Dry slope skiing is amazing – here is why!
(Dry slope) skiing is amazing!
In this article I will share my perspective on dry slope skiing based on almost 20 years of skiing different types of dry slopes.
Most importantly, I will share what I think dry slopes are really good at and how you may benefit from skiing on a dry slope.
Skiing is more than gliding on snow
Skiing has the potential to provide a remarkable and exhilarating feeling where mastery and freedom melt together as you are "flying" down the hill in good control.
This feeling can be achieved at all ability levels, and begins as soon as you get the first experiences of control on the bunny slope.
And, as you progress, you add an experience of personal growth as you achieve new movements or succeed in new terrain.
In my experience, this is true on different types of snow – and even on different types of "non-snow" surfaces!
Skiing, and the exhilarating feeling of freedom and mastery, does not have to be a winter thing. It can be a year round activity in a meaningful way.
This article is meant to inspirere and to show you why dry slope skiing might be something for you.
I built a dry slope ski hill
I believe so much in dry slopes, that I have actually built two dry slopes from flat ground, and I am currently consulting on several other dry slope projects.
Coming from a flat country without snow, and at the time being the manager of a ski team for young aspiring ski instructors at a boarding school, I figured they needed to have a place for their daily training.
So, I designed and built two dry slope ski hills at the school.
Over the course of 7 years I taught skiing there and witnessed so many break throughs, a ha moments and celebrations as the students progressed and learned new skills.
All the experiences I have had on dry slopes have left me with a clear impression of the potential of these types of skiing facilities.
The opening day
Watch this video on the left from the official opening of the SINE Hill and hear the students talk about using it.
5 Reasons why dry slope skiing is amazing
In this video, I present the SINE hills I built and share 5 reasons why I think dry slope skiing is amazing.
You can also push the + below and unfold the overview.
5 Reasons why I think dry slope skiing is amazing
Dry slopes versus real snow
Before we get too carried away with the benefits of dry slopes, it is important to state, that skiing on plastic does feel different from skiing on snow.
And nothing really beats the absolutely incredible feeling of sinking into soft and fresh winter snow in a nice controlled ski turn. I love snow, and I love skiing on snow more than anything.
But, that does not mean that skiing on other surfaces cannot be worthwhile.
Skiing is skiing, and skiing is more than gliding on snow.
Since the surface is different on dry slopes there will be some differences. However, in most cases the positions and movements that work on plastic also work on snow and vice versa.
In some cases there might even be some advantages on dry slopes for improving your skiing and develop new skills, that not many people aren't aware of.
In the following I will describe some interesting and inspiring use cases.
Dry slope skiing for beginners
That means the right slopes can be a great place for getting familiar with the equipment and learn the basic skiing movements.
Taking some beginner lessons at a dry slope can then become a great start to your skiing journey and help making the skiing vacation a greater success because all the basics are already covered.
Freestyle skiing on dry slopes
Freestyle skiing is an obvious use case for dry slopes, where the transferability to snow is very close to a 100%.
Having the same conditions when try top learn a new trick can even be a huge advantage. You can then focus on the movements and make small adjustments each time you try, without having to also having to adjust for changing conditions.
Dry slopes deliver a perfect environment for this.
Consistent surface
The conditions are very consistent. You wont have ice in the morning and slush in the afternoon, and the kicker and the landing will feel exactly the same each time you hit it.
Consistent shape
If designed properly you can create a perfectly shaped inrun, transition, kicker, table, landing and outrun that will stay the same every time you hit it. That also applies to rail setups.
World class freestyle athletes who grew up on dry slopes
Being part of the Cardo Team, I have had the privilege to meet two olympian snowboarders, Katie Ormerod and Jamie Nicholls, and talk with them about their dry slope experiences.
Coming from Great Britain both were snowboarding a lot in their early years on dry slopes.
Katie told me she learned many of the basic tricks on their local dry slope, and Jamie recently built his own little dry slope setup.
Also worth mentioning is the skier James "Woodsy" Woods who grew up on dry slopes and ended up becoming a world champion in slope style 2019 and taking the gold in X Games Big Air 2017.
Learn how to jump on skis
I believe even intermediate skiers and all the way up to expert skiers can benefit greatly from learning how to jump in control. In this video you get some of my best beginner tips for jumping and an easy to follow 3 step progression.
This video is filmed during the summer on a dry slope, and everything I teach works just as well on snow.
Technical training for experts
In general it requires adaptability and precision in your ski technique to ski really well on a dry slope – just like in challenging snow conditions.
For experts dry slopes thus offer the potential for refining and varying their movements and practice precision.
The special case of dry slope moguls
Integrating moguls on a dry slope offer the opportunity to practice pressure management and learning how to ski the moguls in a controlled environment.
I designed these moguls with this purpose in mind without having any previous experience with dry slope moguls. I was truly excited to experience that these moguls was such a fun challenge to ski well and that they definitely help me refine my own mogul skills.
World class ski racing athlete who grew up on a dry slope
Worth mentioning is Dave Ryding, who spent the first 4 years of his skiing career (8-12yo) on British dry slopes and went on to win a world cup race in slalom as a grown up.
Mr. Snow skiing textile
There are several suppliers dry slope skiing surface like Neveplast, Snowflex and JF Dryski.
For the projects i have been involved in, I have chosen a skiing surface from the company Mr. Snow because I believed it to be the best option for those projects.
The Mr. Snow material combines grip with speed and durability. It works best with a bit of water on it, but doesn't require it.
It is also ok to fall on, especially if you include the optional cushioning underlay, which I highly recommend for landing zones. You should however always cover your skin with clothing even on warm summer days, because plastic surfaces can be harsh on the skin if you take a fall at speed.
Because I have found Mr. Snow to be the best dry slope material, I am now chosen to work more closely with them.
That means, I know the products inside out and can help you get the right solutions for your project.
Check out Mr. SnowHave questions or need help with your dry slope?
During my entire career I have developed a passion for dry slopes and a bunch of experience from teach and skiing on them.
To share the happy message and help people succeed with their dry slope ideas, I now offer to consult on dry slope projects.
I have experience with all aspects of dry slope projects from planning, fundraising, legal requirements to designing, installing and promotion.
If you have any questions about dry slopes or you want my help to get your own dry slope just right, feel free to send me an email.
Janus Hecht // Inspirational Skiing
If you want to know more about my background with dry slopes, some important things you need to consider with your own dry slope project – big or small – and how I can help you, I have collected all that in an article for you right here.
Read the article
