I have a question about the halfpipe

[DallasCowpoke]

Does the elevation drop from the start to finish points on those things?

It looks like it does slightly, but it's hard to tell on TV.

 

[peplaw06]

Does the elevation drop from the start to finish points on those things?

It looks like it does slightly, but it's hard to tell on TV.

I'll assume you mean the height from the flat to the lip of the pipe, since it's obviously a drop in elevation down the mountain.

I don't think there's supposed to be a drop in the height of the lip, but I think at the end of the pipe the flat is sort of less manicured, so it looks like it gets shorter.

 

[tomson75]

I'll assume you mean the height from the flat to the lip of the pipe, since it's obviously a drop in elevation down the mountain.

I don't think there's supposed to be a drop in the height of the lip, but I think at the end of the pipe the flat is sort of less manicured, so it looks like it gets shorter.

No...I think he meant the change in height from start to the finish....i.e. the decline or slope that it uses.

Short answer: Yes

Slightly longer answer: As someone that spent almost 8 years building terrain parks and in the process built several halfpipes, I can tell you that the slope of that one is considerable. I'd guess anywhere from 20-22 degrees...essentially what most east coasters would consider an intermediate slope.


...and coming from someone that has ridden a superpipe....you'll piss yourself if you're dumb enough to drop into one of those and you don't know what you're doing. Those things are ****ing scary.

Shaun White is still a ***** though.

 

[peplaw06]

No...I think he meant the change in height from start to the finish....i.e. the decline or slope that it uses.

Short answer: Yes

Slightly longer answer: As someone that spent almost 8 years building terrain parks and in the process built several halfpipes, I can tell you that the slope of that one is considerable. I'd guess anywhere from 20-22 degrees...essentially what most east coasters would consider an intermediate slope.


...and coming from someone that has ridden a superpipe....you'll piss yourself if you're dumb enough to drop into one of those and you don't know what you're doing. Those things are ****ing scary.

Shaun White is still a ***** though.

My bad... I thought it was pretty obvious that the elevation on those drops considerably from beginning to end. It may be a little harder to tell on TV, but those camera shots from the starting gate should give it away.

Shaun White a *****???

 

[tomson75]

My bad... I thought it was pretty obvious that the elevation on those drops considerably from beginning to end. It may be a little harder to tell on TV, but those camera shots from the starting gate should give it away.

Shaun White a *****???

Lmao...you'd be surprised some of the questions I've had about that sport over the years....I think questions like that can be explained if people don't have much experience on ski slopes....their perspective isn't the same as those who have.

The color and reflective nature of snow also makes it harder to tell what is really going on with the topography. Cameras severely lessen the dramatic nature of most of these snow features as well. That's why so many snowboard and ski videos are shot using HD, or if they can't afford it, a fisheye lens. Most people wouldn't even be able to stand upright on the side of many slopestyle terrain parks, but on television, the grade looks pretty mild. Add "flat light" to the scenario and things really get weird...

As far as SW....I'll give him credit for being a hell of a snowboarder....likely one of the top 5 that's ever competed, but he represents everything I hate about snowboarding today. He's the epitome of a sellout.

Each to his own, and he deserves to "get his", but he could easily do so in ways that don't so easily invite mainstream pop culture to completely destroy the roots of the sport. He's Burton Snowboard's magic wand of destruction....the catalyst that lets Jake Burton continue to seep everything great about the sport and turn it into the action sports' monopolistic equivalent of a Jonas Brothers concert.

 

[DallasCowpoke]

No...I think he meant the change in height from start to the finish....i.e. the decline or slope that it uses.

Short answer: Yes

/\
This.

 

[peplaw06]

Lmao...you'd be surprised some of the questions I've had about that sport over the years....I think questions like that can be explained if people don't have much experience on ski slopes....their perspective isn't the same as those who have.

The color and reflective nature of snow also makes it harder to tell what is really going on with the topography. Cameras severely lessen the dramatic nature of most of these snow features as well. That's why so many snowboard and ski videos are shot using HD, or if they can't afford it, a fisheye lens. Most people wouldn't even be able to stand upright on the side of many slopestyle terrain parks, but on television, the grade looks pretty mild. Add "flat light" to the scenario and things really get weird...

Yeah, I've been on the slopes... not a lot mind you, but enough to tell that. Will be back in a month hopefully!!

And I'll also admit that some of those TV angles I've been seeing on the downhill events made me think that the slopes weren't that severe. But then I'd see one from a different angle that would completely change that perspective. Most of those slopes are no joke.