Under the direction of Klaus Marko, The Playstation Vita Ischgl Snowpark continues to improve season on season. It is split into two sections and located on the Idalp plateau. The advanced main area features around 40 features, and unlike many parks the focus is more on booters than rails. It tends to feature a number of separate kicker lines – each with several launches – and a separate jib line. The airbag near the small chill-out hut is now a permanent fixture and the park is roped off to ensure that no visitors drift in to use it as a vantage point. All these features are shaped daily and built to a particularly high standard, with good steep landings, so there’s little chance of landing flat.
The easier section is served by the Velillbahn and features a long twin line with 15 or so features, which are well spaced giving you plenty of time to set yourself up for the next hit. A further park over in Samnaun is in stark contrast to the Ischgl park – to the point where it can actually be pretty dangerous. The sign-posting is bad, and the landings have ruts in them that never seem to get filled in. The park in nearby Kappl deserves a good mention as it is maintained by the same Ischgl crew, and very well kept. Go mid-week and you’ll be the only person using it – the perfect place for beginner/intermediates to practice in an unintimidating environment. A further small park operates in Galtür.
