Indoor Skiing New Jersey - Big Snow, American Dream
Indoor skiing in New Jersey can be done in the newly built Big Snow American Dream. American Dream Skiing is the largest indoor ski resort in North America, located in the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey. There are 3 slopes all covered with 2-foot of snow. The three slopes differ in difficulty and reach up to 1000 feet long.
How do you get some practise at skiing before setting off on your much-awaited winter holiday this year? Or do you want to try your hand at skiing before purchasing a holiday in the mountains? Whether it is to learn the basics before the holiday, or just to sharpen up on your skills, indoor skiing is a fantastic and cost-effective way of getting in some skiing practise, prior to arriving at the resort.
American Dream Mall skiing
Big Snow American Dream is an indoor ski and snowboard area located in the amazing American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This enormous mall houses a huge range of activities and attractions for all the family. From a theme park for all ages, including rides for even toddlers, to an ice rink and the notorious Big Snow indoor ski park, there are activities for the entire family to stay entertained for days on end.
As the first real-snow, indoor ski resort in North America, people have been queuing at the door for this new attraction and all availability was booked up for days when it first opened. The indoor ski slope is well organised and controlled in order to prevent overcrowding, and to allow everyone a chance to have fun on the slopes.
It may be hard to believe the scale of this indoor ski area, with an altitude of 160 feet and the biggest slope a massive 1000 feet long, this complex looks as impressive as it sounds. There are 3 available runs at Big Snow of varying difficulty. The easy or beginner trail Lil Dipper, the intermediate trail called Switchback, and the advanced trail Northern Lights. Practise your turns on 1000 feet of Switchback before testing yourself on the more difficult Northern Lights!
It may be hard to believe the scale of Big Snow American Dream, with an altitude of 160 feet and the biggest slope a massive 1000 feet long, this complex looks as impressive as it sounds. There are 3 available runs at Big Snow of varying difficulty. The easy or beginner trail Lil Dipper, the intermediate trail called Switchback, and the advanced trail Northern Lights. Practise your turns on 1000 feet of Switchback before testing yourself on the more difficult Northern Lights!
Unlike traditional ski resorts situated outside and exposed to the elements, there is no need to worry about the snow disappearing or icy conditions on sunny days at Big Snow. Big Snow is covered with 5.5 thousand tons of snow, spread out over the slopes to a very respectable depth of 2 feet. This is more than enough to ensure you can carve to your heart’s content without worrying about running out of snow. Another advantage of this fantastically controlled environment is Big Snow being able to keep the temperature at a steady -2 degrees, which in my opinion is the perfect temperature for skiing. Any lower and you start to feel it in your fingers and toes!
Big Snow Temperature
Another advantage of this fantastically controlled environment in Big Snow New Jersey, is this indoor ski area being able to keep the temperature at a steady -2°C, which in my opinion is the perfect temperature for skiing. Any lower and you start to feel it in your fingers and toes! For a visit at Big Snow American Dream, you will need to bring a few layers of clothing to keep you warm, however –2°C is not so cold that you need the latest state of the art arctic clothing!
How Much Does it Cost to Ski at American Dream?
For bookings and reservations at Big Snow, you can book a 2-hour slot initially, with the option to add another 2 hours on for a reduced price. The price you will pay for a ticket depends on whether you have your equipment or not, with a pass including equipment rental costing $69.99 + tax, while having your own equipment will save you $34, costing only $34.99 for a 2-hour slot. Big Snow gives you the option of purchasing multi-day passes for a better price. A 3-day multi pass, which can be used at any time is available for $129 without equipment rental, or $149 including rentals.
American Dream Big Snow hours
Skiing and snowboarding at Big Snow American Dream is open from 1pm – 9pm during the week (open until 10pm on Fridays!) though opens much earlier at 10am on the weekends. Big Snow American Dream closes at 10pm on Saturday and 8pm on Sunday. The retail shops at Big Snow American Dream have slightly different operating hours from the ski and snowboard slopes, as the retail shops open 2 hours earlier during the week.
Lessons at Big Snow American Dream
Currently the only lessons available at Big Snow are children’s lesson for ages 5-12. These last 3 hours and cost $99 + tax. I would recommend having a look at the Big Snow website for more information on how to book slots, and details about the lessons. According to the website, there will be private lessons offered shortly. Keep an eye on the website for updated information on how to book private lessons in due course.