It’s called Monster Park for a reason. Monster’s are big, they’re scary, and if you’re going to take one on, you better have skills: massive gap jumping skills, insane wall riding skills, super hot quarter pipe sessioning skills.

For three days at Snowshoe Mountain Resort, deep in the hardwood forests of West Virginia, 24 of the world’s best slopestyle riders will converge for Monster slaying. On what has become the most coveted course on the slopestyle circuit—a competition and venue designed by riders and judged by riders—Monster Park returns for its third year of jaw dropping freeride action.

Designed to challenge big mountain huckers like Thomas Vanderham straight through to street savants like Aaron Chase, Monster Park has become a must stop for the world’s slopestyle elite. Completely rider driven, whereby riders have input on course design and act as the competition’s judges, Monster Park is designed to foster uninhibited progression. This is where mountain biking turns it to another level.

Bike Magazine Monster Park Judging Format

The Third Annual Monster Park, to be held on Snowshoe Mountain Aug TK, 2006, will continue to use the groundbreaking format introduced in 2004 at the inaugural Bike Magazine Monster Park at Marquette Mountain, MI. Monster Park is a rider-driven event—a philosophy that starts in course design and carries right through to how the event is judged.

On the morning of the main event the competitors will be arbitrarily divided into two separate heats. Heat One will have a predetermined time allotment to session the course, with the option of running it as few, or as many times as they wish within the allowed time. Heat Two will occupy the judges tower and judge every run laid down by Heat One competitors, giving each a cumulative score based on 40% flow, 30% technical difficulty and 30% amplitude. Once Heat One is finished, Heat Two will take the course and Heat One the judges tower. The top 10 average scores of the best two runs of the qualifying session from both heats will advance those riders to the finals.

For the finals, the riders that did not qualify will serve as the judges, while the 10 finalists will have only two runs each, with the top three scores from those two runs determining the first, second and third place finishers. First wins $4,500. Second - $2,500. Third - $1,000.

SNOWSHOE MOUNTAIN

Getting There:
Best Bet: Fly into Pittsburgh International Airport, then make the scenic 3.5-hour drive from
Pittsburgh to Snowshoe, WV. Watch out for deer!

Staying There:
Best Bet: Consult the Snowshoe Mountain Lodging page. Plenty of options that fit your budget.

Riding There:
Best Bet: Quick Draw and
Timber-r-r are two of the many trails that are sure to test your downhill skills. For more info check out the Snowshoe Mountain bike page.

Eating There:
Best Bet: The Junction has Something for everyone including a good post-ride bar scene. Watch for pros winding down there during Bike Magazine Monster Park weekend.

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