Crystal Mountain MI

i feel like they would have some incentive to put some work into the park tho? Cannonsburgs park has been packked every night ive been there this year..but i guess they have a lot to focus on
 
im up there about half the summer/winter every year. trust me, me and my buddies would be more than happy to help put out/build more features.
 
yes it would!! If we do affect some change our crew is definately going to need some volunteersto help out. One way that some resorts are getting around liability in advanced parks is "park pass" where you have to sign your life away so to speak. I think this would keep the hordes of gapers away. Thats one of the biggest problems at Crystal. We did have a guy die on jump the year before I was there. Which is why there were no jumps at all for a couple seasons. I worked very hard and wrote a proposal to get jumps reinstated at Crystal. All it would take is one more accident not even that bad to revisit that. which is why the takeoffs arent even close to as poppy as you guys would like. I think park pass may allow us to build a little bigger more advanced jumps and have the people that should be riding them the only people that are. Weve all seen the continuous line of gapers rolling over the jump lips! thoughts on park pass? experiences?
 
Never dealt with a park pass..but im all for it!! maybe leave giggles or something small for the gapes but the park pass would be well worth it..the amount of kids riding over the lips is a little absurd
 
I agree, the ideal thing about Cburg and Timber is they are both very close to major population centers in Mich with GR and Kzoo. So it may be easier to see an overall return in their investment. I always thought Mt holiday in TC should do something similar, being right in town. I think your right tho, it would bring more people in if they did invest more in their park even tho Crystal is in the middle of nowhere basically. How many TC kids and with what frequency do you think would make the 45min drive to Crystal rather than going to hickory or holiday? Just asking, not really sure myself. seems like a bunch would if we were kicking it out legit. thoughts?
 
A little absurd!! its ridiculous. I do agree about the beginner park, had the same thought. although a couple resorts have different levels of park pass. beg, int and advanced. park pass can also bring in some cash to build new features. I am researching it hard, cause I think it one of the only solutions to the gaper problem that is out of control. Really sucks for you guys that want bigger/advanced features.
 
Great to see you on this thread will! This is the other will. A park pass seems like the perfect solution to this problem. Make people sign a waiver and pay a small fee or take a short class to get a park pass. All riders in the park must have their park pass with them to ride there. This would get rid of tons of gapers I'm sure.

I really hope crystal puts money in to build new features and allows poppy jump lips once again. Glad to hear the park crew is on the same page.
 
Word^^,,, there may be some bitching at first if the pass idea goes into effect from people who think that the last kicker is a place to help theyre kids learn how to "jump" and get "confidence" by riding over the lip when theres smaller jumps specifically designed for that. But im all for whatever ideas that would help improve the current situation and would be willing to help.
 
I appreciate it guys, i really hate to see the people that are actually riding the stuff to potential being the ones who get the raw end of the deal. So do I as a rider, Im there almost every day. I really think that the biggest issue is the runs that the parks are on, limits us to basically half the run on giggles and basin and off fall line in tucks.Not exactly ideal. I am going to be delving into this park pass idea,and pushing it. With the hopes of getting some park moved and if not I have some other ideas that could improve things with some new features. I really do think its a step in the right direction, I think it will allow us to build a variety of more progressive park, cause here in the midwest park is really the only fun thing to ride after awhile. Pow days are fun but lets face it we dont get many and its small time.
There is always bitching it doesnt matter much. I think the bitch factor might actually go down, and many people even the ones who now let their kids roll over the third jump, would feel better with a more structured program on hill.I think the upper management would too they just dont know it yet, thats where I come in! My home mountain has park pass, they have SICK park and alot of it.
Im also going to be in summit co in april. will be hitting breck, keystone and copper parks for two weeks.should get some great food for thought there. keep in touch, all of you guys. keep this thread going and hit me up on the hill with your thoughts, ideas and anything else. I can let you in on some of the stuff I'm thinking about. My knee is almost better and I just got some new skis, so you guys should see me out riding more soon. you can also get me at willjohnston@crystalmountain.com or through here if ya wanna PM me. Cause really if you email anyone at crystal about park it just gets forwarded to me anyways. off for tonight, will check back tomorrow. big thanks again boys!
 
i agree on the limitations by the runs and placements and i really like the idea of a park pass. its great to know you guys are thinkin of the park and are trying to improve it. its even better you hopped on NS to make sure we knew whats up. thanks man and ill be pumped to see what changes you're thinking of
 
Hey all,
Threw down a wallride/ barrel bonk in basin. Kind of an experiment, let me know what you think. We also put some rails on the knuckles in tucks. 1st jump has an urban DFD, second has an urban down bar and the third has a Tbox cannon type thing. we also built the start ramp back to a reasonable height, Its so nice to have a real cat back in action. Come out and shred!!
 
The only problem with a park pass is someone needs to partol the entrance of the park at all times. If you have a gap in coverage and then something negative happens, oh man, look out the laywers will have something then. I guess you could get away with a huge sign stating that a pass is required, but its no different that a large sign that states it as a Large Park, and the beginner groms will still attack.
 
I'm heading out west with Jennings too but I'm pumped to get back and try the new stuff you put in will. For real I'm sure everyone here really appreciates that you know what goin on and are thinking of new ideas. I'll be sure to head up in a week or two an check out the new shit
 
yo could anyone take a go pro run of tucks and basin or take some pics. i wanna see the cannon and the wall ride really bad. someone pics please
 
illl be up all day saturday and sunday, ill try to get some pictures of the new setup and try it myself....,,sadly couldn't make it up today due to road conditions being shitty/school. Good to hear everything is up and running though Will...
 
That is definately a factor. Its true that you have to enforce the boundries you set. Definately signage but park crew riding around as well doing some monitoring and probably someone at the top straight up checking. I think with radio communication between these teams we could pull it off. It wouldnt be the first time.Thanks for the input skier 691! Definately going to be calling around to other resorts to see how they handle their park pass system.
 
If any of you are coming up tmorrow, it may well be VERY ICEY. thaw today and then colder overnight and tomorrow. just dont want anyone to be surprised.
 
Just got back from crystal, dont have any pictures as of riight now...but overall i thought Tucks setup was dope (rail wise), fun to just take laps. On the 1st knuckle the DFD is setup just like it was on basin pretty much, along with a step-down that is almost impossible to clear. 2nd knuckle has the downrail, which is easy to lock onto, good slope etc, along with another kicker. 3rd setup has the up box (t-box) // cannon setup, which is really fun IMO, nice and floaty.... have to carry speed though (obviously). Jumps were pretty much the same as they have been, 3rd one seemed to possibly have a slightly steeper landing(?). Basin was the same except the wallride//barrel bonk setup, which was meh...its kinda an akward setup. The barrel bonk on the side is nice, but the wallride itself was kinda useless. I think it would help if it was postitioned facing more downhill, than horizontally acrossed the run because you cant really slide the whole thing. So if you liked the dance floor you may be dissapointed.
 
fair enough.... It was hard to get speed for anything today,after 3inches of heavy wetness. I think that you will be able to get speed for that first jump as it gets faster, I did build up the start ramp a bunch. The rail sets did seem smooth. As far as the wall ride, try gapping on to it from the ramp or just trying some stalls on top instead of maybe trying to slide the whole thing....just some thoughts. I do think that a few degrees more down hill would be good tho, with you on that. Maybe a little steeper too. Pretty much just an experiment, Ive never built one before, live and learn and make it better. Cheers!
 
yea,,i didn't expect to clear the 1st one at all, (due to obvious bad conditions). actually didn't even hit it, just judged this from watching other people case it all night. The rail sets, as i stated before were really fun IMO....and im not personally into jumps that much anyways. And yea the wallride just needs some added creativity to sesh, i just didn't really know how to hit it when i first saw it. Didn't mean any hate, good to see change anyways, had a fun day on the current setup.
 
No Hate taken at all. Love the feedback!! especially when its constructive. Glad you had a good time!! Even though the conditions werent the best. looks good today though, was just up there and the crew killed it last night. So jealous of you guys that can ride, still trying to take it easy on my knee. So Im fresh for Co. Have fun today!!

PS all you guys should come and introduce yourselves when you see me out there. That way I can put a face to the name. I already know midwestjibski, and I think I rode the chair with lazy the other day although I could be confused. Be nice to put a name to a face.

PSS tucks will open at noon today, we have a slope comp at 11, prolly should have mentioned that earlier...oops. sorry.

Have a great day!!
 
Will do for sure...

Wish I could be up there tho, a comp on that setup actually sounds real fun..i like being able to choose between jumps and rails all in one line
 
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theres some shots i took today...of the downrail, DFD and 3rd setup.
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heres the basin line...(excluding the c-box, which is out of frame to the left)

 
Nice Pics!!! We should have most if not all of this set up in two weekends from now. I think we will also put the rainbow back out this week in line with the c or where that little spine is now in front of the wall ride.The weather as of yesterday was looking good at least to the 15th, which means its possible we will have park, until the 3rd or 4th weekend in march.We wont throw in the towel until we have to. Thanks for the stoke!
 
Sick my friend owns one of the walk to the hill houses near the buck lift so i might be going up next weekend, sure hope i can make it because that looks way more legit that mid january
 
hey all, Our close date is apr 3. Parks as of now are holding with most features on basin except the rainbow and and everything but the kink and cannon in the big park. The rain and warm took its toll seemingly overnight. Almost just pulled a bunch last night but replowed some instead. Im going to talk to them and see if they want me to build this week and keep park going or I have a feeling by about wednesday or so there may be little left.Just wanted to keep you guys up to date. hopefully I can get another build in.I just started riding again after the knee injury!
 
looks like we will be getting 1 more build in next week. Going to try to concentrate on the big park and try to get the rails reset on the knuckles, and replow the jumps some.I have a feeling basin will be gone. But if we can salvage the jumps and put the rails back up I think we will have one more GOOD park weekend. Will have to see how monday and tuesday go and hope we dont get to much rain, then its supposed to cool back off for a week or so. enjoy the sunshine!!
 
Hey All,
Just wanted to let you know that we did do some reseting last night. first jump takeoff gone, now we have a flat down flat rail and the dance floor( not ride on, couple foot gap) as well as the cannon/tbox reset on the third. I tried to replow the second jump a bit poppier, but the third is still flat, cause its a brick of ice.Basin has the c box and the barrel and the flat bar( think its on the lean tho, will be pulling those out for the year soon)
Next year however, we will be making the jumps poppier. Do any of you know what takeoff angle that you like the best? USASA specs 36 degrees if I remember correctly. Lots of changes going on there, a new lift is the word. I heard a rumor that they are thinking about switching tucks park with the race hill on cheers. Now thats just a rumor ive heard, but that alone would make it better. Imagine how many different kickers we could have along the bottom before that last pitch and the whole park would be longer. They may see things my way when they see my proposal in about a week for the all of the parks and the supercross course moving to the backside(ridge) Its so under used and would be a great spot to have different levels of park. Theres an awesome spot for a 50-60 footer! Anyway, the weather looks good till closing day so we should have tucks up until the last day, unless it gets warner then predicted. Anyone going out tomorrow? someone should come out and hit it up with me! any takers for park skiing in the sunshine?
 
If half the stuff you are pushing for gets set up it would be SICK, one of the better public parks in Michigan. I really dont care how poppy your jumps are as long as the landings match the lips, nothing worse than a poppy jump with a flat landing or a flat jump with a super steep landing. If you havent been to otsego take a look at their jumps, they had the smoothest 30 foot table top i have ever hit, and also some big boys in the 50-60 foot range that were well set up.
 
good to hear you guys got a build in this late in the year,,,unfortunately haven't been able to ride since last saturday, but will be looking forward to it this weekend and throughout spring break.
 
will buy a digital level before I go and check a few resorts takeoff angles, will make for a nice overveiw of what the best parks are doing.
come out and ride before its all gone.....
 
doesnt look like im gonna be able to make it out the rest of this year. My friend and i were just talking about how u should either put the park on cheers or on the slope on the far left of the north face, but then u get the gapers in the north face. and when u say new lift for the park would it be high speed? mine as well just put a rope there. sounds sick either way
 
New lift for the resort, not the park. replacing loki or something. those ridge runs are a bit steep up top but are good not to far down. the skiers far right run is really flat for most of the way , I bet we could get a least 6 features in a line if not 8 on that slope. I think we could facilitate multiple jump lines back there using those steep bits as drop ins.Cheers would be dope though, its on fall line, longer and easy to make snow on in the right places, a 3 or 4 kicker jump at the bottom...hmmmm. We will see what happens! keep ya posted.
 
Also, working on a computer jump model so I can input all the fields(speed, takeoff angle, pop etc) and the program will spit out how far you will go or what percentage down the landing a rider will land. should make for better jump shapes in general. landings and takeoffs. peace
 
One thing i wish my park crew would think of is the prevailing winds for the jump line, at my mountain the wind is almost always hammering you in the face on your way down to a jump which makes it difficult to gage speed, and sometimes slows you down enough in the air to hit the knuckle. So try as much as you can to keep the jumps out of the wind.
 
heres some more pictures i took recently, crystal is still open throughout the spring break week if anyone wants to come up and ride....park is holding up great (As of today)
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Nice pics!! As of now the big park is holding fine. The features that are left in basin will be out at some point this week. They are pretty hagard anyway. should be good till the sunday close in the big park tho.
 
i know this is very very off topic, but does anyone know any good tree skiing or steep stuff with pow around crystal. I know there is right off to the buck lift and u hike up there, but does anyone know anything else?
 
Not Really, I know some people have gone to the trees across the street. I always wanted to check out the elberta bluffs, been up there in the fall and theres some good lines in there, not sure if it holds snow often, being right out by the lake. sand dunes are supposed to be good, never been tho. Ive gone to the old sugarloaf resort after storms and got some good pow hiking, snowmobiles are there too tho. Im sure I could think of some other places too If I really try.......
 
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