Dry ski slope: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Dry ski slopes are an attempt to mimic the attributes of snow using materials that are usable at normal summer temperatures.

The usual material is dendix which is similar to a short haired brush with the bristles sticking upwards. This is arranged in a hexagonal pattern of approximately 1 inch strips of bristles in a 4 inch hexagon. It doesn't really feel that much like snow but it is good enough to ride a snowboard or ski on with some practice. Water is often sprayed onto the surface of the dendix to lubricate it and increase the skiing speed.

More recently a new material, SnowFlex, has been introduced. The new material looks like white AstroTurf. This is better than dendix but still not as good as snow.