snowdome Manchester UK

[anaesthetic]

Not sure this is the right place for this thread, but I foresee a meet here in the future.....

I hear from a source who has a job there that some freestyle toys might be left on the slope permanently e.g. small rails/kickers. At the moment they have one freestyle session planned (1h 50 mins) a week, but sounds like there'll be a puch for more (maybe they're just waiting to see how things go before putting special sessions in the timetable).

It opens to public Nov 16th. Think I'll give it a couple of months for the initial rush to settle down, looking forward to hearing how it is though.

Prices here:
http://www.snowboardclub.co.uk/PNphpBB2-viewtopic-t-22374.html

In light of this I'm surprised Cas Xscape have just put up their Sunday night 3h rate to £35!! If Chill Factore can beat their hourly rates, hopefully they can come up with some nice session rates too.

[Phil]

Hi A,

The price for the session, £22 for 90 minutes isn't too bad as this includes boot & ski/board hire. Any idea the lift pass would be on its own?

I'll prob wait until they have their sessions on but even if they were slightly more expensive than Cas I'd prob save it in traveling costs.

[anaesthetic]

I assume the cost will be the same regardless of whether you use their equipment or your own, this is how all the other indoor slopes operate, boot/ski/snowboard hire 'complimentary'.

In other words everyone with their own gear subsidises their rental stocks, sucks huh!

I think the hourly rate is better than Cas, so expect decent session rates too, and yeah even if they're are couple quid more, we'd both save in petrol.

[taimos]

I dont understand why they don't build a snowdome in the south. there are now 4 north of london, it's ridiculous. you'd think the only people that do any sort of snow sport all live in the north.

gets me a bit angry, i hate having to do a massive long trip every time.

[Phil]

Originally posted by taimos
I dont understand why they don't build a snowdome in the south.

Because the North has more hills to build them on.

Sorry, couldn't resist :D

[taimos]

hahaahahhaa that just made me laugh.

its actually quite hilly around here, although i imagine not as hilly as up north.

[anaesthetic]

http://www.snowboardclub.co.uk/events-scukcfe-page-gallery.html#preview

Pre-opening preview of the slope: review and photo gallery.

Apparently there will be a three hour freestyle session on saturday nights, but at £50!!! Apparently thats to factor in on-hand coaching and DJs/bands. And apparently they engineered the slope in such a way that they can't build proper kickers. So they're gonna have to try and build hollow ones covered in a layer of snow.

BUT, there should be a box/rail or two out most of the time.

[Phil]

£50!! Ouch!! It has to include the lesson at that rate.

I wonder if it we'll have to wait until the end of the season before they start with an off-peak discounted slope session.

[Manlenium]

Whats that like 100 USD??? Chisel that wallet...:(

[anaesthetic]

In real terms £50 would get you about 4-5 chart CD albums in HMV.

[anaesthetic]

"The park area looks well on the way to be coming interesting, handful of rails, a small kicker near the bottom and a mogul field
So looks like everybody will be catered for most of the time, and considering they look like permanent fixtures..... "

A quote from someone on SCUK forum who's already ridden there...

[Phil]

I've had a look on their website and they have an early morning session on a Weds, starting at 7:30am. As this is essentially two junctions down the M62 from where I turn off, and I normally get in at this time and can flexi, I may make this a regular session.

One thing isn't clear is when the peak/off-peak times are as the off-peak price is £17.00 for 90 mins.

I've dropped them a mail to find out. If Sat or Sun evening is off-peak this would make the price roughly equivalent to that of Cas, which makes it very much more attractive for NW UK skiboarders, especially when you factor in traveling costs!!

[anaesthetic]

I think everything regarding sessions and pricing is a bit up in the air at the moment. The people who've been all come back with different stories from the various staff. Sounds like nothing's really finalised yet. But there is promise. I was eyeing up the early Wednesday morning as well, its kinda on my way to work, small detour from the M6. Means you'll come out at rush hour though and that is just about the worst part of the M60 to be on in rush hour!

[Phil]

Hmmm, M60 at peak times :( Luckily I'll be heading out of Mcr so things shouldn't be too bad, that is until I hit the M6.

But as a nice start to a Weds morning, yeah, I'm up for it. I could also probably make it far more often than evenings.

[anaesthetic]

Originally posted by Phil
Hmmm, M60 at peak times :( Luckily I'll be heading out of Mcr so things shouldn't be too bad, that is until I hit the M6.

Could be worse, could be Monday morning ;)
Thats when I usually do my M6 Preston to Cheshire commute (and Friday evenings). J24 to 20 suck.

Will have to do it every day from Wigan in a week's time when I move. Will have to be getting up earlier methinks.

[Phil]

I'm booked in for the 7:30am slot this Weds :)

[anaesthetic]

cool. post up a review.

I'm way too busy to do anything for a while, didn't realise how much work our new house needs, and people at work are whipping my butt right now :(

Enjoy :)

[Phil]

Trip Report for Chill Factor^e.

You might as well say it's Cas, but near Manchester. It's a modern facility, unlike Tam, with decent snow and the Poma lifts all work (well, apart from when one broke down).

<center>http://howtoskiboard.com/images/00021s.jpg </center>

I'm totally not going at this time of day again ;)

<small>[the forum will only allow me to post one pic so there''s another in the post below]</small>

One thing I did find a pain was unlike Tam or Cas where you show your lift pass once every time you use the Poma's you have to insert your card every time, this is a major pain as there is no elastic to attach it to your jacket and so one glove ends up being more off than on.

The gate to the left hand Poma is steep and there isn't a lot to grip onto, and with super waxed boards it was a bit tricky.

There were no toys on the slopes but the incline feels slightly steeper than Cas, there was a little dip near the bottom which gave you a nice kick of speed and a few of the boarders were getting some air of a little hump.

I've asked if they could put some slalom gates/poles on the slope, this would make it more interesting and be good practice for Romania.

[Phil]

<center>http://howtoskiboard.com/images/00014s.jpg </center>

Shockingly busy slope ;)

[taimos]

yeah looks steeper than miltone keynes, looks smaller though.

milton keynes isnt a straight slope down so maybe thats why it looks samller.

it looks nice though.

and shame you have to put it in every time, at MK, you just get your pass and go in, never ever need to show it (so usually can ski for longer as it doesnt even need to be on show).

[Phil]

Just tried to book for next Weds and I've been told that they aren't running the 7:30am sessions for the next 3 weeks for certain, and their system didn't show this slot being available after this time :(

I've put a request in to 'Save the 7:30'.