Hillside
Struenteler
Kemper
Far left: Free-thinking, free-floating Shaun Palmer sails off a
snow-covered ledge into a white blue sky at Donner.
Spread: Jimmy Halopoff kicks slush with a surf/skate-inspired
layback on the edge of a lip at Timberline Snowboard Camp
on Mt. Hood. Above: Nutcase Andy Hetzel shaves wood off a
street-like obstacle at Timberline. Illustration: Projected plans
for a winter 1990 snowboard park at Mt. Reba/Bear Valley.
Snowboard camp, snowboard park: are you ready for these concepts?
Many purists will bitch and moan about the flow and style of snowboard-
ing being upset by the intrusion of "man-made obstacles," pay to play
syndromes and behind the fence-type settings, coaching and authority.
Much like skateboarding. On the other hand, you can't stop progress. At
this point in the evolution of the snowsport, kids are doing railslides off
everything from logs to picnic tables to snow cats. So who's gonna stop
them? Well, most resorts are going to frown on any activity beyond going
straight down the hill and maybe a little halfpipe action on the side,
however, Mt. Reba/Bear Valley, east of Stockton, CA, is running a
"snowboard park" this winter which contains a halfpipe, slalom run,
quarter pipe, jumps, bumps and railslides. It covers an area about the size
of a football field and serviced by its own rope tow. We hear Vail ski area
in Colorado was the first come up with this concept,
calling their area "Boardertown." Some might look at it
as a way for resorts to keep boarders isolated from the
touchy ski population. Of course, the hardcores will
shine the theme park concept altogether, seeing as
both Vail and Reba-Bear offer rad terrain without the
addition of man-made toys.
On the other hand, if you're into snowboarding at the
crack of dawn on a summer's day, followed by a hard
skate session on the ramp and then, if you have any
energy left, having the freedom to use a trampoline, go
mountain biking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting,
cliff diving, etc., then High Cascade Snowboard Camp at
Timberline Ski Area at the base of Oregon's majestic Mt.
Hood, (whew) is for you. Snowboard camps are a
productive way to accelerate your boarding skills, and
the atmosphere during summer sessions is conducive
to good times.
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