Snowflex: What to know if you go

Burg reporter Liz Barry spent a few hours at the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre to investigate how it stacked up to real snow:

To be perfectly candid, I was skeptical of Snowflex.

The hype seemed bigger than the slope itself. During the grand opening, I watched professionals clobber the mountain with gravity-defying tricks. I was impressed, but still skeptical that Snowflex performed like real snow.

My doubts were tested on a balmy night in September. Though I hadn’t skied in years, I was confident in my ability to conquer the mountain and reach a verdict on this strange surface.

Up close, the slope looks like a plastic carpet with stiff, white bristles. It was a far cry from the powdery dreamland I reveled in as a child.

Before hitting the main slope, newcomers must prove their competence on the nursery slope, which is about the size of a 25-meter swimming pool.

My friend Chad, an experienced freestyle skier, glided down and executed a smooth, hard stop. Good to go.

I inched down the slope, terrified of crossing my skis and landing on my face. My stop was clumsy, but I was on my feet.

Needless to say, my performance did not impress the instructor. Until I nailed my turns and stops, I was stuck on what seemed like the puniest hill known to man.

After 30 minutes or so, I graduated to the intermediate slope. I could see why they were so strict. The bed of rocks that borders that slope is not a good crash pad for out-of-control skiers.

I was cautious at first, but within a few runs I was cruising down in (relative) control.

Chad, meanwhile, was attacking the jumps at full speed, and unleashing 180- and 380-degree spins. Just as his confidence was peaking, he botched a landing and experienced the wrath of Snowflex. Though he was wearing long sleeves, the slope snagged his shirt as he fell and gnawed at his bare skin. His skin was torn raw, and he nursed a rug burn the circumference of a softball for the next two weeks.

The Snowflex burn is unique to the surface. In all his years of skiing, Chad had never endured such a wound.

But the experience of skiing, as long as you stay on your feet, is a different story — Snowflex feels suspiciously like snow.

- What to know:

The million-dollar question: How does Snowflex compare to “real” snow?

The consensus among skiers and snowboarders interviewed for this story: Snowflex comes close to the experience of snow, but with a few essential differences.

Head instructor Luke Fosse is an avid snowboarder who grew up in Cambridge, Vt., just a 15-minute drive from the nearest slopes. Before moving to Lynchburg, he taught skiing and snowboarding at Burke Mountain and Smuggler’s Notch.

“You can’t dig your edge in on the Snowflex the way you could in snow, so it’s more sliding,” Fosse says.

“Once you have your speed, it feels just like a groomed trail.”

Snow-covered slopes can change in a matter of minutes with a shift in temperature or precipitation. At Snowflex, the slopes are always the same, which can be a plus for a freestyle rider looking to perfect a trick.

“The coolest thing about the Snowflex is that you can ride all year round, so you have all the time in the world,” says Eric Hegreness, rental shop manager and coach of Liberty’s nascent ski and snowboarding team.

“Obviously everyone likes snow better, but this is the best thing you can have during the summer, and the best thing you can have in Virginia.

- What should I wear?

Two words: Long sleeves.

Bare skin is the enemy of Snowflex. Though it might be tempting to rock shorts and a tank top in 90-degree heat, pants and a long sleeved shirt are crucial (and required). A fast skid on its tough surface can leave you with a nasty rug burn.

On the plus side, the surface is cushioned with three inches of padding — so as long as your skin is covered, falls typically don’t hurt too badly.

Also, keep in mind that Snowflex is constantly sprayed with a fine mist — one rider compared it to “skiing in a water park.”

Water-resistant pants and gloves are advisable, especially in cold weather, says Snowflex general manager Bryan Evans.

Helmets come with the rental package, and are required for riders attempting tricks or jumps in the terrain park.

Is Snowflex really open rain, snow or shine? How does weather affect the slope?

Scathing heat or frigid cold, Snowflex is truly a year-round ski slope. Only thunderstorms will shut down the mountain, since lightning is a safety hazard on the mountain.

The surface will operate in snow and ice just like an ordinary ski slope.

Evans says he and his staff will monitor the pipes that mist the mountain during sub-freezing temperatures. There could be complications if the pipes freeze, and Evans says they will work out any kinks this year.

The weather can affect the speed of the slope. On hot days, the water that lubricates Snowflex evaporates quickly, slowing it down slightly. The fastest conditions are on cool, rainy days, when the water really has a chance to soak in, Fosse says.

I’ve never skied or snowboarded before; how do I get started?

Snowflex employs two full-time instructors who teach beginner, intermediate and advanced classes. Right now, classes are only available for Liberty students; they will open to the public later this fall.

The beginner’s class takes place on the nursery slope. Skiers and snowboarders will learn the anatomy of their equipment, and basic skills like how to stop, turn and control your speed.

In the intermediate class, skiers and snowboarders hit the main slope for the first time. This lesson is about mastery of the skis and board, which includes riding at higher speeds and staying in control, Fosse says.

“We want to get them comfortable with being able to stop and being able to dodge around obstacles,” he says.

The advanced class is for those who wish to enter the world of freestyle riding. They will start by learning how to grind the rails, and work their way up to more complicated tricks.

- I’m an experienced freestyle rider; what can I do at Snowflex?

For riders who want to push it to the extreme, Snowflex delivers.

During the opening celebration in late August, an army of professional skiers and snowboarders christened the slope with a torrent of extreme tricks: frontside rodeos, backside 180s, 720-degree spins, double flips.

Snowflex offers separate lanes for general skiing/boarding and freestyle. Terrain park features include a cornice and three jumps: a table top, three-foot kicker and six-foot kicker. There is also an 11-foot-high quarter pipe and two grind rails.

How do I stay safe and minimize the chance of getting hurt?

Aside from wearing long sleeves, common sense is the biggest way to stay safe.

“Make sure you’re skiing within your ability; that’s the best way to stay safe,” Evans said.

All skiers and snowboarders new to Snowflex are required to demonstrate competency on the nursery slope before they can graduate to the main slope.

Since the slope is still under construction, it poses some unique hazards. An out-of-control skier can careen off the slope and crash into the bedding of rocks that currently lines the slopes.

Even for expert riders, the surface takes some getting used to.

“When you first get out there, I tell everyone to be cautious and treat it like ice,” says Hegreness. Over time, riders will adapt to the idiosyncrasies of the surface, Hegreness says.

Snowflex is still under construction. What will it look like when it’s complete?

Right now, Snowflex stretches over about 40,000 square feet across the mountain. When construction is complete, the slope will extend to the peak and will be widened in certain areas, adding about 30,000 square feet of surface area.

- What about tubing?
Tubing is currently limited to the nursery slope, and is geared mainly toward children.

A steeper tubing run is in the planning stages. It will flank the main slope, and is expected to be completed sometime during the spring semester, Evans said.