Snow Back on the Scene

Snowmass Opening Terrain Park during June

By Mitzi Rapkin, 5-18-06

Snow, which is long gone from the City of Aspen, will be making its reappearance on Snowmass Mountain for three weekends this summer. For terrain park hungry junkies who have put their snowboards away, the weekends of June 10th, 17th and 24th will offer them the opportunity to go big in a terrain park called Velvet Falls Glacier.

Aspen Skiing Company spokesman Jeff Hanle told the Aspen Times, “We stockpiled a bunch of snow at the end of the season when we were shutting down. It’s pretty cool. It’s something we’ve never done before. We’re kind of excited to offer it – see what the response is.”

The initial impetus to create a terrain park just before the solstice is that the Ski Company runs a day camp and wanted to offer instruction in the terrain park in addition to other activities such as mountainboaring, skateboarding and paint ball.

Entrance to the terrain park is a pittance compared to the $79 price of a day pass during the winter. Kids can ride the lift to get to the terrain park for $4 and adults just a mere $6. Of course that only gets you one ride but you can stay up there all day. If an adult chooses to ride the lift 13.16 times it’s like paying winter prices with less of a chill on your face (and maybe the wallet?)

The snow park area is designed exclusively for this summer program and features boxes, rails, tables, and dragon tails among other things.
For those jonesing for more than a terrain park, Independence Pass is opening on May 25th in the afternoon. When it opens there will be about 12 miles of newly opened road surrounded by snowcapped peaks just waiting to be designed with beautiful snaking s-turns welcoming the RVs that are soon to follow.

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