Sniffin' Out Safety.... In The Terrain Park

Mavericks Superpipe is scheduled to open today, so I thought it was a great time to chat about Terrain Park safety. I may not be one of those young pups who goes big or goes home, but I like my playtime in the parks.

I’m always impressed by how respectful and courteous skiers and riders who play in Steamboat’s four parks are. I think it’s because of the Smart Style Program and Steamboat’s own ParkWise program. Have you heard of these? If you’ve been in one of our parks you’ve probably see the signs. Even if you have seen the signs, it’s always a good idea to take a minute and read them. They have great tips on how to be safe and have fun.

Make a Plan- before I go anywhere or do anything I make a plan. Same goes for the terrain park. I check out the lines, I scope out the jumps and features and figure out where I'm going to go, what tricks I'm going to do and how I'm going to do them. Being prepared isn't just for the Boy Scouts!

Look Before You Leap. I won’t jump anywhere until I sniff around and see what’s going on. I want to know where I’m landing is clear and safe. And when I’m done jumping I move right out of the way so the next person won’t run into me.

Easy Style It- I always start small and work my way up. When I’m learning something new I do it in Lil’ Rodeo Terrain Park where the features are smaller and easier to learn. Then as I get better I move on to Rabbit Ears and only when I feel very confident in my tricks and park ability do I head over to Mavericks. It’s easy to want to show off for the other pups, but I know the safest bet is to play within my ability level.

Respect Gets Respect- Aretha Franklin knew what she was talking about. Wherever you play on the mountain, but especially in the parks remember R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Respect the terrain, Respect your fellow skiers and riders, Respect the signs. If you respect other they’ll respect you and that’s what builds the fun camaraderie of the terrain park. Plus, don’t be afraid to give a big paw (or high five) to your fellow riders; it’s awesome to get some love when you’ve hit a great trick!

Here’s my buddy AASI National Team Member Scott Anfang with some tips on how be safe in the Park.

See you out there!