last few years have been
outstanding. The result is that Ski Bowl has managed to build several banked turns, tabletops, rollerz, and spines. The
park simply rocks. Located in the park, the halfpipe is 330 feet long with four- to six-foot trannies and the same size
December 29, 1969
On big powder days, hot snowboarders head for Heather Canyon to carve wild waves of snow. The wall of snow busting up
with each turn is a thing of beauty. When the snow is tracked-up, the boarders often head for Park Place - Meadows'
advanced terrain park, located near the top of the Hood River Express. Daisy Bowl sports a big halfpipe that runs just
over 400 feet in length and is 60 to 70 feet wide. The pipe is built and maintained by crewmembers with a Scorpion
pipe-shaping machine. The walls are 10 to 12 feet high with six to eight feet of vertical and four- to five-foot
December 29, 1969
