Tunnel Vision Of Skiing In The Future

When I was about six years old, many years before I had even thought about putting on a pair of skis and taking a ski holiday myself, I happened to be on a family summer holiday at Barton Hall in Torquay, Devon, where I witnessed the opening of England’s first permanent, outdoor artificial ski slope.

The Birth of the Torquay Dry Ski Slope

It was developed by Fred Pontin, and the Dendix matting slope opened on 5 October 1963. It remains the oldest surviving dry ski slope in the world, and it is now the HQ for the Torquay Alpine Ski Club (TASC).

One of my best memories from that opening day in 1963 was a ski display, and the reason it is so memorable is because there were no ski lifts in those days. When the members of the ski display team reached the bottom of the slope, they had to remove their skis and walk back up the side of the slope carrying their skis.

The Site Today

Although the Pontins holiday camp closed several years ago, the 46-acre site is now used by PGL, a provider of adventure and educational youth camps for children and families. Skiers and snowboarders are still able to access the slope.

The Evolution of Artificial Slopes in the UK

Since 1963, many more artificial slopes have opened in the UK – although sadly some have closed because they were not financially viable. The survivors have become an important part of the communities where they are based, providing race clubs, a place to learn to ski and snowboard, and somewhere for people to get their ski or snowboard legs back before heading off on their ski holiday.

The Rise of Indoor Snow and New Technologies

In recent years, we have witnessed the growth of real snow indoor slopes and revolving-type ski carpet machines, which can be installed in much smaller places. Now, there is a new kid on the block which appears to combine the two.

Introducing Snowtunnel

Snowtunnel Parks has signed an agreement with Global Shred Ventures (GSV) to develop Snowtunnel venues across the United Kingdom. It is the beginning of what is planned to be a global expansion strategy.

The partnership combines Snowtunnel’s ‘endless mountain’ technology with GSV’s experience in providing leisure destinations.

Snowtunnel claims to be the world’s first indoor snow park with real snow, graded slopes, that can be located in areas where full-scale indoor ski centres are not feasible.

How the Snowtunnel Works

It is a rotating, large-scale cylindrical tunnel (12.5m high, 16m wide) filled with freshly groomed snow to create an endless slope for skiing and snowboarding. As the cylinder spins, the surface moves beneath you, creating a continuous downhill run. The barrel’s speed can be adjusted to match ability.

A New Dimension for Skiing and Snowboarding

Like current plastic and real snow slopes, the Snowtunnel is not going to compete with the ski holiday experience of skiing and snowboarding surrounded by majestic snow-covered mountains, but it will add a new dimension to learning to ski and snowboard, or train, on ‘real’ snow.

What’s Next?

We are not aware of any UK locations for the new Snowtunnels, but we’ll let you know when plans are on the table. In the meantime, to organise your next ski and snowboard holiday, talk to the experts at Ski Line using the contact details or online chat facility on the website.