East Coast skiers are known for their unconditional love for the sport and this fact is easily seen in the terrain parks and its community. Even though it doesn’t snow enough for mountains to make 60 foot plus jump lines, park crews around the East are able to use the snow they have and build fun creative parks. Park skiers here will rip it up through the bluebird days along with the rainy ones. People will be riding in the cold icy conditions as much as those late spring days where the dirt patches just become a new feature. Here are 7 parks that epitomize the hardcore east coast mentality of anytime anywhere.
#7. Whiteface: NY
Whiteface offers 5 parks with features for all levels of riders. They have beginner parks like Bear Den and Mixing bowl along with a boarder cross park with its own lift. For the more advanced riders Bear park is where to go offering large rails and jumps. And if you are ever looking to test your balance, Whiteface has a 5 kink rail that will push your limits.
#6. Sunday River: ME
Sunday River offer 5 parks that cater to all ability levels. Their main parks are all located on North Peak with access via their “chondola” (chair gondola). For the beginners, Who-Ville is the place to be. It offers large boxes, small jumps, and small rails. Once you have progressed through Who-Ville, try out Wonderland and 3D which contain a mix of beginner and intermediate features. Once you are comfortable and confident, the Sunday River parks shine in T72. This park offers many large features to test your abilities and progress your skills. If, however, you are just looking to cruise and flow, then the Flow State boarder cross will be your perfect destination.
#5. Sugarbush: VT
Sugarbush is the park destination for northern Vermont skiers. They have 4 parks with features for all levels. On Lincoln peak they offer 2 beginner parks, Slowpoke and Sugarbear Forest for early progression. Then make your way to Mt. Ellen with Sugar Run, containing beginner and intermediate features to ride. Their main park, Riemergasse, is located at the bottom of Mt Ellen with its own lift. Not only is this a 2,100 foot long slope entirely of features, but the riders know its appeal is in the way it is built. Often times parks are built in sections with a set of features lined up horizontally and space between them. Sugarbush designs its parks with features everywhere, often built in ways designed to flow laterally across them as well as top to bottom. This makes for a unique and wildly fun park experience.
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#4. Seven Springs: PA
As an East Coaster calling Pennsylvania part of the East coast feels a little wrong, but there is no way I couldn’t mention this park. It contains 6 parks of all levels. Check out Arctic Blast or the rope tow Santa’s Beard for progression parks. The Streets is an urban inspired park with handrails, wall rides, and stair sets that will definitely scare you. The Spot is the most advanced park and is built to be viewable from the base of the mountain. To get a taste of Seven Springs check out its competition Steel City Showdown. This is a comp hosted by their local legend Tom Wallisch and is open to pros and amateurs willing to test their abilities.
#3. Loon: NH
Loon parks are known for their consistent pristine condition and competition size features. Beginners are able to hone their skills in 2 progression parks called Progression Park and Little Sisters. For the intermediate level riders, they offer a skate park inspired park called Springboard. The Loon Mountain park is where you put your skills to the test. This is a nearly 1,000 foot vertical park filled with advanced level jumps, rails, and pipes. The features here are spread across many lines giving a variety of options every run.
#2. Mount Snow: VT
Growing up on the East Coast, when I heard Mount Snow, I immediately thought of Carinthia. Carinthia is a designated peak and face that is entirely terrain parks. For the beginners, Fool’s Gold is a full top-to-bottom beginner park that offer smaller features while still being creative and fun. The wooden park, Prospector, will put your rail skills to the test—just don’t catch an edge! Then when you are ready, drop under the lift and rip up Nitro. Nitro offers a variety of rails, jumps, and other snow features, but the real challenge is in forgetting about the entire lift line watching you. If you can conquer the fear and stomp a big trick, nothing feels better than the cheers from the chairlift. With that in mind, going up the main lift Nitro gives you a full view of all the incredible riders ripping it up around you. There is no motivation to send quite like watching a 13-year-old doing tricks inconceivable to you.
#1. Killington: VT
The “Beast of the East” holds true to its namesake with respect to its terrain parks. They are the only East Coast resort with Woodward parks and have 8 parks offering all levels and styles. For the beginners, Lil Stash will help you progress. The intermediate park Timberline, aka Peace Park, is also Killington’s most popular. This is located off of Ramshead (Rams-Head not Ram-shead) lift with a 1,000 foot vertical run filled with features. It has a huge variety of rails, jumps, hips, bells to ring with your skis and even more. The Stash is filled with atypical features made of wood, concrete, and metal intertwined with medium and large jumps making a very unique park experience. Dream Maker lives up to its name, boasting the resort’s largest jumps and rails that will have you needing to take some deep breaths before dropping in.
Whether you are just getting into skiing park or you are a competition veteran, these terrain parks will be able to challenge you and help you progress. These parks are exceptional but the park community on the East Coast at all parks is immensely positive and uplifting. The next time you are skiing park, talk to the people around you because I promise they will be there to help out and cheer you on. Oh, and also don’t forget to call your drops and say thanks to your local park crew!
