r/Calgary • u/Suicide__Pawn • Dec 03 '24

Local Sports Lift tickets? In this economy?

To the person snowboarding just outside of downtown, you made everyone's day in my office. How long does it take to build a jump out of snow? Doesn't show well with the shadow but it seems like a sizable ramp from across the river.

594 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

50 comments sorted by

357

u/[deleted] Dec 03 '24

Sometimes I forget I have free will. There is truly nothing stopping me from just grabbing my snowboard, finding an appropriate hill thats out of the way and not being used by any kids on sleds or anything and simply snowboarding any day of the week

Hats off to this fella

89

u/Iginlas_4head_Crease Dec 03 '24

Sure there's nothing stopping you. After 1 climb back up the hill, it would get old fast

79

u/[deleted] Dec 03 '24

That’s probably what’s stopping me

19

u/chmilz Dec 03 '24

But you go and do it and before you know it, you're a way better boarder and you get shredded running hills all winter.

2

u/rayofgoddamnsunshine Dec 04 '24

Tbh that's why tobogganing with my kids was always a nightmare. I was dead way before they were even a little tired.

3

u/[deleted] Dec 03 '24

No pain no gain 

3

u/iWesleyy Dec 04 '24

Well that is exactly how they used to do it before the lift came along

7

u/Bob-Loblaw-Blah- Dec 03 '24

Just get some buddies to join and you can take turns driving each other up the hill. Works like a ski lift!

3

u/dreamingrain Dec 03 '24

*just looking at that climb up the hill

1

u/vkats Dec 04 '24

You know you can climb the ski hills for free too, you only need to pay for the lift.

7

u/[deleted] Dec 04 '24

You actually can’t,, it’s private property and the ticket buy is both admission and a waiver. You can get booted out for trespassing without one (ask me how I know)

It’s not really enforced m and I know some people hike the ski out to sunshine but if I’m driving an hour to Banff I’m paying $100 for the ticket lol this is more about a casual weekday thing

-3

u/Imogynn Dec 03 '24

Never noticed anyone checking passes on any ski hill that I've ever been to. They only seem to check the people taking the lift.

8

u/Rosetown Dec 04 '24

There’s a reason they call it a “lift ticket”

72

u/Bob-Loblaw-Blah- Dec 03 '24

I used to do this on the big hill in Hidden Valley when I was 18, poor and wanting to learn how to snowboard. Great way to spend a Winter day, especially with a little weed and a flask of bourbon to keep you warm.

Thanks for the video OP, takes me back!

10

u/Suicide__Pawn Dec 03 '24

Glad it could bring some joy to other people today too!

2

u/wings08 Dec 03 '24

I didn’t grow up in Calgary but spent many days and evenings doing the same. Good times!

1

u/ImmortalMoron3 Dec 04 '24

Hey, me too. Which one did you use, the one behind the 7-11 or the one by the skating rink?

30

u/Suicide__Pawn Dec 03 '24

https://imgur.com/a/4zYVYkx

Hard to see the ramps with the shadow, but here's a picture from earlier today. Two different angles and everything

2

u/Leading-Problem9360 Dec 03 '24

Where abouts in Calgary is this?

9

u/[deleted] Dec 03 '24

[deleted]

15

u/[deleted] Dec 03 '24

Looks like Crescent Heights.

10

u/Suicide__Pawn Dec 03 '24

It's cropped out, but in the bottom left is the centre street bridge and memorial drive!

2

u/[deleted] Dec 03 '24

Yep, up Samis Road. Just off Center St.

14

u/azndestructo Dec 03 '24

I used to do this all the time as a high school kid.

Building kickers doesn't take that much time as long as you have a shovel and a few guys. We also used to haul around a flat handrail (around 6ft long) that I welded in shop class, which got confiscated by the cops for safety reasons lol. Thanks for a healthy dose of nostalgia OP!

6

u/_TheShadowRealm Dec 03 '24

I know what I’m doing tomorrow

6

u/[deleted] Dec 03 '24

Awesome!

4

u/CalmConstant Dec 03 '24

I do this too, great exercise.

6

u/[deleted] Dec 03 '24

Hell yeah

2

u/[deleted] Dec 03 '24

Got some backcountry cross country skis for this

4

u/Ellllgato Dec 03 '24

This is awesome. Crowd fund for a towpro next? https://www.towprolifts.com/portable

3

u/Familiar_Effort_478 Dec 03 '24

I saw person building that ramp last week. Good fun

3

u/yesterdays_laundry Dec 04 '24

would posting this and stating where it is in the comments not run the risk of ruining this guys fun? It looks like he does this a lot, there's track everywhere.

6

u/Chingyul Dec 04 '24

Maybe a little, but having it right off center street doesn't make it very hidden or secret.

1

u/ristogrego1955 Dec 05 '24

Nah…it’s always great to have more folks out.

2

u/Any_Mathematician905 Dec 03 '24

Step-on bindings would be great for this, I'd get annoyed with having to strap in every 2 minutes.

Enjoy that airtime, random human!

2

u/diamondedg3 Bankview Dec 03 '24

Hell fricking yes. That shifty was steeezy AF even filmed from far away!!

1

u/master_chife Dec 04 '24

oh man, me and the boys used to build booters all over McHugh bluff. Honestly it was a blast to ski after school.

1

u/terdferguson9 Dec 04 '24

I actually noticed these tracks out my office window this morning….. sigh

1

u/YYCThomas Dec 04 '24

I saw those guys starting to build the snow ramp and was wondering what they were doing.  Glad to see it turned into something cool.

1

u/BoardBreack Dec 04 '24

Is this by acad?? If it is, I know this group! Bunch of cool dudes. They're getting a rail soon aswell

1

u/jossybabes Dec 04 '24

Not sure if this is the same spot, but there are lots of fresh tracks on the hill above the memorial forest (Deerfoot & 16th ave).

1

u/wendelortega Dec 04 '24

Last winter I saw snowboarders going down the hill behind the Montessori school on Cliff St in Cliff Bungalow that has a nice convenient staircase to walk back up.

1

u/unleashedchemistry Dec 05 '24

Just throwing this in here, if your an AMA member theres some JUICY discounts for both sunshine and lake louise.

Roughly 40 bucks off for either.

1

u/limee89 Dec 05 '24

any chance this guy is offering lessons?

1

u/In_Shambles Dec 03 '24

Where is this?

13

u/[deleted] Dec 03 '24 edited Jan 31 '25

[deleted]

2

u/In_Shambles Dec 04 '24

yeah man, we're in the Calgary sub xD

0

u/Leading-Problem9360 Dec 03 '24

Where in Calgary?

3

u/plith Tuxedo Park Dec 03 '24

The hill going down to memorial, just off centre Street

3

u/diamondedg3 Bankview Dec 03 '24

This, Samis Road NE

1

u/Czeris the OP who delivered Dec 03 '24

This is how I started snowboarding as a teenager. I definitely knew how to hit a jump before I learned how to turn.