Terrain Parks and Pipes

Throughout the 80's and 90's the creation of terrain parks coincided with the quickly progressing sport of snowboarding. Although man-made features were originally built for snowboarders, terrain parks have revolutionized the sport of skiing as well. In the practice of catering to both skiers and riders boaststhree terrain parks: Belmont, Central Park at Riviera, and Mainline Park spanning over 117 acres. Each terrain park has it's own chairlift which makes for easy access and quick skill progression.

Belmont Park
With its smaller tabletops, boxes, and rails, Belmont is great for skiers and snowboarders who have recently begun riding park or can't wait to learn. This park offers novice park riders a dedicated area with small jib freatures and a mini cross-course that is perfect for learning and experimenting new tricks. This season sees the addition of new park features and rails to keep the area fun and fresh. Belmont's Family Fun Park (a.k.a the Snake), located between Belmont Park and the gentle terrain accessed by the Links chair lift, is an ideal area for even the most novice riders to get their man-made kicks. The Belmont Chair also accesses a slopestyle format boarder cross course with bigger berms, rails and boxes that leads top of the Riviera Half Pipe.

There will be many new additions to the terrain parks in 2007/08 including a new trenched (in-ground) superpipe in Central Park at Riviera. Equipped with lights, the new Riviera Superpipe will be the only night accessed superpipe in the Tahoe basin. The addition of snowmaking in the Riviera terrain park, along with the trenching of the pipe, will give Squaw Valley skiers and snowboarders a superpipe starting at the very beginning of the season.  There will also be over a dozen new box and rail features this season – keeping it fresh!

Central Park at Riviera
The only night accessed terrain park in the Tahoe basin, Riviera ("Riv") is for the more advanced park rats and a great park for skill perfecting before Mainline Park opens later in the season. Riviera has two sets of medium sized jumps with two take offs for each. This park features an assortment of rails and boxes, and a quarter pipe. There is also a new in ground superpipe that is 435 feet long, with 18 ½ foot walls. 

Mainline Park
One of North America's original super parks, Mainline is home to Squaw's biggest and most technical features. Mainline's large tabletops and extensive jib line are the heart of the Squaw Valley park scene. Spread out across 30+ acres of virtually treeless terrain and dramatic backdrops of Mainline Pocket, Siberia Ridge, The Palisades and Lake Tahoe, make Mainline every rider and photographer's dream park. Throughout the season riders can look forward to ever-changing jump and rail lines, as Squaw's park builders explore Mainline's diverse terrain and natural landings.

Mainline Park is maintained so well that it remains perfectly film-worthy from the peak of the season to the slushy end. Mainline Park goes off especially in the spring as it is the only terrain park in Tahoe (and one of the only parks in North America) that remains open straight through Memorial Day.

Ford Freestyle Superpipe
The hours of labor that go into building Squaw Valley's superpipe may seem endless to our park builders, but when it's all said and done, it's worth it. With Mainline Pocket above, the Palisades to the right, and Lake Tahoe below, this superpipe has arguably the most stunning backdrop of any superpipe in North America.

Night Park Sessions
Belmont is open for night (4-9 pm) beginning December 21, 2007. For those pipe masters who can't wait for the superpipe, the Riviera pipe is cut once in the afternoon before night sessions and once over night when there is no night riding. All operations are weather permitting and subject to temporary closure for cutting and grooming when necessary.