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theabortionatorHmm. How big are the jumps usually? Bmx style tables work good for beginners and are small enough to rake takeoff and landing, but still need to groom in between. Easier to just do with a machine prolly.
You can def rake a take off, even a big one pretty easy. Problem will be the landing. To get it steep enough and maintain it it's almost impossible without a cat.
Have you chatted to whoever grooms there or the owners about it? Can prolly jump in with the guy, show him some pictures of decent jumps in the style/size you're looking for then help direct him.
Even if it's just getting a quick till every night it's totally doable. Will def need some maintenance sometimes to fill the ass crack on the knuckle, and keep everything level and steep enough.
Easier to have him push a pile of snow or better yet some sort of takeoff. Even if it's pretty rough it's still massuvely easier to move snow around then farm it yourselves.
If you can build a jump you can build a jump. If it's a small place don't get too crazy on size probably. Better to have something most people hit that's still kind of fun for the good kids than a jump that sits there and only a few kids hit or trick ever.
If you end up liking terrain parks you might want to try and get some time learning to run the cat. A lot if guys at small hills want nothing to do with helping the park. They aren't bad guys, but have other shit to do and it's just adding to their plate. If you can run it without fucking anything up they'd prolly be happy to have somebody do it that's interested.
If you do rope in one of the operators to help, have a plan. Maybe even walk the trail measure or eyeball where the drop would be, start of first jump, knuckle, landing where the next starts etc. Try to figure out size and what kind of speed you'll have.
The more solid your plan is the better it will come out and the less likely the guy moving snow for you will hate you.
Also a lot of places have some knowledgable guys that can run a machine, but might not know or give a damn about terrain parks.
They can probably build you something that works, but you have to know what that is and show them. Pictures help a bunch. Getting a nice 3cat plus knuckle nice and level with a good landing and defined knuckle. Then build your takeoff.
You want a little uphill on from of the knuckle so the takeoff height and knuckle aren't too far apart. True stepdowns are kind of a no go these days.
Also always nice to cut a nice straight edge into the sides of the jumps. Can clear the cat more space so it doesnt get undercut but moreso just makes the jump line look good. And gives you a nice straight line to guide the people hitting it toward center of landing and next jump.
If you have a welder and some steel lying around maybe learn to weld as well and build some new/fix some old stuff.
/lots of incoherent rambling
Sparknotes: It's almost impossible to have a jump with 0 cat maintenance. Takeoffs are easy but if it's a big enough landing you sure as hel won't want to maintain it with a rake and shovel.
BLandzyoooo thanks big time man. We have a cat and the park guys last year used it a bunch so im pumped for us to get going. Do you have any tips to make the jump/landing angle nice? Or should we just use a picture and try to match. Our goal is to make a 3 jump line with a small, medium, and medium/large. Im thinking we can probs just shovel the small ourselves and the medium shouldn’t be too hard with a cat. The biggest one will be closest to the bottom of the hill if we even get time/decide to do it so if it takes us too long or is too hard its not a pain in the ass gettin the cat to it.
My buddy thats helping me run it wants to build a little hip too. How hard are those to make? Is it worth our time? Since we arent the biggest hill our time with machinery is always limited for the park.
Were definitely far from experts haha but the old park guys still shred and said they would be down to give us a hand but tbh I don’t think they know much more than we do as far as jump building goes
theabortionatorStay away from hips imo. They're harder to maintain. If you have an older cat it's even worse. I had to use a trail cat to build one last season. Had to use extra steps to get it steep enough because blade and tiller don't move as much and you want hips to have a steep landing. Its tough and not worth the hassle imo if it's a small mtn woth older machines. Also on the same note but more for cat built 1/4 pipes. All the problems of hips + more.
The landing you'll really need to cat to make it clean. Picture will help a bunch. Really all depends on the snow but letting things set up a bit before tilling can keep the cat from rounding the knuckle and dragging half of it to the lower landing and making everything flat. If you arnt getting much cat time you can throw some snow into the center rut by hand so the cat can just roll over it.
The take off isn't bad even if you do most or all by hand. Just get something that sends you into the landing at a good angle. A lot of stuff in parks is eyeballed. If you look at bigger mtns with consistently good parks you'll notice a lot of similarities about their jumps. Maybe also look at some sketchy stuff and try and guess why it wouldn't work as nice.
If it's the only jump line and you have snow might be good to throw 2 lips on the 3rd. Most bigger mtns run singles because speed will be different for a smaller hit, but if the last jump is too gnar might be worthwhile to give people an option. Idk. If its 20, 25, 32 or something that's not a huge leap but ive seen some crazy shit including a 3pack that went 20' ,30', 85, with no second option and honestly no landing.
If you have a spork type rake it's way easier to move snow but an alluminum rake from racing and shovels will work.
Keeping a crisp flat top on it is always a good move.For me it's always worth having squared up sides as well. Lool at it from different angles to check the level and see ay low or high spots. Add or take away from it as you test it.
Also highly recommend building a start mound of sorts. Even a baby roller. And putting a small section of fence on it. So people know to drop from there. This will hell stupid people not jump from 1 to 3 and keep the mtn from getting sued. Really easy to set up and take down. Always nice if you're at a new park as well to have that reference.
Idk parks are fun. I've done many seasons at smaller places where diy sollutions are a big thing. Just build it as nice as you can, test it regularly, take feedback, make adjustments. Honestly better than verbal feedback is just watching people ride features sometimes. You can see exactly whats happening. Is everyone casing jump 2 and skipping 3, does 1 have too much pop?
No matter what you do you'll never make everyone happy. Even the top ranked parks have haters crying about something trivial. Get feedback from people but don't beat yourself up too hard. Most people understand the limitations of small mtn park crews and appreciate everything that they do have.
You'll build some stuff that's awesome, you'll build a few things that are trash. It's just about learning what works and doesn't and using that to plan the next thing.
Also with rails I'm a big creativity fan and live plazas etc. At the same time some of the most sessioned features are the"boring" basic down and flats. If you made a poll 50' quad kink, or maybe a ztube to loop de loop would probably win. But when it's in the snow, everyone can have fun on a nice down or flat. You can learn your first slide or kfed. If you only have 5 rails in and most of them never get hit, there's something wrong. Setting up features really clean is a good way to make the park look cool, but also have features that look inviting and get ridden.
Idk. Terrain parks are fun. I have as much fun if not more building shit than riding a lot of times. And I def like to ride.
BLandzUr a fuckin beauty man i’ll probs never meet you in person but if I ever do i’ll buy you a case and 5 gorilla finger lookin ass backwoods
