Reading a Snowboard Park Map — Boxes, Rails, Jumps

Snow parks have their own symbology, their own rules, and their own labelled difficulty. Walking into a park without understanding the map is a fast way to hit a feature beyond your level.

Park Difficulty Tiers

• S (Small) park — Boxes 1–3 m long, jumps with 1 m gaps, low rails. Bunny park.
• M (Medium) park — Boxes 3–6 m, jumps 3–6 m gaps, mid rails. Intermediate.
• L (Large) park — Boxes 6–10 m, jumps with 8+ m gaps, kink rails. Advanced.
• XL (Pro) park — Competition-grade. Stay out unless you're competing.

The Symbols

• Square — Box (flat top, slide across).
• Line/pipe — Rail (round metal pipe, slide across).
• Triangle / kicker — Jump.
• Curved line — Hip (one-sided jump).
• Half-circle — Halfpipe.
• Bowl shape — Snow park bowl (rare).

Beginner Rules

1. Walk the park first. Hike up the side, look at every feature, plan your line.
2. Hit the S park only. Even if you're confident — feature size compounds quickly.
3. One feature at a time. Don't try to combo.
4. Wait at the bottom of every feature 5 seconds. Make sure the next rider sees you've cleared.

Park snowboarding has a clear ladder. Climb it slowly. Hospital visits live one tier above your real skill level.