Danny Davis' Peace Park
Welcome to Peace Park
Danny Davis' long road to recovery, first from a spinal fracture in 2010, then a broken femur in 2012, included some serious time spent splitboarding in the Tahoe backcountry, soaking in the concept of "soul shredding" until it was bone deep. Today the snowboarder from east Michigan, who grew up riding the icy slopes of the East Coast and exploded on the scene in the mid-2000s as a contest rider, is a true all-around mountain man. The night before this year's Peace Park event began, Davis set up a tent at the top of the Peace Park course on the backside of Grand Targhee in Wyoming, in a spot overlooking the Teton mountain range, in order to watch a lunar eclipse. If you'd like to understand the vibe and ethic that powers the event, this is it.
Danny Davis' long road to recovery, first from a spinal fracture in 2010, then a broken femur in 2012, included some serious time spent splitboarding in the Tahoe backcountry, soaking in the concept of "soul shredding" until it was bone deep. Today the snowboarder from east Michigan, who grew up riding the icy slopes of the East Coast and exploded on the scene in the mid-2000s as a contest rider, is a true all-around mountain man.
The night before this year's Peace Park event began, Davis set up a tent at the top of the Peace Park course on the backside of Grand Targhee in Wyoming, in a spot overlooking the Teton mountain range, in order to watch a lunar eclipse. If you'd like to understand the vibe and ethic that powers the event, this is it.
Banked Slalom
More than anything, Peace Park is a celebration of snowboarders with versatile skill sets, including the ever-important "being able to lay your board on edge and use it to do more than get from jump to jump in a park or hit to hit in a halfpipe" skill. The entrance to this year's Peace Park started with a 55-foot tabletop kicker, followed by a .75-mile banked slalom course to warm up for the features below.
More than anything, Peace Park is a celebration of snowboarders with versatile skill sets, including the ever-important "being able to lay your board on edge and use it to do more than get from jump to jump in a park or hit to hit in a halfpipe" skill.
The entrance to this year's Peace Park started with a 55-foot tabletop kicker, followed by a .75-mile banked slalom course to warm up for the features below.
Quarterpipe
A step-down road gap out of the banked slalom section led to this beautiful little 80-foot-long quarterpipe.
A step-down road gap out of the banked slalom section led to this beautiful little 80-foot-long quarterpipe.
Volcano to superpipe
An 18-foot-tall, 20-foot-diameter volcano (seen at the top) led into this beautiful 22-foot-tall, 450-foot-long halfpipe here.
An 18-foot-tall, 20-foot-diameter volcano (seen at the top) led into this beautiful 22-foot-tall, 450-foot-long halfpipe here.
Arthur Longo, channel gap
For bonus points, two 20-foot channel gaps were added on either side of the pipe. French sensation Arthur Longo puts a style demonstration over one here.
For bonus points, two 20-foot channel gaps were added on either side of the pipe. French sensation Arthur Longo puts a style demonstration over one here.
Danny Davis, Channel Gap
Reverse channel gap view, as seen from the back side of the pipe. From the outside, the gaps doubled as a roll-in/second pipe entrance.
Reverse channel gap view, as seen from the back side of the pipe. From the outside, the gaps doubled as a roll-in/second pipe entrance.
Mark McMorris, Pipe
One of the goals of Peace Park is to highlight the skill set of the all-around snowboarder who can ride anything that's put in front of him. Case in point, Mark McMorris, the "slopestyle rider," airs out of the halfpipe on his way to the 22-foot-tall, 90-foot-diameter snow bowl at the bottom of the course.
One of the goals of Peace Park is to highlight the skill set of the all-around snowboarder who can ride anything that's put in front of him. Case in point, Mark McMorris, the "slopestyle rider," airs out of the halfpipe on his way to the 22-foot-tall, 90-foot-diameter snow bowl at the bottom of the course.
Travis Rice, Local Flavor
One of the most beautiful things about Peace Park was the fun and happy vibe set by Davis and friends from the outset of the event. Case in point, when Travis Rice (pictured here hand planting in the snow bowl), Bryan Iguchi, Cam Fitzpatrick, Rob Kingwill and Lance Pitman rolled in from Jackson Hole, which is conveniently located on the other side of the Teton mountain range, all were welcomed to the shred session with open arms.
One of the most beautiful things about Peace Park was the fun and happy vibe set by Davis and friends from the outset of the event. Case in point, when Travis Rice (pictured here hand planting in the snow bowl), Bryan Iguchi, Cam Fitzpatrick, Rob Kingwill and Lance Pitman rolled in from Jackson Hole, which is conveniently located on the other side of the Teton mountain range, all were welcomed to the shred session with open arms.
Snow bowl
Give a nod to the pioneering Japanese and their dedication to hand-shaping bowls out of snow that mimic those seen in the best skateparks around the world. This is one of the coolest trends to hit snowboarding in the past 10 years, as anyone who has ever had the opportunity to ride one would agree. Here we see a reverse view of the snow bowl, looking up toward the pipe, and a demonstration by the Ferguson brothers -- Ben, followed by little brother Gabe -- of one of the many ways to ride it.
Give a nod to the pioneering Japanese and their dedication to hand-shaping bowls out of snow that mimic those seen in the best skateparks around the world. This is one of the coolest trends to hit snowboarding in the past 10 years, as anyone who has ever had the opportunity to ride one would agree.
Here we see a reverse view of the snow bowl, looking up toward the pipe, and a demonstration by the Ferguson brothers -- Ben, followed by little brother Gabe -- of one of the many ways to ride it.
Mikkel Bang, Wall Extension
Norwegian slopestyle-competitor-turned-freeride-master Mikkel Bang demonstrates yet another way to session the snow bowl on the wall extension here.
Norwegian slopestyle-competitor-turned-freeride-master Mikkel Bang demonstrates yet another way to session the snow bowl on the wall extension here.
Rider Transport
Those who wanted faster transport back to the top of the course than the snowcats here could provide grabbed ropes tied to the backs of snowmobiles for a tow. The amount of top-to-bottom laps the riders took was staggering, resulting in a hilarious wasteland of bodies scattered in various states of exhaustion at the bottom of the course at the end of each day.
Those who wanted faster transport back to the top of the course than the snowcats here could provide grabbed ropes tied to the backs of snowmobiles for a tow. The amount of top-to-bottom laps the riders took was staggering, resulting in a hilarious wasteland of bodies scattered in various states of exhaustion at the bottom of the course at the end of each day.
Hip Option
Two hips, located on either side of the pipe entrance, provided multiple options for creative shred. Here Gabe Ferguson, left, takes the hip road while Louie Vito, right, takes the pipe road. A few riders contemplated trying to gap into the pipe from the hip, but the trajectory was just a little off for it to be done successfully.
Two hips, located on either side of the pipe entrance, provided multiple options for creative shred. Here Gabe Ferguson, left, takes the hip road while Louie Vito, right, takes the pipe road. A few riders contemplated trying to gap into the pipe from the hip, but the trajectory was just a little off for it to be done successfully.
Scotty Lago, Hip
The always stylish Scotty Lago demonstrates the kind of awesomeness that went down on the hip session.
The always stylish Scotty Lago demonstrates the kind of awesomeness that went down on the hip session.
Louie Vito, Hip
Louie Vito demonstrates his perfected crail in the foreground while the camera catches the upper portion of the Peace Park course in the background. If you look to the top of the mountain you can faintly make out two flags lining the 55-foot tabletop jump that, literally, kicks off the 2,000-vertical-foot course.
Louie Vito demonstrates his perfected crail in the foreground while the camera catches the upper portion of the Peace Park course in the background. If you look to the top of the mountain you can faintly make out two flags lining the 55-foot tabletop jump that, literally, kicks off the 2,000-vertical-foot course.
Kicker Option
For those not interested in the halfpipe or the hip, a 55-foot table top option -- seen here to the left of the halfpipe that Gabe Ferguson is airing out of in the background -- was provided. Nik Baden rules the kicker sunset session on the right.
For those not interested in the halfpipe or the hip, a 55-foot table top option -- seen here to the left of the halfpipe that Gabe Ferguson is airing out of in the background -- was provided. Nik Baden rules the kicker sunset session on the right.
Parting Shot
Finland's Roppe Tonteri closes the kicker session, and Peace Park 2014 itself, down as the last of the springtime's late-evening light fades away on the horizon.
Finland's Roppe Tonteri closes the kicker session, and Peace Park 2014 itself, down as the last of the springtime's late-evening light fades away on the horizon.
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