 Poster: A snowHead
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Didn't think this really deserved to go into our Trip Reports Alphabetical index though Ian Hopkinson can always set me straight 
Resort: Alpincenter 640m indoor snow slope
Country: Germany
Domain: Bottrop, near Essen in a particularly industrial and not very picturesque part of the very industrial and not very picturesque Ruhr valley (see pictures)
Author: slikedges
Date: 10/4/05
Our holiday: I was attached to some surgeons at the university teaching hospital in Nijmegen, Netherlands for a few weeks and popped over the nearby border (what border?) one day.
Website : http://www.alpincenter.com/
Basics : I caught the InterCity IC3022 from Nijmegen to Arnhem, then the brilliant 330km/h InterCityExpress ICE 123 (see pictures) to Oberhausen Hbf, then the PEG81217 to Bottrop Hbf from where it is a short and cheap taxi ride or a long and very cheap bus ride into town and out again! Google Earth 51.5236784365, 6.96589959667 On the way back, I met a Dutch girl carrying skis at Arnhem station, we shared a pleasant wait and short ride together talking about my day out in Bottrop and her whole season! in Meribel. She was going to surprise her parents who didn’t know she was arriving back that day.
Lift system : Two noisy but efficient rubber travelators – easy to use but one major proviso – don’t get snow between your bases and the slick rubber as you’ll suddenly find it’s really rather slippery and a looong slide down. Can be funny if someone falls, as unless you step off you'll be taken out as well, and maybe even then if the other person is sliding down. I tried jumping over onto the parallel track as I saw some others do. I didn't make it and took out that track myself.  Also, can’t help the feeling that you’re about to get shrink-wrapped and shipped out to the Far East. (see pictures)
The terrain : About 125m nursery slope at the top. Hence a warning sign...which should probably be a bit larger (see pictures). Then, like a river leading to a waterfall there is a point of no return! It gets significantly steeper ~250m including a bends to the right, then sharp left and gets even steeper ~125m (though this can be mitigated by skiing the outside curve), then sharp left again ~100m, then ~50m run -out/-up to finish. You actually enter the slope near the bottom of the nursery slope. You ski down the main slope to the bottom and come up the lift then ski down the nursery slope to where you came in. The nursery slope itself is served by a rope tow on the right of the slope as you are skiing down. (see pictures)
The snow : Somewhere between MK and Tamworth. Not good but not bad. Carveable with decent skis and a little attention to technique, or a lot of aggression.
Off-piste : concrete and rubble – not for the faint-hearted...or the sane; attempt only if armour available - something like a Challenger 2 MBT would be about right. (see picture)
The resort : Marc Girardelli co-partner in the business. A large shed built on a hill. A bit dark inside, like all sheds. Cheap and cheerful really. Parking area at the bottom, then take a separate rubber conveyor travelator up, or parking at the top and walk straight into ticket and equipment hire place. Usual dome rental equipment but there was a shop where you could negotiate a 'demo' for a small fee. I got some Dynastar slalom skis with gooood edges. (see pictures)
Food : Big area for feeding and watering with separate bar area. Unlimited food and drink included in the price! Decent choice, quantity and quality. You can stuff yourself all day from 1130 when the restaurant opens until it closes 2200 (and some people did – I wondered if they knew that you could ski there too), going in and out as many times as you like. Unlimited free soft drinks and beer (not sure how wise that is but witnessed no problems on slope) with spirits extra. (see pictures)
Accommodation : Golden Tulip Val Monte with pool quite nice but 60 miles away in another country (Berg en Dal, near Nijmegen)
Costs: 40 euros all in for all day (0930-2400) skiing - take note HH/MK! And with free food and drink included. And it’s 30 euros on a weekday. It's the deal of the century.
Conclusion: Why can’t they build one here?!? And those prices? I’d move in. I’m sure it’d be cheaper than running my household!
Pictures: On snowMedia Zone. Sort by filename to go through them logically.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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slikedges, thanks for the report. You're right about the cost of skiing there - if I had a nearby snowdome charging those prices I'm sure I'd be a regular visitor.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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slikedges, I think this deserves a listing - nice report!
It really is enormous, isn't it - interesting that they use the local terrain to provide the slope - whilst I think it's true to say that none of the UK snowdomes do.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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slikedges, Good report, how do they manage to keep the costs so low ?
It would be nearly cheaper to fly there for the day than ski at Xscape.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Looking at Google Earth 51.5236784365, 6.96589959667 (as you suggest), it looks to me that those are artificial hills - possibly industrial?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The centre was built on a slagheap.
Here in Holland & its the same in Germany any sports related facilities get financial help & incentives.
Have you tried in Holland yet ? http://www.snowworld.nl/ Its not as cheap as AlpinCenter
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srobbo,  , you could be right!
stanton, no, didn't have time last time I was in Den Haag, but one of my friends mentioned one at a seaside resort in Holland that we said we might all go to together?
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SnowWorld Zoetermeer sounds like a prospect for a weekend break - fly out Friday bit of culture in Den Haag on Saturday, day of ski-ing on Sunday, back in the evening..
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Ian Hopkinson, I think that's the test of being hopelessly addicted to skiing: are you prepared to FLY to a snowdome? 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ian Hopkinson, as I said, hopelessly addicted 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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The Zoetermeer complex is just down the road from me . The Landgraaf complex is in the South of the Country nearby Maastricht
I live in Den Haag. Yes we have a beach (large) but coming to the end of the season. Quite possible to do some skiing/boarding then take a few beers at a beach terrace then got back to the slopes for more and Apre Ski
We also have this place in Den Haag. Its quite a complex !
http://www.deuithof.nl/
We have other places as well up near Amsterdam.
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You know it makes sense.
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| srobbo wrote: |
slikedges, Good report, how do they manage to keep the costs so low ?
It would be nearly cheaper to fly there for the day than ski at Xscape. |
I don't believe that such prices are unusual in mainland Europe. When I lived in Belgium (Hasselt) for a while, I used to go to this place. It was just over 10 quid for an hour lesson with equipment hire at the time (2000). If I remember rightly skiing/boarding with your own stuff was around 6 quid an hour. They must have been making money as well as they extended the slope around 2001.
I can only compare it with Tamworth in this country. But Snow Valley was longer, wider, the snow was better and it was massively cheaper (and still is by the looks of the prices on the website).
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I sometimes go to Laandgraaf when they've got good deals on... e.g., 20 euros for the day or something. It's kitted out like an Austrian chalet and they serve typical mountain food and there's an apres-ski bar outside. It can be jolly good fun!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Alexandra, I've been told Laandgraaf might qualify for best in the world? 520m long and good snow?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You got to remember that the main reason for these snowhalls is to cut out the expensive middle man.
This is how the Dutch see it.The demand is high here because you can get lessons in these places for a fraction of the price in France,Austiria etc and at your own convienience. 12 yrs ago I learnt the basics of telemarking during my lunch hour in the middle of the summer for about €75
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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slikedges, I have only ever been to Landgraaf so I can't compare it to anywhere else, but I do know that my UK friends were horrified to find that MK wanted 40 quid for an hour or two or something daft.
It's a gorgeous place to go when it's 30 degrees outside... -5 is sheer luxury! 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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stanton, are there a lot of recreational users too? At European prices, I'd be in there dawn till dusk!
Alexandra, yes, MK's about £20 per hour in the peak season, though at certain times you can get a £25 per 2 hour rate. Thing about Bottrop is the snow wasn't as good as I'd've liked and it was a little dark, so while I still had a great time I did wonder if I'd have liked Laandgraaf more! I'm sure I'll find my way over there one summer.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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slikedges,
You get all sorts. The majority are recreational . It is very busy (as you would expect) on the lead up to the season with people learning & tuning up . Then you get the diehards who practice the bumps & aerials etc all day. Snowboarding (learning) is very popular.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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stanton, which is becoming an IKEA superstore. The biggest snowdome in the world with a huge potential local market (Tokyo and surroundings) and still it went legs up. Perhaps a victim of the Japanese tendency to switch from one fad to another ? Or was it too costly to run because of it's size ? Anyone know what finally killed it ?
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kuwait_ian, how big's the Dubai snowdome? Now that really would be insanity - taking your ski gear to a Gulf State!
Must admit the idea of popping over to the Netherlands some time next summer is appealing. I'll have to think of a cunning acronym...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Ian Hopkinson, it claims to be the 3rd largest in the world. Due to open in about a week or so. The web site is not brilliant. www.skidubai.ae
Key facts
| Quote: |
22,500m² covered with real snow all year round – (equivalent to 3 football fields)
Temperature maintained at a comfortable -1º to -2º
85 meters high (approximately 25 stories) and 80 meters wide
5 different slopes of varying difficulty and length, longest run of 400 meters
Full capacity of 1500 guests
Freestyle park
1/4 pipe snowboard area
3,000m² Snow Park with a snow cavern
Quad chairlift, tow lift and flying carpets
Mountain resort theme
Use of quality equipment and clothing included in the ticket price
Qualified professional instructors
State of the art ticketing system
Changing areas with locker rental
Private kids party rooms
Exclusive retail shop – Snow Pro
St Moritz Café and Avalanche Cafe |
Not a place for ski testing yet as I'm sure I saw somewhere all the kit is Rossignol. Quad chairlift - is that a first for an indoor dome ????
I once brought my long straight Kastle skis from Tehran to Dubai in mid summer (don't ask ......). As the bag came up on the carousel, the guy next to me said "Bloody big fishing rod"
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Tue 20-09-05 9:47; edited 1 time in total
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For comparison purposes here are some of Ski Dubai's prices
| Quote: |
Ski Slope (2 hours)
Adult (13+) 130 115
Child (up to 12) 110 100
Extension (per hour)
Adult 30 30
Child 20 20
Ski Slope Day Pass
Adult 220 205
Child 170 160 |
These are prices in UAE Dirhams - divide by approx 6 to get pounds. RHS figure is Off Peak (Sun - Wed). LHS is peak (Thur-Sat) All include equipment and clothing rental. So if you were fit enough you could have a whole day for about £33 off peak. Not too bad, I suggest. And a day is 10am-10pm - 12 hours.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Landgraaf has a quad chair...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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kuwait_ian, one big problem with Tokyo is the proximity of real ski mountains. Their business would have been largely summer only, and then only the ones who didn't play golf!
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From multi-storey driving ranges !! Didn't think the best Japanese ski areas were all that close to Tokyo but with the bullet train distances don't matter much. Whatever it died the death.
The Al Futtaim group are unlikely to let the Dubai one go the same way but it's a small place to support such an ambitious project. Many have been surprised by the success of mega projects in Dubai so let's wish it well. If it helps lift the profile of the shopping mall (which is enormous and definitely not a one-off) so rental income is sufficient the snowdome could even be run as a loss leader.
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You know it makes sense.
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kuwait_ian, the best aren't (Hokkaido) but the nearest are about 1hour by non-Shinkansen and still better than a dome!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Any more information on this...being as this is 5 years ago!
I might plan a weekend here in the summer.
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Poster: A snowHead
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dave_m, wow, almost forgotten about this place. If you're going to one specially, I'd go here! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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dave_m, have just been reading this post and thinking of doing the same. my only option would be to fly. prob into frankfurt hahn would be my best option.
have been looking at the web site and it theres not a lot of info there re ski instruction which is what im after. i'v spent 4- 5 years on the 'intermediate plateaux' and hav had a few private lessons here and there but not as much as i would like to as with average 100 euro an hr fr 1 on 1 instruction its just not possible for me. think this may be a cheap way of getting 1 on 1 instruction, or would it? slikedges, is the instruction good quality? english speaking instructors?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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FAQ
OTOH if you went 