Snow in Silverdale as indoor ski hill preapres to open

Skiers and snowboarders will soon be able to hit the slopes in Auckland.

Snowplanet, the country's first indoor snow facility and what its owners say is the fifth largest in the world, last night revealed freshly made snow on a rolling 200m slope.

The 8000sq m "snowdrome", on a hillside by the Silverdale exit of the Northern Motorway, is due to open in March.

Crews manning the snow cannon, which turns water into crisp powder snow, are working non-stop to get the slope covered in a 50cm base.

While the North Island enjoyed a sweltering day, including 25C in Hamilton, the temperature in the vast windowless building, still surrounded by the debris of construction, was a frigid -10C.

Ski jackets were handed out at the door, but the freezing air and snow sneaking into summer sandals made fingers and toes numb before long.

Operations manager David Green said the usual temperature once the snowdrome opened would be a slightly warmer -5C.

"That's comfortable because there's no wind-chill factor," he said.

The constant din of the snow cannon, which will use 1.6 million litres of water to make the snow needed for opening, will also disappear. Instead, people will hear music as they ride the three ski lifts up the slope.

Two of the lifts, which are platter lifts, will go to the top.

The other lift, a "very expensive" imported walk-on lift, will operate in a roped-off beginners' area.

The top of the slope has a 25 per cent incline, which Mr Green said made it one of the steepest slopes in an indoor snow resort.

A "terrain park" will entertain snowboarders and lessons will be available for beginners.

A maximum of 250 people will be allowed on the slope at any one time to prevent overcrowding. Those tired from the workout will be able to retire to a restaurant with picture windows looking out over the slope.

Eighty thousand Aucklanders ski or snowboard.

Snowplanet executive director Christian Dunnwald hopes they and others who want to try snowsports will take advantage of the snowdrome's closeness to the city.

"People can say to their friends, 'Let's go skiing or boarding for an hour'." Mr Dunnwald, a Dutchman who set up two snowdromes in Europe, said companies were also expected to come to Snowplanet for corporate outings.

Entry prices have not been set, but Mr Dunnwald said one hour for an adult on a Saturday night, which is peak time, would be about $30.

Hiring equipment would cost $12.

The imported snow cannon used to make the snow converts 80 litres of water into snow in one minute.

The machine breaks the water particles into much smaller crystals so they are lighter and stay in the freezing air longer, creating perfect powder.

Mr Green said there was nothing chemical about the process.

"All it is, is air and water."