FLYIN AT OKEMO (NOT ME)

by Paul Maraschiello

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When I was at Okemo for President's weekend, there was plenty of high-flying action and exciting terrain features in numerous locations at Okemo. They have three Terrain Parks, a massive Super Pipe and Quarter Pipe, there's plenty of on-snow action and adventure at every turn. The Zone Park has a terrain park with spines, hits, rails and a Quarter Pipe. It's also home to the Super Pipe, measuring a whopping 440'L x 55'W x 17'H with a 15 degree pitch. The Zone and Super Pipe are serviced by The Pull, that way skiers and snowboarders can enjoy all the action without hiking up the hill.

At the Nor Easter Terrain Park, I saw tabletops, whalebacks, rainbows, step-ups, hips, spines, banks and whoops. They have a beginner Terrain Park, called "Hot Dog Hill" with small hits and features -- sure to bring miles-of-smiles to beginners and students in lessons. It looked so inviting, I almost took a hit but my mother doesn't allow me to take big air.

Okemo claims their Super Pipe and Terrain Parks are always the first to open and have the enviable reputation as a favorite training ground for world-class athletes. Okemo has a commitment to snowmaking and building terrain features. Pipe and Park Rangers are on-site daily and are constantly creating new features.

Transworld Snowboarding Magazine named Okemo Mountain one of the "Top Ten Overall Snowboard Resorts in North America" in its 2002 Snowboard Travel Guide. Okemo's accolades were based on their Super Pipe and Terrain Parks and Okemo was ranked as the top pipe in the Northeast!

Get started on a snowboard at Okemo. The First Tracks introduction to snowboarding program includes everything a beginner shredder needs. They provide a 1-¾ hour group lesson, complete snowboard rental equipment package and unlimited use of Okemo's lower mountain quad chairlifts and teaching slopes. The all-new Double Tracks package offers two consecutive days of riding.

For intermediate and advanced adult riders, 3-day Adult Snowboarding Camps are available and include instruction, daily lift tickets, a Friday afternoon Welcome Party, indoor presentation, overnight snowboard check, and daily breakfast and lunch. The last Adult Snowboard Camp of the season will be offered March 8-10, 2002.

With an incredible reputation for constant capital improvements and innovative on-mountain facilities and terrain features, it's no wonder that Okemo Mountain Resort is one of the country's top snowboarding destinations and the training ground for world-class snowboard athletes.

Although I don't snowboard, I witnesses a lot of people having a great time riding on Presidents weekend at Okemo. There were a lot of skiers and riders sharing the slopes that weekend. All the fresh snow that they received created lots of fun moguls. They groomed the slopes and got them in pretty good shape.

I am always amazed that even on the busiest weekend of the year, you can still find some lifts with a small waiting line at Okemo.

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