Section 3: Playing Area
3.1 Moguls Course
- Length: 220–270 m (722–886 ft).
- Width: Minimum 18 m (59 ft). The course is carved into natural or machine-built mogul bumps approximately 1.2 m (4 ft) apart trough-to-trough.
- Gradient: 26–32 degrees. A consistent pitch ensures uniform bump formation.
- Air sites: Two kicker jumps positioned on the upper and lower thirds of the course. Kicker table height approximately 1.0–1.5 m (3.3–4.9 ft), with a landing slope that matches the hill gradient.
- Timing: An electronic timing system records the athlete's run time from start wand to finish wand.
3.2 Aerials Site
- Kickers: Three snow-built jump ramps with table heights of 2.0 m (6.6 ft), 3.2 m (10.5 ft), and 3.8 m (12.5 ft). The 3.8 m kicker is used for triple somersault dives.
- In-run: A steep, groomed in-run track approximately 60–70 m (197–230 ft) long, allowing athletes to reach takeoff speeds of 55–65 km/h (34–40 mph).
- Landing hill: Approximately 38-degree pitch, covered with soft, groomed snow. The knoll (steepest section) must begin immediately after the kicker lip to match the athlete's trajectory.
- Water ramp: Used in summer training. Athletes land in an aerated pool after jumping from artificial kickers. The pool is typically 15 m (49 ft) long, 10 m (33 ft) wide, and 3.5 m (11.5 ft) deep.
3.3 Halfpipe
- Length: Minimum 150 m (492 ft).
- Width: 19–22 m (62–72 ft) from lip to lip.
- Wall height: 6.0–7.0 m (19.7–23.0 ft), commonly referred to as a "22-foot superpipe" (measured as the vertical height of the transition wall).
- Gradient: 17.5–18.5 degrees along the pipe's longitudinal axis.
3.4 Slopestyle Course
- Length: Minimum 400 m (1,312 ft).
- Width: Minimum 30 m (98 ft).
- Features: 6–9 features arranged in sections — typically a jib section (rails, boxes, wall rides) followed by a jump section (2–3 progressively larger jumps with gap distances of 10–25 m / 33–82 ft).
3.5 Ski Cross Course
- Length: 800–1,200 m (2,625–3,937 ft).
- Vertical drop: 130–250 m (427–820 ft).
- Features: Banked turns (berms), rollers, step-ups, step-downs, and tabletop jumps. Course design must allow 4 athletes to race side-by-side at all points.
- Gates: Blue and red directional gates mark the racing line. Missing a gate results in disqualification.