WINTER PARk, Fla. – Central Floridians are used to sunshine and 70s in December. If you're itching to hit the slopes but can't escape the Florida heat, skiing and snowboarding in town is now a reality thanks to the opening of the first indoor ski and snowboarding center in the country in Winter Park.
Whether you're looking for practice on the bunny slopes or a double black diamond, all the equipment, at the WinterClub Ski and Snowboard center, can increase in difficulty with speed and inclining a giant treadmill.
Gordon Wicks and instructor at the WinterClub told News 6 how it works.
"It's a synthetic form of astroturf. When we wet it, it becomes a slick surface were it slides and simulates real snow," he said.
Richard Heistand brought his girlfriend to learn the basics before their ski trip to Aspen in a few months.
"So to do it here for a lot cheaper than what they charge in Colorado is great! That way when we get there, she really knows how to ski and we'll have a much better time," he said.
No matter your skill level, you can truly feel the gnarly sensation of going down a real mountain.
"And you just go side to side like you normally would when you carve down the mountain and it feels just like you're there," Wicks explained.
But if you're worried about falling, Wicks says this is a great place to practice and learn in a safe environment.
"If anything goes wrong we can just hit the stop button stopping it immediately. Everything is safe, if you fall, you fall real lightly no bumps and bruises and no sledding down the mountain," he said.
But if you are more of the sit back and watch type of person, you can have a hot cocoa at the lodge-like cafe with a fire that almost feels real.