Polson, Montana was my last stop on my mini Montana tour. Again, much smaller overall footprint than I thought from seeing previous pictures. I almost forgot to mention in all this, when looking up all these skateparks in Montana, the first link to come up was usually NorthwestSkater.com. Want to see what I mean? Try Googling “Polson Montana Skatepark.” Polson Montana’s skatepark was built by Dreamland, and it’s a fine park. I remember somebody, somewhere bitching about the hood on that cradle, saying it was a waste of money that could have been spent on something else. I’m pretty sure that was in the same conversation that someone was complaining about Whitefish…
…to which I reply. Bullshit. I had to make a split second decision whether to hit Polson or Kallispell. I wasn’t sure that Kallispell had one, but I damn sure remembered that weird helmet thing belonged to Polson, so I knew there was something there.
A couple of panoramas.
Polson is a great park. I like the really long spine and mini area. The doorway is a gimmick, but it doesn’t get in the way of anything. The cradle is easily accessible. The street area is definitely the weakest part of the park, but it’s still fun.
There’s Archie, where’s Jughead?
Did I mention that Polson has a cradle with a weird overhang? It’s unique. it might make an impression on you.
This is Mike, one of the locals.
45 comments
Snot D
cave man no like street, it have many scary mechanical buffalo….me like shelter of polson cradle………
Cave Man
Yes, but only because cave man parents once see real buffalo make Japanese tourist do big air, then they get in rental car and make buffalo back off, but man die anyway
PissyAndAnnoyed
Here’s what “sucks” about that door (hey, even the best make mistakes): It does take away the line that you need to do a transfer ollie to helmet brow grind (then ollie out of the grind down onto the far wall). Sometimes, less IS more. Like, I thought last years Coastal Carnage bowl got more tuned in to than this years overly ‘busy’ non-bowl. (Then again, I haven’t watched the finals yet. But at least I got to see Dave Duncan shut up and skate, nailing some, ahem, “pithy” [a young ripper friend actually used that about one of his own moves the other day… and in Dave’s case it’s about time SOMETHING was] grinds on the oververt capsule’s coping. Dude skates pithier than he commentates. Perhaps he was inspired by MC’s recent rendering?)
lou sassel
yeah – listen to the kids, let them design the parks (the same strategy Wormhole and Buzzy use).
Get a bunch of clay and let the kids mold what they want. Have you ever seen the Corvallis park? Buuba’s spine, Timmy’s wedge, Billy’s box, Sally’s flat bar ect…
Most kids in small towns don’t know what they “want”, they only know what they have seen (in the magazines and videos). Look at the Wornhole design in Bend. the kids see a Hubba Hideout and ask from one. they get it and cant / dont ride it.
Just go and build your our and stop complaining. Don’t wait for the city. Then you can have a vert bowl like tedder or red or matt or daniel or trevor or (it’s a long list that keeps growing)… Or you can build your own stair, or bank or whatever.
Cave Man
My perspective is that the “kids” like transition a lot more than the current 15-25 crowd, who are more likely to be all about street… but are much less likely to be doing “their” thing ten years from now… particularly when the current kids have become the dominant demographic and pure street has a whiff of barney to it. Plus it may be difficult for the kids, as they grow to the point of no longer looking up, not to see street culture as kind of twink masochists who get off on conflict with cops instead of conflict with coping.
Chad Balcom
They finally found me out. I quit.
you win, Lori
Chad Balcom
I know Carl in real life, so I know what he means – even if he comes off a little short online. He gets frustrated with us bowl trolls steering the ship.
Its just as simple as this: there are more kids than grownups. Do the math, asshole.
I buy what Gnarles says about people traveling up here to ride our bowl parks. I specifically moved here to ride them. However, when public dollars are being spent on parks, are they intended to draw Hughes to come out from UT or are they indented for the neighborhood kids? I love skating with Hughes when he’s in town – but that ain’t the point of these parks.
Furthermore, as a non-profit, should SPS try to convince kids to ride bowls, or should we listen to what they want on their own?
Go back to the Midwest
The thing about you Chad is you aren’t a bowl troll. I’ve never even seen you skate when your at a bowl. It’s your own selfish political agenda that you use this comment as if you actually skate at the sessions. All we’ve ever seen you do is sit back and complain about the parks . If a curb is so fun for you go skate a subdivision. The truth Chad is you use these statements to sell parks for ARC, California skateparks , and spohn ranch . What you do is lobby for Corporations who sell prefab and flatwork for more than the NW companies charge to create a sustainable skate future . Your a lobbyist for these companies . I skate everything . If I’m at atranny park I Ollie from the deck to the flats . It’s equivalent to stairs Only everyone can use the tranny. You don’t build anything Chad . You just complain and try to find reasons why we should bring in expensive out of state labor instead of employing our local skateboarders . If you go to china now you’ll probably sell alot of curbs for these companies there’s not that many skateboarders there yet . I’m sure it will be easy to convince them that all they need is a mall courtyard to make kids happy . Chad is bias to the companies who support sps . It’s just politics.
Gnarles Copinghagen
Yeah, we should listen to the kids more. They need more street stuff. But keep in mind that a lot of these kids won’t stick with skating for long. (Cool if they do)They’re gonna move on to other things, and when the trendy things they wanted in their park are no longer cool anymore the real skaters are gonna be stuck with what was built. BUILD A COMPLETE PARK! That’s the answer! An all around park for guys that skate everything!
Welsh Pete
Cut the last 1/4 of the ‘helmet’ off, place it upturned on the flat and turn it into a functional manual pad, that advanced skaters can use to progress, while the bowl barnies continue to slash into retirement.
dougdrill
I wouldn’t mess with MOT. 12 year skate veteran, rearing 2 skater kids. Be nice or she’ll put us all on restriction, which means no computer, no mp3, and no skating for like a week.
Carl
Mother of two is a troll. That’s how they have to do it, because they rob town after town, promising a proper skatepark then delivering a drunk piece of shit.
I don’t know why people seem to be scared to tell the truth.. there is only a small amount of guys who go to these bullshit fag-fuck tranny parks.
kilwag
Homophobic and a sourpuss, a winning combination!
Gnarles Copinghagen
Ahhh!!! You’re just fucking around looking to fight now!!! I’ll bet you don’t even believe this internet battle bullshit you’re spewing! Computers! What the fuck is happening to people?!
Chad Balcom
Ed Benidict called – he agrees with me.
Gnarles Copinghagen
I’ve run into guys who came literally from around the world to skate the parks in the northwest. Not one of these guys has ever mentioned the Ed Benidict park when they mentioned their list of future destinations on their trip. Of course they’re not the kids that live in the area either…
will
touch
Mother of two
I am a mother of two who has been skateboarding in the for the last 12 years. Chad balcoms statements are truely depressing. Both of my children skate both are under ten years old. Chad my guess is you don’t even have kids. It’s pretty obvious you don’t respect the skateboarders from the nw. We grew up in the 80’s with very little to skate curbs,banks rails etc. And when the skate boarders grew up they provided the kids with something to grow into for life .to skate forever. This is the skate lifestyle skateboarders have chosen for our childrens future.something to always allow ANY kid the opportunity to skate the most creative concrete on the planet. Especially the kids in the small towns. I remember a grom named kowalski. Where is he at now Chad. Our kids deserve the opportunity to skate the best . I would like to thank all the skateboarders who build something challenging for our children. It’s very disheartening to know someone from sps is lobbying for the degrading of our childrens parks instead of the progression. Oh yeah . Quit acting like your doing it for the kids !!!
bobcat
Chad got served
dougdrill
GO!
Chad Balcom
Killwag, your kids have a different set of influences than the avg kid that age, no?
kilwag
I suppose so. I don’t tell them where or when to skate, but it’s probable that they try to emulate what they are exposed to. Given that, it still suggests those skateparks are not out of reach for all ages of kids.
One thing you have to ask yourself, are you building playgrounds or skateparks?
Chad Balcom
we keep building parks in small towns in places like MT which are designed for grown ass men that live in Portland. They skate it once, and that’s it. Often times the local kids (who the park is for) just want a fuckin’ curb / bank / flatbar kind of setup and they get a bunch of ‘unique features’. This is why people ‘bitch’
Its still 10000000% better than plastic ramps, so its a nice problem to have, albeit a reoccurring one.
Jesse McDowell
Chad you must be totally insane. to bash on the best company in skatepark industry, and YOU are the representative for SPS in the NW. Come on man get real. Those who forget the 90’s are doomed to repeat it. oh yea do you even skate?
Gnarles Copinghagen
If all they got was a curb or a flatbar I’m sure the park wouldn’t hold their attention for long. They will eventually get better at skating if they have any motivation, and they’ll go back to finding something gnarly that the park does not offer. (That’s cool too.)But the park should provide that.
kilwag
Well, I don’t know about that. There’s plenty for all ages to skate at these parks. My son (4) and my niece (9) and my nephew (12) accompanied me to all these parks, and skated in most every section. If the small stuff was absolutely overun with little kids I’d agree, but otherwise, what’s the point? Are you building these for the life of skaters over time or just for a narrow age/skill set with no growth in site?
Wait, forget I said that.
skaterdave
When we’ve seen folks able to keep jumping down stairs for forty+ years, it’ll be time to fill parks with stairs and handrails…
talentlessquitter
The door kind of encourages you to wear a helmet.
That’s clever.
Tom Miller
Excellent park. Door is a great gimmick. Easily avoidable, yet big enough to keep your attention.
Rawbauer
I don’t want ANYTHING to “make man impression on” me.
kilwag
Oops. Typo. Thanks
kc
They need to put a big PRO-TEC sticker on the front of that cradle.
dougdrill
I didn’t know people lived in Montana
ssk
Who’s going to have the first fully enclosed capsule? Wait…
kaos
weird feature that helmet. maybe a sun shade if it faces east west? crazy.
bobcat
first to bitch last to contribute.
hurton
pretty sure I’m not first to bitch about that one, just would be nice to use more of that bowled end. As far as contributing, do I know you?
hurton
maybe I suck but I think the door would be better gone
talentlessquitter
Good rainshelter…
ssk
Has anyone ever carved the inside brow of that helmet?
Prickly Pete
Really too bad you can’t roll in off the top of the helmet. Well, I guess you could off of certain parts if your name is Hewitt or Kowalski.
kilwag
I tried to climb up on top to take a photo but I couldn’t swing it.
talentlessquitter
I think I can make it but you have to throw the camera at me,oh,and a plane ticket… 😉
The whole purpose of it,and the size,is that nobody climbs on it.
Who’s calling the ambulance?
mezmer
There is no way anyone has grinded that overhang. That is the craziest feature I’ve seen in a park!!
ticorico
Awesome park, but I still regret not manning up and grinding over that doorway, oh well next time. Kerr damn a few miles away is worth checking out for the breath taking scenery.