New Fishbowl supervisor named
David Lovern has been named the new
supervisor of the Fishbowl ski and snowboard terrain park at
Whitefish Mountain Resort, events manager Josh Knight said.
Lovern worked with the Fishbowl crew
last winter and was previously a park manager at Sunday River in
Maine. He has worked at terrain parks for more than 15 years.
“He’s a very skilled fabricator and
builder,” Knight said.
Lovern’s uncle, Jared Lovern, is the
terrain park groomer, meaning the two will be working side-by-side
when crafting the park’s biggest jumps.
The park’s assistant supervisor this
season is Steve Walker, who has worked in top-tier parks at
Timberline in Oregon and at Keystone’s A51 terrain park in
Colorado.
Knight said the Fishbowl crews will be
maintaining four separate areas, each varying in difficulty.
“We want to bring the park’s
participation up, so we’re building them with progression in mind,”
Knight said.
The easiest park is on the Magic Carpet
near the Base Lodge and features the most basic obstacles to get
new skiers and boarders familiar with the concepts of a terrain
park.
From there, riders can progress to
Depot Park, where there are jumps from five to 15 feet long, and a
few boxes and rails to try.
The Armory jump line will be more of a
progressive zone than it was last season. Last year’s biggest jump
will be replaced with more medium-sized hits to work up to. Central
Avenue will feature the largest jumps and jibs on the mountain.
“We’ll make a jump as big as gravity
will let us,” Knight said. “The big jump is great to have as a
marquee feature that legitimizes the size and scope of our
park.”
New stunts in the park include an
improved wall ride, culverts, a satellite dish and a long pipe that
is almost 80 feet long.
“It’s not just going to be straight
rails and boxes,” Knight said. “We’re trying to keep it as fun as
possible.”