25 September 2010
One absolute must for a real Alpine Club is to go skiing once in a while. Considering the limited pleasures of sand boarding in 45C heat (not even mentioning all the places of your body where the fine desert sand tends to hide for weeks) the sight of a snow covered hill is a welcomed alternative….
…even when it doesn’t really look like it from a distance.
So on a late September morning, some brave Alpinists made their way to one of Dubai’s malls to tackle the challenge of a -50 C temperature shock (from +45C to -5C within a few meters!).
To make sure noone will run out of energy, we started with a proper ski-lunch, including cheese fondu and hot chocolate, before heading to the slope.
With a total lengh of 400m, the almost empty pistes proved to have something for everyone, from beginners to experinced skiiers. Ok, if you are used to large skiing areas, going up and down the same short slope all afternoon might sound a bit boring, but this is the only alternative to the sand dunes! (Hint -avoid the extremely slow chair lift, you get more runs using the faster button lift on the side.)
One lesson is apparently enough to get started…
Think we’ll be back!
thg
Abu Dhabi Alpine Club 