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Will halfpipes ever make a comeback?

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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,571
I know trends change and things cycle around. I can understand mountains getting rid of them as they cost $$$ to maintain and not enough people are hitting them at a lot of places. I hope they make a comeback though.
What are your thoughts?
Nov 2 2013 5:32PM
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Craigskis
Posts: 6650 - Karma: 1,645
The Olympics will help to keep half pipes at key resorts. They are a huge money pit, when done right they're one of the best features in a park, when done wrong you get the ice ditch at Tremblant.
Nov 2 2013 5:34PM
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Puzzled
Posts: 4267 - Karma: 4,448
indeed
Nov 2 2013 5:37PM
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Casey
Posts: 7849 - Karma: 24,323
For my mountain, it takes up too much space, snow, and maintenance. Plus, I don't care if I sound like a pussy a 22 foot superpipe is too big to be that fun. You gotta hit the wall at like 50 mph to make it to the lip. Plus when we had one it was cut like twice a season so it always rode like shit.
Nov 2 2013 5:37PM
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Holte
Posts: 10740 - Karma: 7,816
I've always thought the opposite. 6 feet out of a 22 foot pipe is way less scary than 4 feet out of an 18 foot pipe. The transition and sweet spot is bigger on a superpipe and you have more time in the flat to prep for the next hit.
Nov 2 2013 5:53PM
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HWW
Posts: 3084 - Karma: 3,436
I was never much into halfpipe riding, mainly due to the fact that I hadn't hit a proper one.

This summer I rediscovered halfpipes when I skied the superpipe in L2A, and absolutely fell in love with them. I just lapped that thing all day and felt that I was constantly improving - getting more comfortable in the air and boosting higher each run.

I hope they make a comeback...
Nov 2 2013 5:53PM
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specialSAWce
Posts: 428 - Karma: 1,670
I love riding pipe, I think everyone should try it. It'll seem sketchy and stupid at first but once you get comfortable its so fun to just cruise through even if you aren't doing big tricks.
Nov 2 2013 6:11PM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
Haha, landed so many of my first tricks on that big ol ice ditch.
Nov 2 2013 6:36PM
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PizzaKid
Posts: 297 - Karma: 309
I once came to a resort mainly for the halfpipe and it turned out to be all destroyed by rain the previous day. After that I've never had the chance to hit one but I would love to try a well built pipe so I hope they stay around
Nov 2 2013 7:33PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,571
I don't think they'll vanish in general, but a lot of places are getting rid of them. Also most of those are the 12-14 footers. I remember when that was the thing that made your mountain legit. If you didn't have a pipe you weren't cool. Everybody was getting some sort of cutter and building a stunt ditch.

Pipe cutters are either sold, leaning up against a tree by the garage, or rusting out in the boneyard these days.

If the only pipes that are left are the bigger resorts, kids won't really have much access to them unless they live close. Also many of those places the only pipe is 18 feet or even 22 some places. I'm not arguing that the transition isn't smoother on a bigger pipe, but there's something so fun and playful about the mini pipes. If those die that would be a damn shame.
Nov 2 2013 7:50PM
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Flowbear
Posts: 339 - Karma: 828
Yeah my resort has their pipe cutter sitting in the bone yard, we haven't had a pipe in maybe 8 or 9 years, but I think bigger resorts will always have pipes but for the smaller hills they just don't have the money to make and maintain a pipe or they figure its a waste of money cause not enough people ride them which kind of sucks. I really hope they make a comeback at the smaller hills though because living on the east coast the only times I get to ride pipe at bigger resorts is when it rained the day before and is extremely Icey
Nov 2 2013 8:17PM
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closeyetfar11
Posts: 387 - Karma: 1,079
Needs more coping. 

Nov 2 2013 10:09PM
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cheener12
Posts: 2881 - Karma: 5,884
that would actually be really sick, on maybe a mini pipe possibly?
Nov 2 2013 10:55PM
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eheath
Posts: 61604 - Karma: 123,113
99% of the snow for the 1% of skiers...

its insane how sick PCs park could be if they didnt spend $100k and use thousands and thousands of cubic feet of snow to make the pipe. After the early season park is built (aka 1 jump and the rail alley) they work on the pipe for 3-4 weeks, it sucks. Is it REALLY that big of a deal? No, but they could have a full park up and running by early december if they didn't have to build the superpipe.
Nov 2 2013 11:12PM
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t_rob
Posts: 6433 - Karma: 11,458
Halfpipe is basically aerials.
Nov 3 2013 12:16AM
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last_tango
Posts: 2635 - Karma: 2,665
I think downsizing the wall but keeping a fairly large flat would help keep it fun while reducing cost. Abortionator I feel like you have hit this subject before for some reason.
Nov 3 2013 12:18AM
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J-C
Posts: 1138 - Karma: 3,683
hahaha our park is going to be a disaster this year with the halfpipe they are planning to do

Nov 3 2013 12:24AM
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doGelyst
Posts: 2492 - Karma: 509
Pipe skiing has not taken off like slope skiing...

So bit tough tor some places to justify all the costs with building them when they havent become "the next big thing"
Nov 3 2013 12:27AM
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PoopDollar
Posts: 296 - Karma: 423
My local hill had a preformed dirt halfpipe which they recently bulldozed for a 3 piece jump line. Halfpipes take up real estate, and at the small hills that real estate is at a premium.
Nov 3 2013 1:27AM
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~~~~~~~~
Posts: 2345 - Karma: 2,104
My shitty home hill which has never built a real jump just bought a new zaugg...

Click for larger image

greek peak, might have the only pipe in central ny this winter, or maybe just a quarter pipe, they like to try those too.
Nov 3 2013 8:02AM
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Brule.
Posts: 3921 - Karma: 6,206
Gore's pipe is at the most discrete part of the mountain and it's death waiting to happen. The groomers there hardly cut it and the walls are very icy and rigid. Might be the only pipe in northeastern New York.
Nov 3 2013 8:21AM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,571
Def have in some random thread. I think somebody else brought it up. No idea where it was though. Tried to search a bit and could really track it down.

Nov 3 2013 9:01AM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,571
That pipe should have never been taken off the arena. They had a trail that might be twice as wide as the average bunny slope. When they used to have the big air jump and pipe there was a still a stupid amount of room to ski normally down the center. It was at the bottom where people could see it, and you could lap it with that double.

I think they got rid of it around 02-03 and rebuilt it at the skibowl in 07. The pitch at the ski bowl is super mellow. It's hard to really get speed for it. They used the dirt from in front of the drop in to build the drop in. You drop down and then actually go up hill into the pipe.
Nov 3 2013 9:11AM
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Jaggy_Snake
Posts: 2287 - Karma: 1,418
Pun intended?
Nov 3 2013 9:53AM
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esotericjive
Posts: 1889 - Karma: 1,445
Killington had a 12 (?) Foot pipe last year in timberline. Shit was cash sometimes. It was only long enough for a few hits, but it was easy to air out and super mellow.

We need more 12-14 foot pipes
Nov 3 2013 10:16AM
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The_RaginAsian
Posts: 687 - Karma: 3,055
Mt. Hood Meadows still has theirs, but they said this year that they are going to get rid of other parks so that they could maintain the halfpipe. fuck that. their halfpipe sucks ass anyways. check this link to a picture of the halfpipe they built us for our high school state comp... http://instagram.com/p/Wh5eQuuuQ3/
Nov 3 2013 11:16AM
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Turkelton
Posts: 2829 - Karma: 8,558
More minipipes please
Nov 3 2013 11:25AM
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Elg
Posts: 2998 - Karma: 3,880
We had what was claimed to be the best pipe in Europe last season, it was used to host the snowboard world championship. The riders boosted so high out of that thing some of them only got like 4 hits in their run.
Nov 3 2013 11:32AM
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Vermont
Posts: 130 - Karma: 302
I dont think so, There is only so much you can do in a half pipe especially if your not that good, but in a park there are so many options of style and tricks
Nov 3 2013 11:43AM
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Miomo
Posts: 4302 - Karma: 14,133
Haha, what the hell is this, the 70s?
Nov 3 2013 12:02PM
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MLB
Posts: 4462 - Karma: 298
We have a pipe at our resort, but it takes SOOO many resources to get it running. We have four pole cats that make snow mostly just for that giant piece, plus the amount of winch cat hours, plus the amount of man hours, price of equipment.

Then the FIS bitches come to inspect it to see if its in spec. So much work, but we do host world cups at our hill.... so I guess we do see a return. But I have no idea how a little hill could keep one going.

Also that zaugg on the free groomer is hilarious. If your pipe's angle is so shallow that you can attach the zaugg to a free groomer and still cut the pipe..... then I can tell you right now that pipe is gonna be awful.
Nov 3 2013 12:03PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,571
Good lord. Granted I've never run a pipe cutter but damn. That's pretty bad. You'd think if they were building it for a contest they would have tried to fix it.

At the same time, I'd still be down to ride something like that occasionally than nothing.
Nov 3 2013 12:08PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,571
I mean there are only so many things you can do on a jump if you aren't that good.
Nov 3 2013 12:11PM
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MEOWMIXXX
Posts: 550 - Karma: 2,580
most parks I've been to you have to choose between hitting the pipe or skiing rails and jumps, If more parks incorporated pipes into their jump and rail park it would be dope. Mount Saint Louis in ontario does this and its sick having random quarter pipes going down the slope course, lets you ski both :)
Nov 3 2013 12:32PM
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last_tango
Posts: 2635 - Karma: 2,665
spread eagles and twisters brah!
Nov 3 2013 1:35PM
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Film.
Posts: 2649 - Karma: 2,296
Keystone decided to get rid of their pipe this year, it was never that good anyway but I was stoked because that meant better jumps and more rails.
Nov 3 2013 1:43PM
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MLB
Posts: 4462 - Karma: 298
I think if the resorts have those types of resources they should just integrate pipes in the park, or build a park pipe ( e.g. Peace Pipe style). I would love to integrate a stunt ditch into a slopestyle park. Throw some features on top, cut some gaps into the pipe, jumps that use the pipe wall as a landing. I think pipes can just be retrofitted into something better.

Nov 3 2013 1:51PM
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Ginger_Drew
Posts: 649 - Karma: 2,528
Living in MN there aren't really any half pipes around and I think it would be sick to more of them to bring another aspect to MN skiing and boarding!
Nov 3 2013 1:56PM
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KingTaco
Posts: 2510 - Karma: 2,829
if there was ever a perfect spot for a pipe it was where that pipe was. If gore had the ability to have a 22 there it would be such a sick venue for pipe competitions, and just to sit on the patio and watch people sesh. knowing gore, tho, theres a reason that never happen

it is weird tho that pipes are kinda disappearing. even whiteface got rid of theres. I seshed the pipe at stowe all the time last year and it was an absolute blast. I wish there were more mountains that had them
Nov 3 2013 3:48PM
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Negromancer
Posts: 1014 - Karma: 1,499
The pipe at Cardrona was really fun and good this year
Nov 3 2013 4:22PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,571
Are you fucking kidding me? When did this happen?


They actually held some big contests too.
Nov 3 2013 5:07PM
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KingTaco
Posts: 2510 - Karma: 2,829
havent had it the last 2 years at least, maybe 3

it was only an 18 footer and they definitely did not feel like spending money to keep it going
Nov 3 2013 5:43PM
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Brule.
Posts: 3921 - Karma: 6,206
I remember eating it hard in the pipe on the arena when I was like 4 and hardly knew how to ski.

The ski bowl is flat in most parts but the pipe cutter is at the top of the village chair and I hardly see it moved. when I ever ski down to the ski bowl. There is room close to where Gore has their park and they are steep enough to have a pipe down there. If that pipe was never at the ski bowl, Gore wouldn't have any events on the arena during the spring (like the bump contest, I miss it on hawkeye).
Nov 3 2013 5:54PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,571
That's nuts. Oh well. I liked it there cause you could hit some rails on the way down to the pipe. Are they even building a park over there?

I haven't ridden whiteface since the one park was on dannys bridge and the other on something else above skiers right of the mountain. Generally the big events keep mountains building them and they seemed to have some big halfpipe events regularly.

Nov 3 2013 6:01PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,571
They used to have pipe contests and the big air on the other side. I don't do bumps but hawkeye seemed like a much better spot to have it.

Did they allow skiing in the pipe then or were you poaching?

I'll be up there at least once this year. It's been a while.
Nov 3 2013 6:04PM
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Brule.
Posts: 3921 - Karma: 6,206
I don't know. It was 11 years ago. I'd say '02-'03ish was when I first started skiing.
Nov 3 2013 6:28PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51666 - Karma: 162,571
Yeah. I'm pretty sure anyone could hit it by then. The no skiing thing was some 90s bullshit. At the same time parks were for snowboarding and skiing was about skiing then. I used to hit lower sleighride and blast the biggest spread eagles and boot grabs. Also lower sleighride went from showcase all the way to 3b. I guess it kind of does again now with wild air being a park.
Nov 3 2013 6:59PM
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Tremblantskier
Posts: 945 - Karma: 5,423
I kind of miss the ice ditch. To bad they sold the cutter to Edlewiess its just rusting away there.
Nov 4 2013 7:47AM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
It was so jokes in the spring when one side was pure ice and the other was total slush. Park crew brielfy talked about a new pipe trail on the south side, but obviously that wont happen. We need new rails and a better S/M park first.
Nov 4 2013 2:27PM
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Tremblantskier
Posts: 945 - Karma: 5,423
Agreed. There is a prefect slope off Beauvallon that is the right pitch/gets equal sun most of the day but the economy made that a pipe dream...
Nov 4 2013 2:42PM
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halfpipedream
Posts: 109 - Karma: 223
I'm a little girl and I NEVER saw what was so scary about halfpipe. I love it. Every damn day when I lived in Copper even if I had like 40 lbs of gear in my bag fuck it.

HALFPIPES RULE. and fuck the ice coast for that reason
Nov 4 2013 2:42PM
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