Should I Manage a Park This Year?

CrazedSkier1080

CrazedSkier1080

Active member
Today I was presented with the opportunity to be the terrain park manager at a local mountain here in New Hampshire. Check out http://tenneymtn.com it's certainly nothing special but I live real close and I think it could be fun...

Here's the dilemma...

#1. Ive worked at the mountain all summer as an adventure guide (rock climbing, kayaking, and zip lines). It was fun, but the people who run the place could definitely do better. Many things are mismanaged and although it's fun, its just stressful knowing things could be much better. So, do I put up with this and hope in the winter things are different?

#2. I have little experience building terrain parks. A few years ago I worked at a mountain as kind of a joke to get a pass where I would rake jumps and salt take offs but nothing more than that. I have however, been skiing in parks for a long time now and can easily tell the difference between good and bad. I think I'd be able to work my way through it.

#3. Last year, the park sucked, plain and simple. I know I'll have very limited resources (cat time, rail options, design freedom etc...). But, I hope to be able to deal with this stuff and make it as good as possible.

I understand fully that I'm asking mostly (on average) 16 year olds with even less experience than I have. But, if anyone has some advice that would definitely be awesome.

Thanks!
 
I think it's a great opp. Small mountain that needs a facelift, so head in there and you and the staff can get more experienced together. Sounds like a great chance for growth for you AND them. They won't be expecting X Games quality and it'll be good to do some trial and error. I'd do it. I know you know what's good and if anything maybe you can help the freestyle scene in their area progress.

Point is, I think it sounds fun and easy-going. You know you'd be getting a lot of time on snow and having a title like this on your resume could help lead to bigger things. Luck Con!
 
While I think it would be fun, it would be a ton of work. The park crew at my mountain (sunpeaks) puts in so much time to get the park the way it is. I guess when you are skiing it then it doesnt seem like it was that much work but it sure is. Basically the park started with 6 rails in the first week of dec and didnt stop until we had a full park in march when they put new take offs beside the bottom jumps. It's a season long job for sure.

I would maybe see if you and another person could share the "managing" side to make it a little easier. If you have a solid crew of diggers that are dedicated it should be really fun.
 
Sounds like a good opportunity. In your shoes I would try it out for a season. If you really don't end up getting a good deal with respect to how much help management gives you with funding and cat time then use the job experience to get a position on a park crew or park manager somewhere else thats maybe alittle better run.
 
i say go for it. Its a great opportunity to get some experience so if you want to go to a better mountain you can. I think there might be some sort of class that you can take, maybe get the mountain to pay for it, to help you understand the what the angles of take offs and landings would be. The Killington park manager and some of the crew took those last year. As long as you are dedicated and enjoy what you are doing you can make a great park with shitty resourses. Focus of flow and fun over big features if you can't get the cat time. good luck
 
DO IT!
you'll be able to make a real difference. it'll boost your cv (resume) which can only lead you onto bigger and better things. this is the ideal first step into a proper career on a mountain.
 
Good luck..hire a good crew, have fun with it and be ready to put in HOURS upon HOURS..without a good crew or supervisors your screwed. Previous experience.
 
i didnt even know tenney was still open! i think you should def try it for a season, seems like a good oppurtunity. if it doesnt work out then you dont have to keep doing it, and if you make a sick park, maybe ill come................
 
why not....get a free season pass and get payed to ride park...

It is alot of hard work though, they didnt have a good park last year so there's no pressure on you and if your not lazy, im sure you can make a half decent park, with features you want to ride. It's a sick job, I will hopefully be on the park team with attitrash this year
 
Think about it this way, its a great oppertunity and if you dont like it well...you have alot of other winters to do something diffrent. Its not like you will be stuck with the job. So give it a try so you dont regret not doing it.
 
i personally like simple park, its fun.this year my home mountain invested in sketchy and crazy wood feature, but we didnt had a single flat rail.
 
Pretty much my dream job right there! So i say go for it!

As before mentioned, if nothing else, it'll be an experience, and a welcome addition to your CV if your lookin to get in to park/resort management.

With regards to the building, i know they have courses in how to build jumps and jibs at bigger resorts. Jibs is pretty straight forward since it doesnt involve that much snow, jumps however are a bigger challenge. Angles, speed etc have to be just right, so a course would be a good idea. Maybe study angles/speed/distance online, i know you can find equations online that explain it.

Im jealous of you, good luck, and have a great season!
 
Personally I would definitely do it. You could build features that you like and honestly just talk with the people riding the park, be out there with them and ask what they want you to build etc. If raking the take offs and shit is a lot of work you should talk with the resort and have some kind of volunteer program, like I could go there rake the take offs every couple hours and get a free lift ticket. Something like that.
 
It's better to start at a shitty park anyways.. you'll gain experience as you go, and since you already know what to look for in a park, it shouldn't be too hard to figure it out. And even if it takes a while to actually make some nice features, you're at a small mountain anyways.
 
hell ya I would do it. my advise would be start with a very simple park. the mistakes you can make are minimal if you start with beginner-intermediate features and every park goes through an advancing progression during the season. dont try to make your closing day features in the beginning, and always welcome rider criticism.

If you arent sure def get someone to help with the responsibilities
 
dude take that job. that is literally my dream job; to help make a shitty park good so that the good people can shred hard
 
Plus, if you do a good job, kids you've never even met will straight up love you..

Can I get a shout out for a Tad Feiss?
 
take it for sure. make sure to get a lot of rider feedback and ask the regular park rats what kind of features they want to have. happy riders = better feedback which = good things for you.
 
Definetly go for it, it will bring you alot of satisfation to see people hitting the features you worked on and designed, and you will be in the park alot as well. It would be a great opportunity to learn alot more about terrain parks and skiing in general, as well as improve your own skills (as a builder, designer, manager, skier and many other things). It will take time and effort but what you will get out of it will be well worth it. Hope you go for it and good luck.
 
If you think you can do it give it a go, talk to the riders built it the way they want it after all they are the ones using it. The people that use the park could be your greatest asset in getting it set-up right, I think it would be a great opportunity and jump on it if i had the chance.
 
Join the Park Builders cult and you can post questions and whatnot in there. Whether you're managing a park at a tiny little resort with little scene or the biggest freestyle hub in your area you are still responsible for rider safety. As long as you keep that in mind and start small you should be in good shape. PM me if you have any specific questions, but definitely join the park builders cult and talk to some other builders/managers.

Dont hire young kids

Dont skimp on paperwork and records

Dont expect anything to go as planned
 
i was asked to do that for soldier mt. in idaho and i wanted to it but then the lodge burnt down and i dont think they will open this year. but you difinitly should do it you could help the place.
 
In all honesty, by asking a skiing community this question you're not going to get far from 100% 'Yes' responses.

It's down to you, if you really want to do it then go for it. As for the managment, you'll be able to work around them. Who knows, if you do a good job you might make your way up the ranks.
 
back in the day didn't "tenny mtn" make snow inlike august once??

but ya dude you should do it. it'd be dope to have a park your way.
 
Having a freeskier as park manager, rather than an a straight up 'manager' would be beneficial. People who are trained in marketing, and not true skiers will find it difficult to create a top class park.
As a freeskier, you'll know what people actually want from the park. Go for it.
 
oh and you don't need big jumps or fancy rail setups to have an amazing park. just raid trash piles and get creative, kidz get stoked if you just get an old oil barrel and lay it in the park, or some pallets set up in some creative jump style way, i once even skied a park where they took hoods and trunks from old cars and it was a blast!!

get jiggy with it.
 
The amount of times I've been to an amazing park, but just sessioned the same box or rail is ridic. Quality over quantity: a few highly trickable boxes and rails are better than shit loads of super tech stuff.
 
get stoked and go for it man. you could be the person to lead tenney into being known better for there parks. being manager of parks at a little mountain is awesome too because you can get to know everyone real well
 
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