January 7, 2010 E-MAIL PRINT

Teens want big hips

by Heather Burke/

Terrain parks seem foreign to parents, which is part of the reason kids love them. (photo: Greg Burke)

Terrain parks seem foreign to parents, which is part of the reason kids love them. (photo: Greg Burke)

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Teenage girls want big hips. Young men on snowboards are seeking out rollers and looking for trannies. These are not frightening cultural hair and fashion trends, just more trendy terrain park terminology. Hips, spines, rollers, hits, rails and trannies are all manmade elements that beef up the terrain options at local ski slopes. And they definitely bolster the excitement for the younger generation.

Why do kids love terrain parks so much? Because it’s a playground for trying new tricks, and it’s a place where mom and dad don’t want to hang out. "Sweet, see ya 'rents," they think as they pass the sign that says “Entering Terrain Park, beware.”

For decades, kids have enjoyed defying gravity, from jumping on couches to bouncing high off diving boards. So skiing is no exception, and the growth in terrain parks is Exhibit A. The elements in today’s parks offer a progressive playground to test your limits and push the envelope, and teens in particular are loving it.

It turns out terrain parks are very social. Have you noticed how boarders and twin tippers spend long pauses perched at the top of the jumps, long beyond just waiting for the jump to clear and their turn? Kids can hang all day in the park. Boarders unbuckle and congregate for hours, like it’s a beach — only blanketed in snow.

I, as a 40-something parent, feel like a foreigner in a terrain park. From the features (metal staircases and huge jumps), to the equipment, to the lingo that has emerged along the way, it’s just a different culture to me. But I am happy to report, after a little research (talking with my teens and a few others) there is a slopestyle code amongst these kids and all park users.

Terrain parks are everywhere, and they have inspired a whole new generation of skiers, and a whole new bag of tricks. This form of freesking and riding excites kids about the sport and makes them want to go to the mountains, even if they are eager to ditch mom and dad once they get there. That doesn’t change from generation to generation, does it? At least you are all enjoying the mountain, and ultimately spending time together.

The other good news is that while the kids are chillin’ in the park for hours at a time, chatting and impressing each other, the more traditional trails are left to you and me to ski.

So, if your kids tell you they are looking forward to some big hips and finding some sweet trannies, don’t worry — they are pursuing the same special sport as you.

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