Interview with Jeremiah Dixon, Park Consultant and
Mike Velez, Park Director at Hunter Mountain

Q. What are the new rails you've acquired this season?

A. We have acquired a new 40' Rollercoaster as well as a small 15' mailbox. Mike Velez has been spending a majority of his time at the beginning of this season re-welding and basically bringing a lot of our existing rails back to life. We have a pretty decent variety of rails now. Straight, Rainbow, Triple Kink, Flat to down, Battleship, Straight 30', a lot of straight shorts, C/Rainbow Rail, C-Box and probably a few I am forgetting.

Q. What's the surface, P-Tex?

A. The surface is similar to p-tex I guess but we call it glide rite. It is a similar material just a bit harder. Example: If you try to gouge your finger into p-tex it will show . Glide-rite won't dent very easy.

Q. I noticed that low blue rail with a rounded octagon surface. What kind of trick is that unusually shaped surface used for?

A. The mailbox is designed for pretty much anything. We have a bunch of ideas for it. I'm sure Mike will come up with something crazy.

Q. What are your plans for the park and pipe set ups this season?

A. I think Velez and myself agree on one important thing: flow. Our goal this year is to make the park feel more rhythmic and timed . I know we also want to build some progressively bigger hits and utilize more terrain. As you also may know we have purchased a new superpipe-capable Dragon this year so that should be exciting as well.

Q. Anything you'd like to add?

A. I think Hunter Mountain has accepted the fact that the freestyle generation of skiing and riding is moving in fast. Their answer to this was letting myself and Mike Velez collaborate on park design and combine physical efforts in the Terrain Parks this season. Also having Mike there full time is one of their smartest moves.

More at:  http://www.huntermtn.com/event_rail_jams.html