There is often a debate among skiers and snowboarders about whether dry ski slopes are as good as practicing your ski technique on the real thing. Real snow and dry slopes have very different textures to them and with more dry ski slopes in the UK than real snow slopes, practicing on dry surfaces is slightly more convenient.
Why Practice on Real Snow Ski Slopes?
Real snow is great for ski or snowboard practice for one main reason – because it is real! Rather than imitating a snow like surface, you can actually ski or snowboard on real snow. Many skiers and boarders would say that this is the best way of getting a better feel of how real snow feels and therefore practicing your technique.
Some people that have begun practicing on dry ski slopes and then moved to real snow later on (i.e. visited a real snow slope center or gone on a skiing holiday) have observed that they picked up some bad habits.
However, if you get an expert instructor who can teach you the right techniques, this generally means that you won’t have a problem once you transfer your skills to the real thing.
Some say that dry slopes are generally easier to learn on and in terms of a smooth ride, they are very consistent. This can be a good thing if you don’t plan to take your skiing skills any further than the UK. However, if you are practicing for a session on real snow in the Alps, you’ll find the transition from real snow to real snow much simpler!
Where Can I Practice Skiing on Real Snow in the UK?
There are 6 real snow ski slopes in the UK:
- SNO!zone Braehead (Scotland)
- SNO!zone Castleford (England)
- SNO!zone Milton Keynes (England)
- SnowDome (England)
- The Snow Centre (England)
All of these indoor ski centres have many facilities and are equipped with real snow on a variety of different slopes. You may notice that most of these slopes are in England…but Scotland has its own ski resorts as well as the indoor center in Braehead!
These include Glencoe Ski Centre, Nevis Range, Cairngorm, Lecht, and Glenshee. All have a range of slopes for different abilities and chair lifts. Usually only operational during the winter months, skiing in the UK is a great way of saving money on flights and still experiencing the exhilaration of skiing outdoors.
Overall, real snow slopes are:
- Better for practice
- Easier to ski on than dry slopes
- More beneficial for perfecting techniques
An indoor ski slope with real snow not only gets you ready for the feel of the snow underneath your board or skis, but it also prepares you for the cold – after all, the snow needs to be kept cool so most centres will have snow at -12 degrees and the air inside the center at at least -6.
So wrap up warm and go and have fun!