Imagery: Chris Segal, Courtesy of Sugar Bowl Resort
On February 21, Sugar Bowl Resort held the official launch party for their new set of terrain parks, and trust us when we tell you this debut was well worth the hype. The new parks include a plethora of rails and jib features, as well as three different jump lines with small, medium, large and XL kickers ranging from 25 – 65 feet.
Renowned for its flowing freeride terrain, Sugar Bowl has never been widely thought of as a resort with a vibrant freestyle scene. But all that is rapidly changing, as these new builds have thrown the ski area to the front of the pack for creative and professional parks in North America.
For Sugar Bowl, it has been far from a quick journey to get here. Like all good things, creating these new parks took time and meticulous planning. CEO Bridget Legnavsky was a driving force behind the new endeavor. After forging a freestyle mecca at New Zealand’s Cardrona Resort, Legnavsky turned her sights to North America where she’s already making big waves in just her third year with Sugar Bowl.
“We are providing freestyle athletes with a highly customized training facility that gives them the ability to develop their skills at every level,” Legnavsky said at the launch party. “From high-level coaching to training facilities, these athletes have access to what they need to master their sport whether they’re a rookie just starting out, to a pro-level athlete competing on the international stage.”
The project was assisted by some of the best park shapers in the world, including Brandon Dodds, Mike Schipani, Charles Beckinsale and Steve Petrie. Each of them brings decades of experience building, designing and maintaining freestyle terrain and high-profile slopestyle courses for events like the Olympics, X Games and Dew Tour.”
All Images: Chris Segal
The new parks mark a stark turn for Sugar Bowl, and show that the resort is clearly listening to its athletes and community. Many large resorts that used to be known for their freestyle prowess have now faded into the background, putting their budget into other endeavors and shifting marketing funds to different crowds.
But as the old fades, the new inevitably takes its place, and perhaps that is what we are now witnessing at Sugar Bowl; the dawn of a new era in West Coast freestyle. The resort has also made it clear that this is just the first step in their larger plan. Sugar Bowl intends to construct larger jumps with permanent earthwork built up beneath them, thus requiring less snow to safely maintain the features throughout the winter.
Sugar Bowl is also welcoming two incredible events in April of 2025. With a weather window from April 2 -5, the Silver Belt freeride competition is returning for its second year, with more details soon to come on the finalized rider list, course lay out and more.
Plus, the Jossi Wells Invitational (JWI) will be heading to Sugar Bowl Resort April 7 – 11. Traditionally held at Cardrona Alpine Resort in New Zealand, the JWI makes its first Northern Hemisphere stop in 2025.
Known for its open-format, athlete-judged approach, the JWI is one of FREESKIER’s favorite events in the wide world of skiing, and we can’t wait to see what Wells and friends bring to the table in just a few weeks.
Stay tuned for updates on these events and more!
Watch Below – David Wise and Xander Guldman give their thoughts on the new Sugar Bowl parks
