The first step, he explained, is to teach safety and etiquette, "which we feel are two of the most important things people can learn."

The next step is to teach riding outside the park, "on natural features . . . learning to slide on something that is slipperier than snow," he continued. "We teach students how to get on and then leave a feature before they enter the park on terrain similar to what they feel inside the park. We'll teach them to land safely after a jump with no directional change, then get them comfortable with, say, a 180 (degree spin)."

He said that typically, within three hours, a student with advanced levels in skiing or snowboarding can be enjoying some of the smaller features inside Jonesy's Park.

And, just what is it that draws people onto this irregular terrain?

"It's the challenge people like," said Mangan. "People also like the feeling of being up in the air, which is why we've gone through and added new jumps.

"Terrain parks also offer something different on the mountain. People can go into one of the parks and be pretty creative in what they do. They can do so many different things on skis and snowboards now. The possibilities are endless. People can also see improvements as they become more and more familiar with the features."

At first it was felt the parks would be attractive to only young skiers and boarders.

Mangan said this year he's seen a broader age class of park visitors.

"We see the kids enter the park and right behind them are their parents, and the kids and their parents are in there jumping and having a great time. We probably see more of the parents in Jonesy's because that's where we have the beginning features. But, all of our parks are being used," he said.

Currently, of the 13 ski areas open in Utah, 11 have terrain parks.

And, consensus is, interest in snow parks is only going to grow, which means more parks and more features and bigger air, longer rails and flatter tabletops.

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E-mail: grass@desnews.com