Arena Snowparks News

Summer Update

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:22:00 -0700

Summer is almost over, winter will be here before you know it! Check out the 2011/2012 Arena Snowparks Rail catalogue. Featuring over 200 rails, boxes and snowtools we have what you need to stock your park or event full of goodies. Of course, we do custom fabrication as well - if you have an idea for a feature ASP can help make it a reality. Download the catalogue and contact us at snowpark@telus.net for price list and more info.

This summer on the Horstman Glacier was good to the ASP crew. With an the abundance of snow and slightly cooler temperatures we were able to create a summer snowpark that rode very winter like. The 22ft Global Cutter halfpipe was as about as nice as a summer pipe could be and the multiple jump lines kept a smile on the campers faces.

The ASP fabrication shop is currently working on a new batch of rails and boxes for WhistlerBlackcomb Parks. The parks will be featuring a series of large diameter pipes in different styles and the Combi Street Series shotgun rail.

Camp of Champions Summer snowpark

WB Banked Round bar

SPRING 2011

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:32:00 -0700

It’s been a busy winter for Arena Snowparks. We started the season off on Blackcomb Mountain by building their first 22ft pipe shaped by the Global Cutter. After that it was off to Nova Scotia for the 2011 Canada Winter Games where ASP was responsible for the construction of the ski and snowboard halfpipes and the snowcross course. Right in the middle of the two pipe builds for the Games we went over to Norway to work on the Slope Style course for the Arctic Challenge.

In early April we where back in Whistler working on the venues for the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival. Along with working on the halfpipe ASP was in the valley building the Grand Opening Slope Style for Monster. After that we broke down the coarse and built the Big Air for the finals of the AFP World Championships.

The fabrication shop was kept busy through the winter working on special projects for WhistlerBlackcomb, Telus, Quiksilver, Rays Board Shop, Red Bull, Oakley, Monster and Camp of Champions. Next up for ASP is preparing for the Camp of Champions summer Ski and Snowboard camp. The shop will be working on new rails and features for COC and construction will begin on the snowpark at the beginning of June. With record snow fall in Whistler this winter it promises to be an amazing summer up on the Glacier.

AFP Big Air take off

ASP take offs are on fire (AFP Big Air take off at night)

O on Blackcomb

Butter Backflip

2011 ARCTIC CHALLENGE

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:08:00 -0700

Steve Petrie from ASP was over in Oslo, Norway during February working with Claes Hogstrom and his crew on the slope style course for the 2011 Arctic Challenge. The event took place at Tryvan Winter park which is just outside the city of Oslo. Tryvan will be the site for the TTR World Championships taking place next winter.

Dialing in the step down jump

The slope style course consisted of six different elements which included a mix of rail features and large jumps including a step down with a lot of hang time, step up and massive true table at the bottom of the course. Tryvan will be making many improvements to the slopes over the summer to get ready for TTR World Championships, including a new in-ground structure for the 22ft halfpipe and upgrades to the snowmaking system.

Pushing snow for the step up

Bison X at the Arctic Challenge

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB'S NEW GLOBAL CUTTER SHAPED HALF PIPE

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 17:19:00 -0700

Blackcomb Mountain’s new 22 foot Global Cutter shaped halfpipe is officially open. Arena Snowparks has been on site through the first two weeks of January getting the pipe ready for the arrival of the new cutter from New Zealand.

Many improvements have been made this season to the pipe on Blackcomb including re-grading of the summer dirt work, upgrading the snowmaking capabilities and the purchase of the 22 foot Global Cutter. All these improvements combine to ensure that Blackcomb will have the best shaped 22 foot pipe in North America.

Also this week in Whistler ASP delivered the Quiksilver QP wall ride to the park on Whistler Mountain. The double sided wall ride arrives in two sections that bolt together and is covered with clear Polycarbonate Lexan sheeting. Get up to Whistler and give it a go!

Pushing the left wall in the Blackcomb pipe

Global Cutter starting to shape in the Whistler Blackcomb pipe

Quiksilver QP wall going into the Whistler park

NEW FABRICATION WORKSHOP - Fall update

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:21:00 -0700

NEW FABRICATION WORKSHOP

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 20:39:00 -0700

Arena Snowparks has opened a new rail fabrication shop just north of Whistler in Pemberton, BC. Currently we are working on a new stair set for Telus which will be going into the park on Whistler Mountain. The feature consists of a round bar down rail on one side, flat down box in the middle and a round bar flat down on the other side with stairs in-between the rails. Next up we’ll be building a double sided quarter pipe wall ride for Quicksilver.

The new shop allows us to keep the quality high. All the rails and boxes are fabricated in house and we have the ability to roll and bend our own steel to create any shape and style of rail you can imagine. All ASP products are backed by our years of park building experience –we’re here for you when you have any park design or construction questions.

The modular Combi Box System is becoming a must have for any resort -this winter Whistler Blackcomb will have four complete Combi Box set ups in their parks. With the Combi Box System WB’s park rangers will be able to build any style box they can think of and switch them up on a regular basis to create new kinks. Winter is here –Whistler Mountain opened today a week ahead of schedule.

90t Down flat down flat down combi box

Anton welding the down flat round bar

Lucas give the Telus stair set the thumbs up

WHISTLER BLACKCOMB PARKS 2011

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 23:56:00 -0700

New video from Lucas Ouellette. Whistler/Blackcomb talks about purchase of the 22 foot Global Cutter and partnering up with ASP to re grade the dirt work in the Blackcomb halfpipe.

Global Cutter video footage by Tim Pierce, Zeros and Ones www.zerosandones.co.nz

FALL UPDATE

Sat, 25 Sep 2010 15:06:00 -0700

Arena Snowparks is coming off a busy summer season with our work at the Camp of Champions and a late summer trip to New Zealand to work on the World Junior Championship at Cardrona and Snowpark NZ with fellow Global Snowpark Alliance member Development Snowparks.

Most recently ASP has been working in Whistler up on Blackcomb Mountain re-grading the dirt in ground structure for the halfpipe in preparation for the newly purchased 22ft Global Cutter arriving this winter.

The in ground structure has been widen by 4m and work has been done to correct the fall line. During the redesign of the dirt we relocated a snowmaking line that ran across the bottom of the right wall. As a result we were able to extend the length of the walls and flatbottom by 10m. These changes are going to make it easier for the machinery to do the work of cutting the pipe and make the pipe last longer between re builds. If you have never ridden a Global Cutter shaped halfpipe, do yourself a favour and get out to Whistler this season and check it out.

Next up for ASP is rail and box construction as well as production of the popular modular Combi Box system. New for this season ASP is stocking a full line of snowpark shaping tools including vert shovels and park rakes. These are the same tools we used at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

ASP in the dirt

Laser guiding the shaping of the flatbottom

ASP shaping tools

CAMP OF CHAMPIONS FINISHING TOUCHES

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:54:00 -0700

The Camp of Champions summer ski and snowboard camp is underway! Check out Lucas’s latest video documenting the ASP crew as we get ready for camp ‘A’ and the Billabong Ante Up.

CAMP OF CHAMPIONS HELI RAILS

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:23:00 -0700

What's the fastest way to get rails from the base of Blackcomb Mountain up to the Horstman Glacier?

Check out Lucas's latest video and see how we get the Camp of Champion’s rails up to camp.

Camp of Champions Prep #3 from Lucas Ouellette on Vimeo.

CAMP OF CHAMPIONS COUNTDOWN

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:06:00 -0700

With one week to go until the start of the Camp of Champions summer ski and snowboard camp and the park is really starting to take shape.

The large , medium and progression jump lines are in, the mini pipe has been stepped out and is ready to cut, the rails have been flown up to the glacier by helicopter and the Jump for the Billabong TTR event has been pushed and will have the take off built by the end of the weekend. The diggers will be up on the snow on Friday to start with rail installation and hand shaping. We have pushed tons of snow in the last three weeks and there is still plenty to go around. I took a walk around the COC zone yesterday with a 10 ft probe and couldn’t find the bottom. Temperatures have been slightly cooler than usually in Whistler this spring so we haven’t seen any significant snow loss up on the Horstman Glacier. In fact, we received about 4 cm of new snow down to the bottom of the Catskinner Chair on Tuesday. Its shaping up to be an epic summer!

CAMP OF CHAMPIONS 2010

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 18:10:00 -0700

Preparations for the Camp of Champions summer ski and snowboard camp are underway. With 20% more terrain and tons of snow on the Glacier it’s going to be an unbelievable summer. Check out the latest video as we get ready for camp.

CUTTERS CAMP AND THE COMBI BOX AT BLACKCOMB

Sun, 30 May 2010 23:51:00 -0700

Check out Lucas Ouellette’s latest ASP video update from our trip to the Cutter’s Camp at Mt. Hood and the 90 ft Combi Box in the Blackcomb park.

The Arena Snowparks crew starts construction on the Camp of Champions summer snowpark this week. It’s going to be a crazy summer don’t miss out. Camp starts June 24th.

BLACKCOMB MOUNTAIN

Tue, 25 May 2010 22:45:00 -0700

WhisltlerBlackcomb wanted to end the 2010 park season with a bang. The WB Parks crew teamed up with Arena Snowpraks to install a 90ft Combi Box just above the entrance to the Highest Level park.

A big crowd showed up for the Showcase Snowboard Shop Rail-O-Rama jam on Sunday. Prizes where handed out for best trick, longest ride and raddest slide. Monday went off as well with riders throwing down their last tricks of the season on the 90ft beast. The Winter season is over for but skiing and snowboarding start up again on June 19th on the Horstman Glacier. The Camp of Champions starts up on the Glacier June 25th and it’s going to be an epic summer –20% more terrain, second best snow year on record, four complete Combi Box set ups, a five star TTR event in the camp with a specially designed jump and much more. Check back for updates on ASP’s camp build progress.

Anything is possible on the combi box

A little foggy but the riders were stoked

Doubling up on the combi box

GRENADE GAMES

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:57:00 -0700

The World Ski and Snowboard Festival wrapped up this weekend with the Grenade Games 6 pipe comp and grand finale valley Slope Style.

Up on Blackcomb the pipe was riding nicely and the riders where down for a day of fun and pipe jibbing. Along with finely shaped walls the pipe included a 8ft high log hitching post on the right wall and the Grenade piñata on the left.

Down in the valley crowds gathered on Saturday night to witness the Slope Style finale. The course started out with a multi option feature which included a kicker over a gap and a 50ft down flat Combi Box. After that they went into a big log launcher, mini hip and then into either a double picnic table set up or the RV wall ride.

Grenade Games pipe

Photo: Paul Atwood

Log jib

Photo: Paul Atwood

RV wall ride

Photo: Paul Atwood

WORLD SKIING INVITATIONAL SUPERPIPE AT BLACKCOMB

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:01:00 -0700

Whistler Blackcomb hosted the WSI Ski Superpipe competition in it’s new 22 foot pipe Tuesday. This was the North American competition debut for a Global Cutter shaped halfpipe and the skiers where boosting due to the smooth transitions and larger landing area of the finely shaped 22 footer.

The pipe will now be handed over to the snowboarders for the Grenade Games Superpipe competition which takes place on Friday April 24th.
Down in the valley ASP is working on the slope style course for the grand finally of the Grenade Games happening Saturday evening at the base of Whistler.

World Skiing Invitational Superpipe

Global Cutter equals smooth transitions

First hit in the Blackcomb pipe

WHISTLER AND BLACKCOMB SPRING UPDATES 2

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 06:58:00 -0700

The Orage Masters Event went off on Whistler Mountain this weekend. We saw a bit of rain on Saturday but the course held up well and the teams where putting on a show for the crowds gathered in the village.

Arena Snowparks will be back on site Monday morning to start construction on the Grenade Games slope style course which happens April 24th under the lights at the base of Whistler Mountain.

Blackcomb’s new 22 foot Global Cutter shaped halfpipe opened to the public on Friday and received rave reviews. The pipe will be the site of the World Skiing Invitational and the Grenade Games competitions starting April 18th through to April 22nd.

Orage masters team cribs

Downflat combi box

End to end on the hip

The Global Cutter in action

WHISTLER AND BLACKCOMB SPRING UPDATES

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:15:00 -0700

ASP crews have been in the valley all week on Whistler Mountain constructing the slope style course for the Orage Masters competition which takes place on Saturday. Ace park builder and ASP Rails welder, Anthony Ortes, has been logging some long days down in the slush dialing in the course and installing the rails and boxes.

Up on Blackcomb mountain, John Melville, has been putting the final touches on the 22 foot Super Pipe. John has also put in some long days and has managed to get the pipe open early so the public can have a chance to ride the new pipe for a couple days before the the World Ski and Snowboard Festival takes over.

Anton pushing the landing for the launcher

Combi box and hip

Picnic table setup

Blackcomb Mountain

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 22:28:00 -0700

Blackcomb’s halfpipe is in the midst of a transformation from 18 to a 22 footer. ASP started work on the pipe early this week and with over 100cm’s of new snow in the last ten days there is plenty of snow on hand to complete the build.

Arena Snowparks has teamed up with fellow Global Snowpark Alliance partner Development Snowparks of New Zealand to present the new 22 foot pipe shaper the Global Cutter. The Cutter will be making it’s North American debut at Blackcomb during the World Ski and Snowboard Festival April 16 to 25. The Cutter will then go down to Mt. Hood for SAM Magazines Cutter’s Camp May 9 to 16.

Looking up from the bottom

Grading the flat bottom

John putting the cutter together

Terrain Park Whistler

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 17:16:00 -0700

Check out Whistler’s new Combi Box set up. Last week the box, in the Chipmonk Park, was set up as a 16ft down, 5ft flat, 24ft down. This week the pieces have been re-arranged into a sick 32ft down, 14ft flat box.

The change over took two people around one hour to complete –the combinations are endless. Whistler Blackcomb will have two Combi Box set ups in the Grenade Games slopestyle course at the World Ski and Snowboard Festival April 16th to 24th.
Combi Box video coming soon.

Combi box before

Combi box after

All the pieces bolt together