Update: Red Bull Builds Private Pipe For Shaun White Near Silverton
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- February 25 2009
- 3,846 views
- 26 comments
PHOTO: Matt Lanning/BasecampSilverton.com
Apparently the rumors circulating about Shaun White’s private halfpipe are true. White has been seen frequenting Silverton Mountain’s heli service and was rumored to have a house in the small Southern Colorado town.
Apparently Red Bull, with some help from Oakley, hauled in cats and a pipe dragon to build this secret stash worthy of White’s video game on the backside of Silverton at an estimated cost of $500k. The pipe, situated at 12,300 feet is the highest in the world, and can only be accessed by sled or chopper.
Word is that there’s a foam pit off one wall as well to allow team riders to go for broke without getting broke off. Here’s a shot that includes the pit:
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February 20th, 2009 at 8:45 am
How does Shaun drag himself out of bed in the morning?
February 20th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Why would they build it in an avi path?
February 20th, 2009 at 11:16 am
They built it in an avi path because they have decided they overpaid his contract and cant get out of it so they built it there hoping, well you get the idea…
February 20th, 2009 at 11:25 am
ah collect on the insurance…I see.
February 20th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
why? some video stunt?
February 21st, 2009 at 10:41 am
just south of kook-ville on the north side of mt. dew you will find an utter-sh.it waste of money.
February 21st, 2009 at 10:41 am
not sure how i feel about this;
pushing the sport= cool giving shaun white ANOTHER edge when judges already love him= NOT cool
February 21st, 2009 at 10:42 am
so, we don’t have to hear the words ‘flying’ and ‘tomato’ ever again.
February 21st, 2009 at 11:33 am
Wow! Can Red Bull build me my own artificial reef at my favorite beach break? I really, really need one! No…you guys can’t play and surf with me, now go home.
February 21st, 2009 at 5:34 pm
i call bullsh*t
1 its in an avi path as buddy said
2 what is the point of building something you as a company get nothing out monetarily
3 what does he do hike it? there is no lift and where is the pipe dragon to maintain it.
February 25th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
don’t hate… be stoked that people are willing to put up that kind of money for our superstars. If I had it I would run up the damn thing.. who needs a lift? Great to see people Fueling the fire of our sports.. Go Mr. White
February 26th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Photoshop CS4??
March 1st, 2009 at 4:39 am
This is a horrible day for snowboarding. A horrible day for Silverton, CO. And the end of my patronage to all of the brands that were involved in this ATROCITY. I couldn?t imagine a greater lack of respect. Shame on Red Bull and Oakley. Shame on the Brills (owners/operators of Silverton Mountain). And I would say shame on Shaun White, but he?s an idiot (puppet on a string) and I?m sure he?s absolutely clueless as to the bigger picture(s) of this issue.
I hope that Red Bull, Oakley, and Silverton Mountain?s consumers respond with raging backlash to this outlandish media stunt. I?ll tell you right now, that this Colorado native / snowboarder of 22 years is done spending money on all three of these brands / businesses. Just when I thought the soul of snowboarding had been completely souled out, leave it to XTREME corporate marketing efforts to take it to the lowest place possible. Makes me sick.
March 1st, 2009 at 7:29 am
There’s a couple of avy paths in that picture.
March 2nd, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Silverton Mountain, the highest Ski area in North America, definetely “operates in a one of a kind fashion!”
Recently, our crew had set up a well in advance 2-day reservation with the only proclaimed “roots operation” left in the industry - Silverton Mountain. The reservation included Heli-drops for the first day and the option again for the second. Upon arrival, we were gutted to find out the chopper apparently had been “broken” for weeks, and they were waiting for a certain part to come in. A bit jaded, from the lack of notification about a chopper-less operation, and the long travels to even get there; we still couldn’t resist the amping terrain that was sitting before us. With our 2 day pre-paid reservation, we settled for the advanced guided session. Introduced to some sick lines and most amazing terrain you can find. Insane hikes rewarded with decent snow and unforgetable blower turns.
At 13,000′ elevation, the hikes were challenging enough to make you really ponder how much untracked terrain there has to be available since the helicopter is apparently “broken.” Keep tromping! …The quicker we hike, the more turns we’ll get, right? Not exactly! Not at that elevation. Topping 3 runs for the day and hiking in excess of 3,000′… exhausted! Great turns, nonetheless.
Settling in for some post cheers & beers, and some local conversation, we casually get wind about a certain Snow Magazine in town for an editorial on Silverton Mountain. Sweet! Sounds cool. Can’t wait to read it! Until it is also overheard something about Heli-drops and certain terrain being contained for photos, etc. “What the F@*#? Heli? Who has a helicopter? Wait, …huh? ”
After being told straight up from one of the owners earlier about parts missing, …could be weeks until they are delivered, …so sorry, blah, blah. Now we are starting to really wonder if they pulled the wool over our eyes, or maybe this Snow magazine brought in their own helicopter? Yea, right… Ha! Yea, getting a Snow magazine to pony up a helicopter is like getting a donkey to shred with you. It just won’t happen.
We depart the mountain back into town bewildered and confused about what to think of the scenario. Stopped in for some grinds at a rad little steakhouse. Pretty mellow scene, but there is another crew eating and obviously in town for some riding. Talking loud enough to hear, we learn they are with the Snow magazine in town shooting an editorial on Silverton Mountain. Hmm… interesting! Continuing on, the talk at the table turns to Heli-drops this and that for tomorrow and the next day! NO SHIT!! What the F@*#!! Great! Now what? Really ??!!
F@*#ing jackers! We’ve been hustled! Dupped, deceived and lied to. All for the exposure to a magazine about the “rootsy operation” at Silverton Mountain. Pretty ironic, eh? I hate that word “rootsy” cause anyone who claims it usually ends up looking like the F@*#ing donkey. (Other irony…we’re subscribers to the magazine that was finagled into our spot on the Heli.)
After these findings, we opted out of our second day (No refund on the 2nd day either, since the stronghold cancellation policy for a “Heli” operation). It’s just a bummer to see the smallest of operations’ be inflicted with the desire to get ahead of the industry, and even worse, itself.
I write this with hope to pass on this informative experince to others, along with constructive criticism to a mountain that needs to realize itself … and its true purpose.
April 14th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
word is he has a cute lil chick assistant he calls angelface, and i guess he was sessioning a half pipe somewhere and she was at his beck and call and he asked her to get a banana for him so she ran over and grabbed one for him although he was closer to it. And then he just starred at it and as angelface was walking away she noticed and asked him if he wanted her to peel it and he said yea, so she did. and then there was a lil brown spot and the same thing happened.. he stopped and starred at it and then she noticed and asked him if he wanted her to get him a better banana, so she did. what a puss. foam pit… whack
May 24th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
I think he uses the heli service
May 24th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Exactly, the guys awesome to be able to not only ride but also skate at the level he does.
May 26th, 2009 at 11:28 am
fuck shawn white..i hope he breaks a leg and cant go to the olympics!!..that would be classic!!
July 21st, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Atrocity my ass! I almost feel bad for the guy. I wonder if he ever remembers a time when he wasn't hounded at the slopes. Cowboy, outside of your friends telling you what you did the night before while waiting for the lift in the morning you can make turns all day by yourself if you want.
So the arguably best person in our sport gets his own half-pipe in the middle of an awesome mountain to train for the OLYMPICS in 2010! Like it's out of the question for Olympic athletes to be treated like GOLD? (Pardon the pun.) Would you be upset if someone built Michael Phelps his own pool to train in? Or is he a sell-out too.
July 21st, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Lastly what's wrong with selling out? The Brills had enough passion to create and bring to fruition one of the greatest natural riding places in Southern Colorado and they're sell-outs for letting themselves get some publicity for the amazing place they've built? If I ever come up with a great idea that I build out of my own creativity and passion and then let someone pay me a lot of money for it, why do you have to call me selfish? Because you have to look at someone else’s lines when your still skiing or snowboarding fresh powder 3 days after a storm. (Silverton Alums will agree)
I know your kind; you think yester-year was always better and that the world is going to hell in bucket, but your negative criticism of today may or may not be validated in the years to come. I personally think that the momentum in our sport is phenomenal and allows all of the resorts close to you to stay open and charge cheaper ticket prices during these times. Yes there were better years, but there were also WORSE ONE'S as well!
August 26th, 2009 at 3:13 am
It's called an investment
September 25th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Dude think about it if shaun is doing shit into a half pipe and he's all alone, its probly a video part cause theres no reason he couldn't just go to woodward at copper and tell em to make a pipe pit and he could put his name on it or whatever
October 21st, 2009 at 4:25 am
T.R. really said that ? bullshit… give the man a break … having his own pipe is an awesome scam… just like coffee n Coombs, back in the day ,here in the tetons… more power to the innovators or scammers in search of new tricks or fresh powder for themself and friends!!!