August 2 and 3 Timberline Public Park Update

M

MtHoodMeadows

Member
I was up at Timberline both Saturday and Sunday (August 2 and 3) and here is a quick update:

The pipe is at the top of the mile canyon and looked pretty good, though I didn't hit it because I was hiking. Below the pipe are two jumps - the first is a double takeoff about 25 on the small side and 35 on the large side. The second was bigger - probably 55 or 60 and it was being sessioned and filmed both days (Tom Wallisch was killing it on Saturday). Below the jumps are three sets of paired jibs - flat box and mailbox at the top, urban setup double barrel down and flat bar up-gap-flat rail in the middle and urban setup single barrel with donkey dick and left banked c-box at the bottom. The final feature is a small hip/table. There is a short hike to the base of the mile lift, but you can still ride all the way to the parking lot.

It only took me 15 minutes to walk to the jibs on Sunday - I wore my trail running shoes and walked up the paved trail that leads down from the mile - unbelievably easy. I should warn, however, that the park crew was out on Sunday checking passes and booting hikers. I am still not sure if they can cite you for theft of services and am thinking that this is management harassing the kids into buying passes - beware. When he tried to kick me out, I put my shit back on my bag and kept hiking higher (that dude didn't see me hit any jibs and it is perfectly legal to hike and ski down the mountain) until he went away. When I have time, I am going to call t-line and see if I can get an answer to the question of the legality of hiking the park.
 
ahhh you musta seen t wall doin those nasty rodeos with the arm behind the back!!! Hornbeck and brady were still killin that jump sunday too. That jump is not 60 feet though... i would say its about 40 maybe 45, it just has a good landing so you can take it pretty deep if you please. Also the lip has melted away significantly in the past week so its not as kicky and hangy as it used to be.
They really cant do anything if your not hitting park. The reason they kick you out of park is liability. Since you didnt buy a lift ticket, if you get hurt it would make it extremely easy to sue timberline, so they actually do have a right to kick you out of the park. Ironically, its only been on sundays that they have been doing this, and they only check you at the jibs. If your hiking the jumps they dont say a word really.
Good update though :). Oh MHSSC and Windells still have a sick park too.
 
The reason they're kicking people out is pretty simple. It costs money to build those features - man hours, diesel gas, administration, marketing and lifts. None of it's free. It's also a liability issue. The only way oto get people to sign the waiver for insurance is by purchasing and acknowledging the warning on the back. Otherwise, they're wide open and could lose their insurance. It's a pretty big deal. They're being pretty cool about it. Just ride down when they ask.
 
Timberline is in the National Forest. They groom the climber's trail every day - that is two miles of groomed trail at $200 an hour for snowcat time (at least). They also groom the public lane on the Palmer. Climbers use the groomed trail (right next to a sheer drop into White River Canyon) and ski back down the Palmer at no cost all the time. The climber's trail is in-bounds and there is no need to have a backcountry permit if you don't leave the ski area.

Climber's Trail requires money (cat operators, fuel, overhead, etc) and, despite the danger (I nearly fell in a crevase on the groomed trail), there is no liability issue. One does not have to sign a waiver at the Climber's Cave, either - just sign out so they know if you don't return.

Explain why this is different than hiking and riding the parks.

 
^^^

I hope this didn't come off as douchebaggery - I have been wondering about this issue for some time and would really appreciate it if someone at Timberline can explain whether this is policy or if they can, in fact, cite you for theft of services (which is what they do if they catch you on the lift with a clipped or fake ticket).
 
Hope I didn't come off like a dick either. I just spoke w/ some people from T-line this weekend about the issue when they were checking tickets. I'm passing along what they told me. I spoke w/ one man from the terrain park and one from mountain operations. They were absolutely cool about everything. I see their point though - and yours as well. No one from T-line is in this forum? I'll see what I can come up w/. But I should add, the jumps were pretty dialed and I had a GREAT time this weekend. I think they absolutely know what's up. Great park.
 
I'm bringing my possy over to meadows this winter, we're going to poach the hell out of that place and enjoy every inch of your chunk of national forest!!!
 
So do you have an answer or not? I spoke to the GM and Director of Finance here and they seemed to think you can keep hikers out but couldn't cite law to me and all cases Tom had from Jackson Hole involved people skinning up and using lifts. Do you know the law? Why can I hike the climber's trail and ski down but I can't hike the park and ski down?

How about doing us a solid and checking with your employer to get a complete explanation?
 
I also don't think there is any need for you to poach since employees of PNW ski areas generally qualify for the ticket exchange program with the other PNW areas - Check with your HR department and hit me up when you are here.
 
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