Alli's First Look at Slopestyle with Bobby Brown

Xavier Bertoni introduces the next Winter Dew Tour.

Ah, Snowbasin, Utah. The site for the final stop of the Winter Dew Tour. The closing chapter of a month-long, back-to-back-to-back-to-back contest circuit. Where all the Dew Cup questions will be answered and the close to a wildly successful third year on the Tour. Gray skies and somewhat chilly weather presided over the Wasatch resort, as the contestants got their first chance at both the slopestyle and superpipe venues.

Snowbasin was the site of one of the athlete favorite superpipes last season (although it was only an 18-footer). This year, the pipe is back and has shaken off its vertically challenged label. The 22-foot stunt ditch sits in the Earth as if shaped by the Gods themselves, for all to behold.

World Champion Mike Riddle says hello from the Snowbasin Superpipe.

Outside of weather related things, the only criticism would be that the pipe seemed a bit shorter (in length) than other superpipes this year. But after watching practice, the heavy hitters [eg, Simon Dumont, Kevin Rolland, Justin Dorey] the pipe still seemed to be five or six hits. This would mostly be due to the 18-degree pitch of the pipe, whereas X Games, by comparison, was only 17 degrees.

Gray day here at the Snowbasin pipe.

It's a newer pipe (whereas Copper and Breck have had pipes all year long), so it might need a few more cuts on it to smooth out some kinks, but for all intents and purposes, this pipe is ready to rock. Cut it up one more time, dye the walls, hit the lights and watch the show. 

Follow cam pipe run with Simon Dumont.

If you're looking for information on the Superpipe race to the Dew Cup? Click here. The first event on the Superpipe docket? Last Chance Qualifiers, tomorrow afternoon. Can some of the Breckenridge hopefuls make the cut for another shot at Dew Tour glory? Check back tomorrow and see.

Simon Dumont having himself a mellow practice.

Justin Dorey and Simon Dumont like the Snowbasin Superpipe.

If the differences in Superpipes are measured in inches and degrees, then the Dew Tour slopestyle courses should be measured in entire sizes. Breckenridge's course was big. Killington's was medium length. And here at Snowbasin, the course can be considered small. Shorter in length than the other two stops and the jumps appear to be smaller in magnitude than the other two stops, yet course changes can still be made.

Matt Walker gives his two cents at Snowbasin.

Feature 1: Three flat options (two rails and a box) that gap to two down features (a rail or a box). Here Tom Wallisch hits the top (above photo) and Jossi Wells hits the bottom. (below photo)

Feature 2: An up-down, pyramid style rail or an up-flat box. Pretty standard features for this caliber of competition. Sammy Carlson glides over it.

Feature 3: A two-option feature. One cannon-style rail and one flat bar that you can carry some speed off of. Matt Walker has his way with this back 270-off.

Feature 4: The first of two jumps. Pretty standard shape, decent pop for a 45-50 footer. Chris Laker switch 540s it in the photo.

Cork 900 by a guy in a green jacket.

Feature 5: The second of two jumps. Larger than the first… but not by much. Elvis Harsheim does a mellow 360 in practice.

As with the Superpipe competitors, the first event for Slopestyle will be tomorrow's last Chance Qualifiers. And for information on the road to the Dew Cup, click here. Check back all week for more information on the Winter Dew Tour stop in Snowbasin, UT.

Alex Schlopy chats about the Slopestyle course.

For more on what's happening in competition this weekend, visit our Competition Action Hub.