Freestyle Thrills at Mt Bachelor

Social media and YouTube can serve as an inspiration to snow sport enthusiasts as the watch freestyle skiers and snowboarders pushing the limits and carrying out increasingly difficult maneuvers that seem to defy gravity. Newcomers with limited skills may feel somewhat intimidated, wondering if they’ll ever experience the thrill of carrying out the latest snow skiing or snowboarding trick. The man-made terrain parks at Mt Bachelor offer newcomers the opportunity to start small and progress to something bigger, gaining confidence along the way.

Free-ride director for the Mt Bachelor sports Education Foundation, Coggin Hill, notes that beginner freestyle skiers and boarders would start at the Short Sands terrain park, located near the Sunrise chairlift. With a range of 10 to 15-foot jumps and flat boxes, the features of Short Sands terrain park are low-risk. When they have mastered the features of Short Sands, skiers and snowboarders can move on the Pacific City, Seaside, Cannon Beach and The Point – each of which has progressively bigger jumps and more challenging rails and boxes. Moreover, near the Pine Marten chairlift, freestyle skiers and riders can tackle the 22-foot halfpipe and the Events Arena. Another great thing about terrain parks are that they can operate even when lack of snowfall limits skiing and snowboarding on the slopes.

Mt Bachelor’s terrain parks manager, Parker Bohom, leads a team of twelve staff members who are focused on helping skiers and riders progress at a pace that ensures safety for all. Staff members operate snowcats at night to build and shape terrain park features, while other staff members work during the day to maintain the parks in peak condition.

Having worked at Utah‘s Park City Mountain Resort in the past, Bohon has brought his experience to Mt Bachelor and says that he would like to create terrain park features that are safe for everybody, noting that he believes that anybody is capable of progressing up the ladder.