In spite of appearances, the snowy winter has its advantages.

 

Not for everybody, that’s for sure, but for the skiing enthusiasts snow and freezing weather mean a longer season. In Poznań though, everybody has a chance to ski without even leaving the city – there’s 70 cm of real snow on the Malta ski slope.
The Malta ski slope is open all year round. However, most of the time skiers can schuss only on a plastic surface. Now though, the long, frosty, snowy winter means a substitute of real mountains for Poznań skiers.
Malta has been covered with genuine snow since the winter began. If necessary, additional snow is produced from snow cannons and the low temperatures allow for the snow to be kept in good condition. The Malta centre is also equipped with a snow grooming vehicle which is used to improve skiing conditions.

There are two ski lifts on the Malta slope, a drag lift and a chairlift. There’s always quite a lot of people on the slope during weekends, but even at rush hours the queues are not very long. This is why skiing on the Malta slope can be so much fun. “We have no real mountains here, but one can brush up on one’s technique and take some exercise in the fresh air,” says Kalina, who comes to Malta with her children a couple of times per week. Marek agrees. “It’s no Tatra mountains, nor the Alps, but the sheer possibility of skiing without having to leave the city has its good points.” For snowboard enthusiasts a snow park has been prepared. It is situated on a separate slope next to the main one and is only for the people who want to practice snowboarding tricks. Two rails have been put up, one handrail 4 metres long and one jump rail 5 metres long. A 4 metre-wide straight box for beginners and another one – 6m long for advanced riders, have been constructed. Moreover, there’s a small ramp for beginners and a snowboard jump with two take-off boards.

Thanks to artificial lighting, two parts of the slope are also open in the evenings until 10pm.
The all-year-round Malta Skiing Centre was opened in February 1993, and the Centre has organised skiing and snowboarding courses from the very beginning. Nearly two dozen instructors teach children and adults the basics of the two disciplines. Many Poznań skiers took their first skiing steps during these courses.
This year, a one-hour ticket costs 26 PLN, with discounted tickets at 22 PLN. During weekends the tickets are a bit more expensive – 34 PLN for a regular one-hour ticket and 26 PLN for the discounted. A four-person family can count as a discount – in such cases everybody gets reduced tickets.
Skiing lessons are, unfortunately, more expensive. One individual lesson during the weekend costs 105 PLN and from Monday to Friday – 95 PLN, although the price also covers the equipment hire.