# Park RUTs ... help (pic)



## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

I was wondering if anyone can share a tip for taking off or landing in ruts on features. My take offs aren't as bad as landings. I ride goofy so I always get thrown from the ruts on landings.

I bounce around in the ruts and loose my balance easily.

Here is the beginner box I'm working on.










Here are the ruts on the take off ramp, no pic but similar on the landing side.










I try to look past the feature and ollie off or to the side of the ruts and this has helped. Just trying to get better and I"m sure practice, practice, practice will also help.

-Slyder


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Go grab a rake and fill the vagina rut.


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## Deviant (Dec 22, 2009)

Slyder, not sure if your resort has a park crew, but around here they come by every couple hours or so and rake that stuff out, if yours does, maybe give them a heads up about things getting that way. If your resort doesn't have that, take off your board and fix it for yourself, I don't think anyone would mind as long as you don't change anything drastic on the jump.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

I don't really see any crew working on keeping up the park stuff. It's a shame too. The stuff gets real icy and there is not a lot of powder around to dump in there. Going back tomorrow, I may try throwing some snow in there. 
But it's only me and tons of riders ripping it back up. Who knows, maybe it'll be contagious and others will see me fixing it and will do the same, we can hope. 

I wish our hills/park looked like many of the pics I see from other members but it's what we have.

If I can get good on this I can ride anywhere :laugh:

I'll see


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## john doe (Nov 6, 2009)

Its just one of those things you have to get used to being a goofy rider. I'm a goofy rider too. You just have to set your speed, go flat base, keep your ankles loose and let the rut direct you onto the obsticle. If it is too bad then just fix it with your board. Unless there is a big line waiting for the box people will be glad you took the time. Our park is manned by complete fuck tards that got the job because they knew somebody. We have to fix shit on our own all the time.


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## snowjeeper (Nov 11, 2008)

is that at alpine?


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

There's nothing you can do with ice. Ask any park crew that's worth a damn. All you can do for that is rake it and pray it holds if it doesn't the next option is using the cat. As far as technique go urban style and ollie on from the side.


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## PanHandler (Dec 23, 2010)

judging from the pics, it looks like theres some loose snow. just scrape up a pile with your board and re shape the ramp.


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## LouG (Sep 1, 2008)

Yah, either fix the ruts or just deal with them. The more you deal with them the easier they get. Landing in a rut sucks especially when you start spinning out of tricks; in the end it's just a matter of being able to make quick adjustments to keep your balance.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

snowjeeper said:


> is that at alpine?


Yep it's alpine and were going again today, and I am taking in everyone's advice. Yes there was some powder and I will try to fix it up a bit. If someone sees me doing it maybe they will too.

Thanks for the tips and as most people and myself know just keep practicing, it'll come.
Still having a blast and I'm really enjoying the time with my kids :thumbsup:

-Slyder


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## maybeitsjustme (Dec 1, 2008)

Off topic, but I just moved to Chicago from Boston and had my first experience at Alpine. 

That place is hilarious. The runs are so short.. and the one kicker they had was a mess. I miss Maine. Going to take a while to get used to the local riding spots.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

maybeitsjustme said:


> Off topic, but I just moved to Chicago from Boston and had my first experience at Alpine.
> 
> That place is hilarious. The runs are so short.. and the one kicker they had was a mess. I miss Maine. Going to take a while to get used to the local riding spots.


Yep but it's what we got :laugh: Also not sure when you just went but they have 4 park jumps up and running now and most of the rails/boxes are in place. I just spent most of the week there with my kids.
You might like Granite Peak, it's in Wausau WI 75 runs and 6 terrian parks, roughly 3 hours from Milwaukee. I haven't been there in years but am taking my kids end of Jan.

Welcome to Midwest mountains, hell maybe you can coach me to give yourself a challenge since the hills are smaller here.
-Slyder


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## Music Moves (Jan 23, 2009)

Jumping them is your best option, as mentioned, but if unavoidable, keep your knees bent and use them as springs/shock absorbers. If ice is involved and you aren't experienced in those situations, don't cut back any, just glide over the ice with your knees bent and loose.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

slyder said:


> I was wondering if anyone can share a tip for taking off or landing in ruts on features. My take offs aren't as bad as landings. I ride goofy so I always get thrown from the ruts on landings.
> 
> I bounce around in the ruts and loose my balance easily.


Sorry, what does being goofy have to do with stability? Is it because the rut is worn mostly by regular riders?

Anyway, about the stability issue -- I can only speak for myself, I don't know how good you are, but I was finding that as soon as the snow surface got a little rough I was having stability issues. So this season, I've been making a point of going off the groomed run onto the sides where it's all over the place. At first I was cratering constantly, but now I'm finding I'm a lot more stable in general. For me it was just a matter of practicing how to handle my board when it's being thrown around.


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## john doe (Nov 6, 2009)

Donutz said:


> Sorry, what does being goofy have to do with stability? Is it because the rut is worn mostly by regular riders?


Yes. The rut gets a shape to it that favors regular riders. As a goofy rider this can really fuck with you. If you're used to it it isn't a big problem but for new riders it sucks.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

john doe said:


> Yes. The rut gets a shape to it that favors regular riders. As a goofy rider this can really fuck with you. If you're used to it it isn't a big problem but for new riders it sucks.


yep what John Doe said.
I'm trying to ollie over the rut or ride it out smoothly if I can.

The park has been fixing it so this helps, I tried filling it in but depending on snow conditions this can be difficult. Last night some park regulars were filling it in and I made a point to say "thank you" to them.

-Slyder


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## alecdude88 (Dec 13, 2009)

LouG said:


> Yah, either fix the ruts or just deal with them. The more you deal with them the easier they get. *Landing in a rut sucks especially when you start spinning out of tricks*; in the end it's just a matter of being able to make quick adjustments to keep your balance.


What I bolded pretty much is the full truth. Ruts won't effect you too much once you get use to them but they will make landing spins off of boxes a pain in the ass


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

alecdude88 said:


> What I bolded pretty much is the full truth. Ruts won't effect you too much once you get use to them but they will make landing spins off of boxes a pain in the ass


I wish I was at that level :laugh: getting there slowlyyyyyyy.

-Slyder


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