During the summer months, around 15,000 skiers come to train at Snow Valley in Peer (Limburg Province). These are not just any skiers; they are members of top international teams. They come from more than 25 countries and every continent, from Africa over Asia to North America and Oceania are represented. On Friday afternoon, the indoor ski centre switches over to the winter season. From Saturday onwards, it will once again be open to the general public for skiing and snowboarding.
15,000 skiers and top teams from more than 25 countries train at Snow Valley in Limburg (VIDEO)
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All these nationalities come to Peer for the perfect snow quality. “It’s very close to the quality found at the very highest level, such as in World Cups, European Cups and at the Olympic Games,” says Bart Molin of Snow Valley.
Snow reliability is also a factor. “If you go to a glacier, there’s occasionally bad weather or not enough snow. Then it can happen that you can’t train on some days. In Peer, the weather is stable. It never snows or rains.”
Icy slope
The slope in Peer is made icy, as professional teams seek out those icy conditions. During competitions, organisers treat the snow with water to ensure the conditions are as fair as possible for both early and late starters.
“That’s why we treat the slope with water every week,” Bart continues. “People ski down the slope about 5,000 times a day. That causes it to wear down, and the more it’s skied on, the slipperier it gets. So, we do put a lot of time into it.”
One section of the slope is reserved for youth teams and skiers of a slightly lower standard. There, the snow is natural, just like in the Alps.
Switchover to winter
To prepare for the winter season, all the ice is removed from the slope. The slope closes from Friday afternoon, and the team works late into the night.
The team does not spray new snow onto the layer of ice. “The ice is ground down,” says Bart. “The PistenBully easily takes 6 to 7 hours to do this, until all the ice has turned back into snow. That way, there will once again be snow for recreational skiers from Saturday onwards.”
A PistenBully is a brand of large, tracked vehicle—commonly known as a snowcat. It is used to flatten, compact, and churn snow on ski slopes to create smooth surfaces and the classic "corduroy" look.