Terrain Parks & Pipes at Buttermilk
How good are the terrain parks at Buttermilk? In 2014, the resort was ranked No. 3 for Best Terrain Park by Transworld Snowboarding Magazine (just one place behind Snowmass).
Depending on how you look at it, the entire heart of Buttermilk from the top to bottom is one terrain park after another, and that doesn't even include the S3 Park, where our Ski & Snowboard School can help you elevate your skills off the West Buttermilk Express Lift.
S3 Park
(Ski and Snowboard Schools)Location: Reds Rover Trail and accessed from the West Buttermilk Express lift.
The Gist: S3 consists of roughly 20 beginner- and intermediate-level features. There are several true table-top jumps ranging from 10 to 25 feet. The jibs include flat boxes, flat rails and a variety of shaped jibs (flat downs, bonks, rainbows and mini wall ride). This is a great park for entry- and low-level park riders, not visible from any lifts and out of the way with lots of room to breathe.
Opens: Typically opens by mid-December, but depends on snow conditions (no snowmaking at the top)
Buttermilk Main Park
Location: A series of terrain parks stretching from the top of Little Teaser to the bottom of the mountain.The Gist: With the #1 superpipe — a 22-foot Zaugg-cut beast that features prominently in the ESPN Winter X Games — and dozens of jumps, logs and rails along its 2-mile, top-to-bottom length, the Buttermilk Main Park will keep you busy all day and then some.
Opens: Generally opens by mid-December (depending on conditions)
X Park
Location: Spruce and Government trails and accessed off of the Summit Express lift.The Gist: This is the apex of Buttermilk's terrain. X Park consists of approximately 25 advanced and expert features and is home to the famous 22-foot Zaugg cut Superpipe used in the ESPN Winter X Games.
Simply put, professional reputations have been earned on this pipe.
There are 10 top jumps ranging from approximately 45 to 70 feet, five in a row on the Government side and four on the Spruce side. There are also up to 15 jib features including the ESPN Winter X Games boxes and rails, street-style rails and a variety of bonks and boxes.
Note: X Park usually opens when Buttermilk opens for the season but shuts down for a little over one month shortly after the New Year. It reopens following the Aspen Snowmass Open. This closure is necessary due to the prep work needed to host the ESPN Winter X Games and the Aspen Snowmass Open, which are held on the same course as X slope-style. Following these two events, the slope-style course is only slightly altered (gaps are filled in and takeoffs are merged from two options to one large take-off for each feature).
Teaser Park
Location: Teaser trail right off the top of the Summit Express lift.The Gist: Teaser Park consists of roughly 10 intermediate and advanced features ranging from stock down rails and fun boxes to urban features. The urban line includes barrel bonks, propane tank, diamond-plate pyramid and more.
Chuck's Park
Location: Uncle Chuck's Glade — also off the Summit Express (and directly below Teaser Park)The Gist: Chuck's Park consists of more intermediate- and advanced-level features. There are approximately 15 features including hidden log jibs, flat boxes and rails, small-side hits and tree-, traffic-barrier and barrel-bonks.
Jacob's Ladder Park
Location: Jacob's Ladder Trail accessed off of the Summit Express lift (and directly below/connected to Chuck's Park).The Gist: This park has 12 advanced features including four jumps (ranging from roughly 20 to 35 feet), two hip jumps and up to six jibs including a recycled feature from the Team Shootout at Snowmass.
Level 1 Buttermilk Park Edit
Midway Avenue Park
Location: Midway Avenue TrailThe Gist: What do we do with all the leftover snow from building the X Games course? Why, build another terrain park, of course. Our new Midway Avenue Park has a banked slalom course and other beginner and intermediate features to allow newcomers an ideal place to play out of the flow of the Buttermilk Main Park.
Opens: Shortly after the ESPN Winter X Games in early February.