It’s becoming the time that most people are getting tired of winter and can’t wait on summer’s arrival. But what if you’re a snowboarder and that’s all you want to do?
You’re in luck if you’re in the northeast, because one of the best Snowflex mountains around is right here for you to get your fix.
Snowflex is what you’re looking for when you just need to get that summertime snowboarding session in. It’s a synthetic snow surface made to feel and perform just like regular snow would.
At Liberty University in Lynchburg Virginia, they have one of the best Snowflex mountains with 2 slopes plus a terrain park.
Check it out.
I talked to Jacob Mitchell, a friend of mine and avid Northeast snowboarder. He’s actually ridden at Liberty’s Snowflex complex.
“It was really cool because when I went it was in the middle of spring and warm,” said Mitchell, “I was riding in just a t-shirt.”
But being able to ride in just a t-shirt wasn’t the only thing exciting about it, “it’s really good to practice and has some more give than regular snow,” he said, “it gave me a lot of confidence and I was even able to master tricks I’d have been too scared to try on snow.”
But there’s one thing about Snowflex that is discouraging more places from having it, its cost. According to Snoflex’s financial FAQ page the cheapest offering is anywhere from two to five million dollars. After seeing that, it became apparent to me why Liberty University is the only one around.
Luckily, you and I don’t need to fork over that kind of cash, a daytime pass is only 20-30 dollars, you’ll just have to drive down to Virginia to take advantage of it.
So, what other suggestions are there for snowboarding in the summer? Well, you could fly to somewhere cold like Australia or New Zealand, a little more expensive however.
Or, you could try a Freebord.
Essentially, a Freebord’s purpose is to mimic that of a snowboard, but on pavement by combining elements from both.
It’s a really cool concept actually and really feels similar to a snowboard, but does take some getting used to, but if that’s what it takes to get you your fix then so be it, there’s another alternative.
So we’ve discussed three ways you can “snowboard” in the summer, but which one is best for us Northeastern riders? I’d have to go with the Snowflex and here’s why.
Snowflex is the closest thing to real snow we can get in this part of the country during the warmer months, it puts you in your actually set up and lets you ride for real, rather than a modified skateboard version, not that that’s not a good idea either though.
It’s the cheapest. You already have your board and other equipment, all you have to do is come up with 25-30 to pay for your day pass, where a Freebord is a couple hundred at least, and we don’t want to get into a trip across the country.
So, there you have it, some ways that you can cure your summertime snowboarding withdrawals. Comment below and let me know if I missed anything, or if you have any other ideas!
Matt Petraglia 