We hit up Kitzsteinhorn last season to shoot a spotcheck for our dead tree edition and were blown away by how the park setup had come on since our last visit a few years before. It’s one of those places where there’s something for every level of freestyle rider to have a pop at: from mellow jibs and jumps, to creative up-and-down sections, to mid-sized kickers and rails all the way up to the pro-line which is as boom-worthy as you’ll find on European shores. All this plus they have a killer superpipe and are at an elevation where you can guarantee conditions will be good till late in the season.

We want to go back there now and, after you’ve watched this, we’re sure you’re frothing to hit it up too. Hell, even if you’re bearded freeride dude there’s some epic pow runs to be had in that resort…

If you ever wondered what our raison d’être is here’s the answer: We are here to promote the joys of sliding sideways, get a free board every now and then and help you get a decent shred on. Let’s stick with the latter for a moment: Since it is not always easy to pick the right destination for a decent set of park laps may we suggest you go to the Swatch Snowpark Sölden next time? The park is as good as it gets (with all sorts of beginner to pro features, a cool shape crew and a lot of support from the resort), the backcountry options are spectacular, and the après options are a North American party dream come true.

Our friends from QParks sent us these two park checkout clips. One shows Mario Wanger on the pro line (including a cringeworthy end), the other Thomas Hoerhager and Dominik Brunner on the beginner and medium features. QParks slapped our logo onto them and we guess that means ‘please post them.’ Which we will gladly do as they give you a good idea of the park and its features. Lots of photos and a pretty detailed description of  the park were also included. All of which is to be found underneath this yackety-yak. Go visit Sölden everyone!

Mario Wanger making use of the Swatch Snowpark Sölden. Photo: Rudi Wyhlidal

Swatch Snowpark Sölden

The Swatch Snowpark Sölden has become one of the most outstanding snowpark in the Alps over the last years. The varied set-up gets an upgrade with every season and also in 2010/11 it will boast with some additional obstacles to provide the right challenge for the international freestyle community. The Ötztal, with its majestic mountains and a height difference of nearly 2000 meters between bottom- and top station, is also well known as a freeride eldorado.

The proline panorama. Photo: Rudi Wyhlidal

Freestylers can reach the Swatch Snowpark Sölden on the Gigijoch easily by using the chairlifts “Hainbachkar” or “Silberbrünnl”. The park offers a very good balance of beginner-, medium- and pro- items as well as kickers between 4 and 15 meters (13 – 50 ft). Furthermore, the park harbors a huge number of rails, boxes, wallrides and numerous other features, which are maintained every single day. Also legendary became the gondola rainbow or the e-rail, at which you will need more that one try for sure. Two years ago the “Swatch Shoot my ride” started, that gives you the chance to watch and analyze your tricks on a big video wall at the bottom of the park. The upcoming season this special offer will be continued and again the park promises freestyle at the highest level. Beginners as well as professional riders can expect both new obstacles. Besides the two new XL butterflat boxes also an a-frame box, a 9m double kinked box and a 9m butterbox rollercoaster will be built up. Set-up variety, high chill factor and a training ground for new tricks are the keywords that best describe the popular Swatch Snowpark Sölden.

The uncontested terrain for Sölden’s freeriders is definitely Gaislachkogl. Its peak (3,058m/ 10,032ft) offers long runs in all expositions and the mainly steep slopes are a true heaven for skiers and borders alike. Sölden’s second major ski area is the Giggijoch, where wide and open slopes present themselves as the perfect freeriding area for beginners. In the rare case that there isn’t enough snow in Sölden’s winter ski area, Rettenbach glacier is the place to be! The mainly short to average sized runs guarantee pure powder fun. Even though Tiefenbach glacier predominately offers short ski trails, its peak (3.249m/ 10,660ft) is the starting point for some fantastic powder runs of up to 2.000 altitude metres. However, to be on the safe side make sure to take a guide with you!

Mario Wanger getting some airtime. Photo: Rudi Wyhlidal

Besides traditional events like the Freestyle Feast there have been some truly epic shootings at two of the enormous big kickers, designed and build by QParks parkdesigner Rudi Whylidal. Many well-known film crews and riders followed the invitation and the shots will be featured in the upcoming video projects. There is for sure more to come in 2010/2011, so get yourself ready!

Local Tipp: Rene Schnöller

„The absolute highlight of Sölden is its Public line. Even if there are quite a lot people, the queues are not too long and the riding-flow is not disturbed. It’s just a cool line where beginners and pros are having fun together in the snow. Instead of taking the direct route to the park, a little detour to the Geislachkogel is definitely recommendable, as the reward is a breathtaking panoramic view and some sick powderruns.”

Dominik Brunner shot by Rudi Wyhlidal

Snowpark

Swatch Snowpark Sölden by the Chairlifts Hainbachkar and Silberbrünnl at 2.250 m (7381 ft)

Set-Up 2010/2011

Kickers:
– easy
- advanced
- pro lines from 4 to 15 m (13’ – 40’) table

Boxes:
– Flatbox 5m (16,4’)
- Flatbox 4m (13’)
- 2 x Flatbox 3m (10’)
- Rainbowbox 5m (16,4’)
- Double Kinkedbox 12 m (40’)
- Beginnerbox 4m (13’)
- Up Box 6m (20’)
- Up Down Box 6m (20’)
- E Box 6m (20’)
- 2 x XL Butterflat Box 6m
- A-Frame
- Double Kinked Box 9m
- Butterbox Rollercoaster 9m

Rails:
– Rainbowrail 5m (16,4’)
- Kinked Rail 6m (20’)
- Kinked Rail 12 m (40’)
- Gondola Rail
- E-Rail 12 m (40’)
- Down Rail 12 m (40’)

Other obstacles:
1 A-frame wallride
1 Jibcan
1 Waveride for Freestyle-beginners
1 Chill area

QParks have created another belter of a snowpark in Sölden this season, and they’ve chopped together this neat edit of a couple of locals shralping their way through it so you can see what features they’ve got waiting for you to hit up.

Thomas Hoerhager & Dominik Brunner show us the setup in the Swatch Snowpark Soelden. Pretty early in the season they ride the Beginner and Medium lines and use the elements to get in shape for the upcoming season. Check the brand new snowpark-soelden.com

Unless our remedial German skills have failed us once more, Schöneben translates literally as ‘just beautiful’ – and it looks like a fitting name for this mellow QParks creation in the Sud Tirolian Italian alps. Sure, there’s no 25m megabooters but what there is is plenty of well-groomed freestylin’ features for all-comers. Have a look at what they got.

Check out what the setup’s looking like – basically something for everyone. We’re backing that mini jib line as we’re old and washed up…

Sick tricks at the park and fun powder lines? that was the first shooting of the new season at the Horsefeathers Superpark Planai. A Hungarian crew together with QParks filmer Balint Hambalko took a road trip up to Schladming to rock the rails, boxes and kickers. Check out how Balint experienced this pre-Xmas shootout session at the Planai and get another glance behind the scene of a QParks shooting.

More info on horsefeatherssuperparks.com

The new season set to kick off in Sölden and the QParks crew are busy shaping the new park for 2010/11, with temperatures dropping steadily and things coming together nicely. Time to take a look back to last year’s best shots with the brand-new Swatch Snowpark Soelden Highlights Clip 2009/10. As you’ll see, not only is it good for the likes of Werni Stock to throw monster front 10s and double backies off the über wedge, there’s plenty in there for regular Joe shredders to enjoy too. Check it.

The last installment of our roundup of spots to ride this summer takes in the glacier in Folgefonna. Ever seen those crazy sunset shots? Folgefonna? Ever heard tales of crazy all-nighters with Norwegian girls? Folgefonna. Cliff jumping, fjord swimming and skateboarding? Folgefonna it. It ain’t surprising this bad boy’s been going for over a decade and a half.

Folgefonna

MPORA Action Sports >>

At this legendary Norwegian camp, now in its 15th year, you can ride all day and then go chill in the sea when you’ve had enough shred time, plus being that you’re way up north the sun barely sets so there’s some epic evening scenics. From June 21 to July 10 the guys will be on point to make sure everything’s set up right, with lakeside lodgings, mini ramps, food stands and more offered for campers. In the park you can expect plenty of kickers, rails and boxes all groomed with love but sadly there’s no pipe. €450 gets you housing, liftpass, coaching, activities, and daily transportation. If you just want to ride the glacier, an adult day pass is 325 Kronor but for freestyling you’re definitely best off getting on one of the bangin’ Folgefonna camps.

Links:

www.folgefonna.no

www.folgefonn.no

The Grande Motte with the park to the right.

Back to France for the penultimate Summer Shred Guide.

Once home to the legendary Snowboard UK board tests and an assortment of camps, the summer scene in Tignes has dropped off over the past few years, but there’s still a park shaped for the summer months that can offer up some fun slushboarding.

Tignes

The glacier is open every day from 19 June to 29 August from 7.15am to 1pm and for a €29 day pass you can be up on the Grande Motte glacier in 7 minutes by funicular where there’s 20k of runs to shralp. The park at the bottom of the north face has a pipe, kickers, hips and quarters and rails of all sizes that will so you’ll find something to hit whatever your level of riding. Though Val Claret, by the lift, is a typical French concrete monstrosity, there’s nice lake to hurl yourself into down the road in Tignes, an 800 m2 skatepark, heaps of bike trails and a golf course. Check out the dudes at the Dragon Lodge, a sweet chalet by the lake run by some ‘safe as fuck’ Welsh shredders.

Tignes Le Lac

Links:

www.tignes.net

Rookie owning the Gentlemens Park at the Rookie Camp. Photo: Eleanora Raggi.

Italy’s on the cards for this latest Summer Shred Guide, as take a look at what the legendary Val Senales will be offering up. Like Les Deux Alpes, it’s one of the few glaciers that still maintains a solid series of camps through the summer months, with each week attracting different crews and pro teams for you to hang out and shralp with. Here’s the skinny…

Val Senales

More Snowboarding Videos >>

Val Senales opens up its summer freestyle program for six weeks in June and July where you’ll find the Gentlemen Riders crew taking care of the Nitro Snowpark. These dudes know sure know what’s up and have created an huge playground on their 120,000 m2 bit of glacier, with Easy, Medium and Pro lines meaning there’s something for everyone. Also sick is that it takes less than an hour from your bed to the park. There’s heaps of team and camp weeks to choose from, with all-inclusive options, and if you’re under 18 you can get on the 2010 Rookie Camp from 3 to 10 July. There’s a good skatepark, all those summer aftershred activities and, come sundown, the Italians sure know how to make party.

Park Breakdown

Easy Line

1. table: straight box
2. table: kinked box
3. table: up tube
4. table: kicker 1.5m
5. table: kicker 2m

Easy Line will be continued with:
- kids’ up-down box
- jib barrel
- kids straight box
- ripped tube
- kids kinkes box
- up tube
- easy up box
- straight box 3m
- whoops line
- mailbox 4m

Medium Line

1. table: straight box 7m, kicker 5m, kicker 9m
2. table: F-tech jib bowl, kicker 5m, kicker 9m
3. table: downbox 7m, kicker 5m, kicker 9m
4. table: rainbow box, tubestop, funbox 4m with tube, funbox 6m, corner hip
5. table: picnic table, kink gap box, funbox 5m with tree bonk
6. table: funbox 6m with corner

Proline

1. table: step down kicker 7m; kicker 12m; treestop, kicker 15m
2. table: step down/transfer kicker 7m; kicker 18m + kicker 24m
3. table: corner + surprise obstacle for the F-tech shooting

Pro Rail line

1. table: downrail 12m
2. table: double kinked 15m
3. table: canon box 6m + up canon rail 7m

Roope at last year's Rookie Camp.

Links:

Val Senales Park

www.schnalstal.com