The big "hits" in Winter Park's terrain parks, wide open cruisers, and powder stashes on Mary Jane bring more snowboarders to Winter Park Resort every year.  By creating special terrain, maps, and volunteer programs that cater to snowboarders, Winter Park attracted more than 110,000 snowboarder visits last season.  Also enhancing the resort's reputation for "riders" is the variety of lessons and clinics offered through the Rider Improvement Center and the series of amateur and professional competitions held throughout the season.

      Knuckle Dragon, Winter Park's halfpipe measures 330 feet long with walls 10 feet high—big enough to hold nationally ranked freestyle competitions.  Opened in 1996, the halfpipe was relocated last season to the bottom of the Allan Phipps trail just above Snoasis mid-mountain restaurant.  The move provided a gentler pitch allowing less experienced riders an opportunity to experience the pipe while giving expert riders better speed control which enables them to set up for more tricks each run.  Resort snowmakers and trail groomers work together to create jumps, ramps, winding gullies, and tabletops for "big air" thrill seekers as well as beginning tricksters on Mountain Dew Mad Hatter's and The Rolls, the resort's two other playgrounds designed for snowboarders.  The Rolls is periodically reconfigured to accommodate snowboard-cross competi-tions.

      Along with benches at the top of chairlifts which help riders comfortably strap in, the resort has created signage revealing the most "snowboard friendly" terrain on the mountain and a Ride Guide has been created to give riders mountain information that is specifically for snowboarders.  The guide contains terrain park descriptions, alternate routes to avoid flat terrain, information on scheduled snowboard events, and Rider Improvement Center clinics and classes.

      Winter Park's commitment to snowboarders is evident through the Terrain Park Ambassadors program, consisting of two full-time resort employees and approximately 20 volunteer

snowboard enthusiasts.  The team has a variety of responsibilities including patrolling the parks to monitor their con-ditions, demonstrating techniques on the various obstacles, and encouraging snow-boarders and skiers to use the facilities with courtesy and awareness.

      With a goal of helping adults and children enter the sport, the Rider Improvement Center has created specific classes to give beginners, as well as experienced snowboarders, the tools to reach the next level.  Daily classes like Discover Snowboarding, Intro to Turns, Style Arena, and Pro Focus provide options for every ability level.  Whether its linking turns, mastering racing technique, or learning the latest freestyle tricks, the Rider Improvement  Center can help snowboarders meet their personal goals.

      Back for its second season, the Winter Park Snowboard Series offers amateur riders the chance to compete in halfpipe and snowboard-cross competition.  Freestylers take to the air and compete for prizes and bragging rights in the halfpipe competition while snowboard-cross competitors go through the starting gate simultaneously (up to four at a time) and then jockey for position through a course full of turns, bumps, and jumps as they race towards the finish line.  Winter Park's event is the only snowboard-cross compe-tition in Colorado designed specifically for amateurs.

March and April Events

March 5-7, Tuesday-Sunday, Wild Women Snowboard Camp.  A specialized camp for adult women of all abilities.  Beginners learn in groups of three to five with hands-on help from experienced coaches while intermediate and advanced boarders challenge themselves in small groups with women of similar ability.  Off-slope activities include equip-ment and tuning seminars, video analysis, yoga instruction, group dinners, and a farewell party.  For more information, call camp director Mary Seibert Simmons at (307) 734-5154 or toll free at 1-877-SHE-RIPS.

March 7, Sunday, Telemark Series Clinic #4.  Telemark certified instructors teach beginners the basic skills of the sport and introduce experienced telemarkers to new skills and more efficient movements.  The four-hour clinic will be held at Mary Jane.  For more information, call the Skier Improvement Center at (970) 726-1551.

      March 20-28, Saturday-Sunday, USSA Masters Nationals.  The season's culmination for the best recreational masters ski racers in the U.S. ages 25 and over.  Three to four hundred racers are divided into five-year class brackets racing in three disciplines, either super G or downhill (to be determined by Masters National Committee), giant slalom, and slalom.  For more informa-tion, call the Competition Center at (970) 726-1590.

April 4, Sunday, Easter Inter-denominational Sunrise Service.  Held at the base of Winter Park Resort, the interdenominational service offers a beautiful and peaceful setting to celebrate the Easter holiday in the heart of the Colorado Rockies.  For more information, call Guest Services at (970) 726-5514, Ext. 1727.

April 4, Sunday, Golden Bunny Egg Hunt and Race.  Winter Park Willie and the Easter Bunny give the kids some holiday fun with an on-mountain egg hunt and traditional fun race for children ages 10 and under.  For more information about registration and egg hunt times, call Guest Services at (970) 726-5514, Ext. 1727.

April 8-11, 15-18, Thursday-Sunday, Winter Park Ski/Music Festival.  High School music students from around the country join together on the slopes of Winter Park for two fun-filled weekends of skiing, snowboarding, and musical competitions.  For more information, call the Winter Park Sales Department at (970) 726-1579.

April, TBA, 8th Annual Ski for NSCD.  A ski day complete with fun races, ski games, and an apres ski party to raise money for the National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD), presented by Cushman & Wakefield.  Skiers obtain pledges to participate and are eligible for a number of great prizes.  For more information, call the NSCD at (970) 726-1540.

April, TBA, Sixth Annual Black Diamond Ball.  This black-tie dinner benefits the National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD) and is held in Denver.  The evening's events include presentation of The Bold Tracks Award, entertainment, silent auction, cocktail party, and dinner.  For more information, call the NSCD at (970) 726-1540.

April 18, Sunday, Ocean Spray Spring Splash.  One of Winter Park's most anticipated events, the wet and wild Spring Splash celebrates the arrival of spring.  Spectators cheer as skiers and snowboarders struggle through a hilarious and challenging obstacle course that includes skimming across a pond of icy water to reach the finish line.  This event also signals the closing day for Winter Park mountain.  For more information, call Guest Services at (970) 726-5514, Ext. 1727.

April 25, Sunday.  Closing day for Mary Jane daily operations.

May 1-31, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.  Mary Jane and Parsenn Bowl will re-open on weekends (Friday through Sunday) as conditions permit.  For more information, call Guest Services at (970) 726-5514, Ext. 1727.

      This is a partial listing.  More events are added throughout the season with updated calendars.