Chamonix, France is home to Vallee Blanche which has a vertical drop of 2807 meters or 9209 vertical feet. However, there is a company that is designing an indoor corkscrew like ski-run known as Ski-Trac that could chump all ski runs in vert. If ever built,- Ski-Trac could provide an infinitely long ski run that could last the rest of your life.
At the top speed of 30 km/h (19 mph), the slope-stretching magic of the rotating deck becomes apparent. As the skier zigzags downhill he is constantly being taken back up again by the on-coming snow and may in fact never reach the bottom!
In one hour he has traveled 30 kilometres (19 miles) over the snow, making the Ski-Trac the longest ski run in the world.
The ability to provide a ski run vastly in excess of the size of its structure will see the Ski-Trac become the standard method of indoor skiing throughout the world.
| Skier Capacity: | On all slopes including Snow-boarders: 1000 skiers. |
| Main Slope Length: | 300 metres to 20 km (ave. distance over snow per hour). |
| Slope width: | 50 metres. |
| Drop: | 39 metres (13 stories). |
| Snow depth: | 200 millimetres minimum. |
| Other Slopes: | 250 metre Mountain Run (with moguls & drops). “Hyper Slope” inside Snow Chamber. Centre Training Area. Snowboard Area including half pipe, slalom, bordercross, flat-tops etc. |
| Air Temperature Ski Area: | 8 degrees Celsius (ave). |
| Skiing Charges: | $10 – $20 for first hour (off-peak to peak time range). |
| Dome Construction: | Clear-span truss, insulated, metal skin. |
| Total Dome Area: | 40,400 m2 (10 acres). |
| Energy Source: | Gas turbine Co-generation. |
| Technology Features: | Mag-lev. The 2,500 tonne snow deck will be supported by electro-magnetic support units enabling the entire moving snow-field to “float” on a 15mm space, with zero vibration, noise and maintenance; Twin Chamber Snow Chamber for non-stop snowmaking; New Heat Exchanger technology. |
| Other Facilities: | Suspended Gondolas, Bobsled Ride, Snow-play & Tobogganing, Ski Hire, Ski Instruction, Themed Ice-Skating, Restaurants, Retail Areas, Four Star Hotel. |
| Origin of the Ski-Trac: | The Ski-Trac was invented, designed and developed by Kevin Ferris of Brisbane, Australia. The first snow tests of the unique snow-making eco-system took place in Townsville November 1997 in association with George Jennings of Woomera Snow Guns, Canberra. A one-tenth size test model was built in a factory at Taren Point in Sydney. Systems development took place with the assistance of Richard Worsdall of Ski-Trac’s project management company Kinlay Neill Worsdall, with engineering development by Meinhardt, Sydney. |
For more information check out Ski-Track.com
Using new Mag-lev technology, the snow deck, with its 200 mm (8 in) snow cover will “float” on an electro-magnetic field without the need for wheels, thus ensuring frictionless, vibrationless, silent, and maintenance-free rotation. Drive power will be supplied by linear motor.