Don’t let snowless weather keep you from hitting the slopes. Dodge City Ski Shop on East Brainerd Road has your ticket to simulated ski slope fun.
Their Virtual Snow Training System offers safe training ground for ski and snowboard aficionados of all ages and experience levels.
Virtual Snow is a carpeted platform that rotates to simulate downward movement. A safety harness is used to secure virtual skiers and snowboarders in place.
Dodge City Ski Shop owner Steve Gilbert purchased the Virtual Snow simulator four years ago, and today it is the only indoor ski simulator of its kind in the Southeast.
“It’s like a big treadmill,” said Hunter Pruett, shop tech at Dodge City Ski Shop. “It’s a great tool for kids and people who have never skied or snowboarded before to get comfortable and gain confidence before a ski trip.”
Virtual Snow provides experienced skiers and snowboarders with an intense workout and training to improve technique and stamina. More than 21 world-champion skiers have trained on simulators, according to Gilbert.
Dodge City offers personal training sessions and classes for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and experience levels who want to hit the virtual slopes. The goal, Gilbert said, is to provide a safe environment to practice techniques, condition muscles and gain confidence for skiing and snowboarding adventures.
The indoor simulated environment also trains beginners in how to prevent the humiliating and painful falls that often accompany first ski and snowboarding experiences on real snow.
Dodge City Ski Shop, located at 7968 East Brainerd Road in Chattanooga, has been a purveyor of ski equipment and clothing in Chattanooga since 1982. Originally housed in an old train caboose, the shop’s current facade harks back to the wild frontier structures of the Old West.
The store sells men’s, women’s and children’s new and used apparel and equipment, along with rental equipment and clothing. Their repair shop offers ski and snowboard equipment tuneups and repair.
Visit Dodge City Ski Shop’s website or call 423-892-6767 to learn more about their Virtual Snow Training System.
Jenni Frankenberg Veal enjoys writing about the natural world and exploration opportunities located within the southeastern United States, one of the most biologically and recreationally rich regions on earth. Visit her blog at www.YourOutdoorFamily.com.
