The O Park » News http://www.the-opark.com Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:07:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 Golfing in the middle of Winter? http://www.the-opark.com/2010/03/golfing-in-the-middle-of-winter/ http://www.the-opark.com/2010/03/golfing-in-the-middle-of-winter/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:24:24 +0000 admin http://www.the-opark.com/?p=377 Check out this goofy edit that Otsego Club did for the 2010 Michigan Golf show at the Novi Expo Center.It’s all about a crazy golfer who decides he wants to play a round of golf in the middle of winter!He gets himself in some pretty hairy situations along the way (like chipping off the deck of the halfpipe and nearly getting run over by snowmobilers).

Click here to view the embedded video.

]]> http://www.the-opark.com/2010/03/golfing-in-the-middle-of-winter/feed/ 0 A Day with Olympic Teams http://www.the-opark.com/2010/01/a-day-with-olympic-teams/ http://www.the-opark.com/2010/01/a-day-with-olympic-teams/#comments Sat, 16 Jan 2010 15:05:11 +0000 admin http://www.the-opark.com/?p=264 New Zealand, Australia and Japan are all here at the O Park with Germany and Switzerland joining them next week!  The teams are having a blast training in the MidWest’s only 22′ Super Pipe, in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.  Everyone’s welcome to come out and watch them, and if you’d like, you can even ride alongside them!  On top of all the great halfpipe action we’ve been watching, check out what the Olympic teams have been doing at the O Park!

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The New Zealand team really dug shooting skeet.  Below they start off in the morning with their warm-up run.

Click here to view the embedded video.

It only took one practice shot before the Japanese team were on target and shooting the skeet consistently.  Both teams were in awe of the local Wal-Mart, one athlete put it best chuckling, “You can buy your groceries and guns in the SAME STORE!!”

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Japanese team going big in the pipe:

Click here to view the embedded video.

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The Japanese and New Zealand team’s fish for the “Big One.”

]]> http://www.the-opark.com/2010/01/a-day-with-olympic-teams/feed/ 0 Olympic Teams at The O Park http://www.the-opark.com/2010/01/olympic-teams-at-the-o-park/ http://www.the-opark.com/2010/01/olympic-teams-at-the-o-park/#comments Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:49:03 +0000 admin http://www.the-opark.com/?p=260 Earlier this week, reporters came out and interviewed the Olympic teams that are here training at the O Park.  Check out the latest Herald Times front page!

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]]> http://www.the-opark.com/2010/01/olympic-teams-at-the-o-park/feed/ 0 O Park Public Days! http://www.the-opark.com/2010/01/o-park-public-days/ http://www.the-opark.com/2010/01/o-park-public-days/#comments Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:55:21 +0000 admin http://www.the-opark.com/?p=243 All of us here at the O Park want to thank everyone who came out for Otsego Club’s Opening Weekend during the 19th and 20th of December. It was great to see everyone having fun and stomping sweet jibs on all the new Planet Snow features that Ryan Neptune and his crew worked so hard to have ready for the weekend. For those of you who missed it… NO WORRIES, because beginning with the first week of January, the O Park will be open every week (Monday thru Friday) with special 2010 deals on tickets and lodging. Midweek packages start at just $49 per person for a killer room and a day of beautiful shredding!

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Also, Olympic teams will start arriving the middle of next week to session the newly cut 22’ monster halfpipe in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. But the fun doesn’t stop there because pro shredder Pat Milbery and his gang of pro snowboard coaches will be swooping by the Otsego Club to host the 5th stop of the Mighty Midwest Snowboard Camp Tour during the MLK holiday weekend! “Milbs” will be bringing the Red Bull MTX rig with him as well, which means great music, gnarly winch sessions, and tons of free Red Bull! Check out camp details below or join the O Park facebook for special event invites and more.

Lift Ticket and Mighty Midwest Camp Details

Beginning on Monday (January 4, 2010) the Otsego Club will be open to the public every Monday through Friday. Lift tickets are $25 per person and go from noon to 9pm each day. Midweek ski packages start at $49 per person and include 1 night of lodging and 1 lift ticket for the following day (assuming double occupancy).

Pat Milbery’s Mighty Midwest Camp Tour will be at the Otsego Club from Friday until Monday (January 15th – 18th). HELMETS ARE MANDATORY. Clinics usually go from 9am – 4pm, with a one-hour break at noon. Stay tuned for Camp updates, including registration information as soon as January 4, 2010.

Information subject to change, call the Otsego Club at 800.752.5510 for further details.

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]]> http://www.the-opark.com/2010/01/o-park-public-days/feed/ 0 Be There or Be Square! http://www.the-opark.com/2009/12/be-there-or-be-square/ http://www.the-opark.com/2009/12/be-there-or-be-square/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:53:09 +0000 admin http://www.the-opark.com/?p=205 Opening Day – December 19th and 20th.  Come and ride!  Click “read more” to see the flyer.

Season Opener Flyer

Season Opener Flyer Page 2

]]> http://www.the-opark.com/2009/12/be-there-or-be-square/feed/ 9 Otsego Ski Club Opens to the Public on December 19 http://www.the-opark.com/2009/11/otsego-ski-club-opens-to-the-public-on-december-19/ http://www.the-opark.com/2009/11/otsego-ski-club-opens-to-the-public-on-december-19/#comments Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:35:08 +0000 admin http://www.the-opark.com/?p=178 Michigan’s only private ski club allows public access for the first time

Gaylord, MI – Otsego Ski Club & Resort, Michigan’s only private ski club, will open to the public for the first time in 60-years December 19-20. Michigan Ski and Snowboard enthusiasts can finally experience the best all-mountain terrain park in the Midwest and one of the most exciting terrain parks in the country.

Otsego’s O Park is the highest quality and most innovative freestyle terrain in the Midwest, catering to all ability levels. Enhancements for the 2009/2010 winter season include increased snowmaking capabilities, more rails, jibs, custom wall rides and the regions only 22-foot Monster-pipe.

Otsego Ski Club will host a number of fun and exciting events through out the weekend including:

Saturday December 19

Skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers will interact throughout the day. Pro riders will provide demonstrations combined with the Can-Am Challenge of the Canadian Snow Cross. Members and the public will also be able to ride alongside these great athletes and among the snow cross participants.

Guests will also be able to check out the new Snow-skate Park, complete with a rental fleet of Lib Tech snow-skates.

A night Slope-style competition will be staged by Middle Earth. This exciting snowboarding event will be open to all ages featuring prizes from top companies like K2, Lib/Gnu, Rossignol, and more! There will also be local entertainment by the band Exit 282 in the Sitzmark.

Lift tickets will be $10 for a full-day lift ticket for ages 9 and up, 8 and under ski for free. All entry fee proceeds go to the Middle Earth Snow Series. Contact moshor@aol.com for registration details.

Families who want to spend the entire weekend at Otsego Club can check out the “Test Drive Weekend” available to the public for the first time based on availability. “Test Drive Weekends” start at $495 for the weekend for a family of four, including two-nights lodging, two adult lift tickets, two kids lift tickets, and breakfast daily in the Duck Blind Grille. Lift tickets are good for Friday upon arrival, all day Saturday, and all day Sunday. Additional charges apply for extra kids.

For more information and to book the Midwest’s premier family ski experience please call 800.752.5510 or visit www.OtsegoClub.com.

About Otsego Ski Club

Founded in 1939, Otsego Ski Club is the oldest private ski club in America and a prominent fixture in northern Michigan. Otsego Ski Club is a family winter destination with the Midwest’s only full-service private ski facility with 31 runs, five chairlifts, Nordic skiing, and the #1 terrain park in the Midwest.

The resort offers 117 lodge rooms, suites, and condominiums, over 24,000 square feet of meeting space, and three restaurants, including the award-winning Duck Blind Grille and The Pontresina, a multi-year winner of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. The Otsego Ski Club is open for limited public access and offers special membership opportunities.

]]> http://www.the-opark.com/2009/11/otsego-ski-club-opens-to-the-public-on-december-19/feed/ 1 “Am Jam” in Birmingham! http://www.the-opark.com/2009/09/am-jam-comes-to-birmingham/ http://www.the-opark.com/2009/09/am-jam-comes-to-birmingham/#comments Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:00:18 +0000 admin http://www.the-opark.com/?p=96 Don’t miss the first ever “Am Jam” in Birmingham, MI on Sept. 26th sponsored by The Otsego Club (OtsegoClub.com) and Planet (PlanetSnowTools.com) in collaboration with Middle Earth (MiddleEarthSnowSeries.com) and hosted by Don Thomas Sporthaus (DonThomasSporthaus.com)!

There will be a snowboard rail demo and skate demo from 11am – 1pm on Otsego’s new skateboard mini ramp and bowl! The rail jam starts at 1pm. We’re only taking 35 riders, so RSVP at railjam@the-opark.com to be a part of it. Prizes will include ski passes to The Otsego Club and its world-class terrain park, The O-Park. Anyone present for the “Am Jam” event will have the chance to win a one year membership to The Otsego Club in a free blind drawing.

While you’re out, be sure to stop by Planet and Otsego booths for free-bees and check out the 22 foot pipe machine that Planet is bringing to Otsego. It’s a teaser for the huge 22 foot halfpipe – the only Olympic sized 22 foot pipe East of the Rockies and one of only 5 others in North America. This winter if you come out to The O Park you’ll see some of the best riders in the world training on The O-Park’s 22 foot pipe as they prepare for the 2010 Olympics held in Vancouver, BC.

Bring your snowboard and skateboard and be a part of Birmingham’s 1st Annual “Am Jam”!
Download Flyer

]]> http://www.the-opark.com/2009/09/am-jam-comes-to-birmingham/feed/ 0 BX Boarder Cross Camp http://www.the-opark.com/2009/01/bx-boarder-cross-camp/ http://www.the-opark.com/2009/01/bx-boarder-cross-camp/#comments Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:00:43 +0000 admin http://www.the-opark.com/?p=98 BX camp this weekend marked the first time in 25 years of riding that I actually was able to give back to the sport. When I started riding, snowboarding was so new. There weren’t any camps to attend or anyone around to show me technique or give me pointers. In this BX camp I shared with you the things I’ve learned over the years that make such a difference in how you ride. It was exciting to show you my somewhat unconventional method of riding and watch you take your riding to the next level.

I’m so proud of all 16 of you who showed up, despite the snowy conditions and with only 3 days notice. You guys ruled and schooled Otsego’s BX and TP, and if you decide to attend the next camp we will have even more fun!

Otsego will once again undergo big changes in the next few weeks, moving rails around and rebuilding/changing features. It’s all about creativity and building fun things. Any ideas you have, don’t hesitate to get a hold of us. This is your park. I’m building it for you. Give me or any of the Planet team your input, and we will try to incorporate it.

I had a ton of fun riding with you guys and would love to get some more riding in with you all before the season is out. Thanks again for coming out and next camp we will be hitting the big jumps!

]]> http://www.the-opark.com/2009/01/bx-boarder-cross-camp/feed/ 0 Quick Note to The O Park Kids http://www.the-opark.com/2009/01/quick-note-to-the-o-park-kids/ http://www.the-opark.com/2009/01/quick-note-to-the-o-park-kids/#comments Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:00:13 +0000 admin http://www.the-opark.com/?p=101 33

Otsego’s latest openings at The O Park include a four pack jump line on Bob’s with a Session’s style booter mid mountain on Bob’s trail and a medium kicker on the front side. Upper DDA has been built out for the permanent BX run.

The boardercross training course will be rolled until the day before event times when we will sharpen landings and add proper take offs. This makes the course safer for beginner/intermediate skiers and riders.

We have been busy adding terrain park features, and over the next few weeks you can expect to see 5 more rails out, the flat banked wall ride, the session bowl and the start gate for the boardercross course on Dilly Dalley Alley.

The fourth jump in the 4 pack on Bob’s is somewhat of an itermediate to advanced jump and should be taken as such. Each jump requires speed from the previous one so take in mind that there are smaller jumps to play on and this line is not for everyone.

Be responsible and ride within your limits. It is less respectable to be injured, out for the season and forced to watch ice skating on tv rather than to use your head and have fun and ride at your own pace.

I personally tested each jump and they link up and ride perfect but as always every feature out on the hill requires concentration and attentiveness. I have been riding for 25 years now and have never had an injury in snowboarding from something I could control. I ride and progress at my own comfort level and that program has served me well and has afforded me the ability to ride anything put before me today.

Currently there are over 35 features I have built for you, and I want you to get out have fun and ride the terrain but please be cautious.

If any members would like a tour of all the terrain we have assembled Mike Langdon or I would love to take you out and give you a demonstration on proper riding and use of each feature. Just let us know and we will make it happen if our schedules aline.

Have fun out there on the hill but please think smart and progress at your own pace.

See you out on the slopes!

]]> http://www.the-opark.com/2009/01/quick-note-to-the-o-park-kids/feed/ 0 Latest Additions to The O Park http://www.the-opark.com/2008/12/latest-additions-to-the-o-park/ http://www.the-opark.com/2008/12/latest-additions-to-the-o-park/#comments Tue, 30 Dec 2008 17:00:35 +0000 admin http://www.the-opark.com/?p=106 With rails, jumps, and an Olympic sized half pipe, what more could Planet add to The O Park? How about a new 1/2 mile long run, perfect for the upcoming BX Camp! Ryan Neptune couldn’t even finish building out the new run with all the jumps and features before skiers and snowboarders filled the run. The longest at The O Park, it sure to be a favorite!

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