Action sports center SNÖBAHN has recently opened a massive 38,000 sq/ft action sports facility in Thornton, Colorado, building on the success of its Centennial center. This exciting new facility doesn’t just have indoor skiing and snowboarding; it also offers other action sports like skating, BMX riding, and trampolining. It’s a true haven for action sports enthusiasts and we’re glad SNÖBAHN has chosen SkiMachine for the new Skimachines at the center in Thornton.
How SNÖBAHN originated
SNÖBAHN was founded in 2016 by Sadler Merrill, a Colorado native and former freestyle ski team member of the University of Colorado. As he experienced a few too many tumbles during practice, he came to the idea of opening SNÖBAHN as a secure haven for learning tricks and enhancing skills in snow sports. SNÖBAHN’s mission is to inspire active, healthy communities by offering convenient, safe, and affordable action sports venues, inspiring the next generation of enthusiasts. SNÖBAHN is all about making action sports a big part of people’s lives by making it more affordable. For instance, three half-hour sessions at SNÖBAHN cost less than the typical lift ticket at most major ski resorts in the US, making the affordability of SNÖBAHN unmatched.
SNÖBAHN is more than just a training center; it’s a vibrant community space that invites people of all ages and abilities to learn about and experience the thrill of action sports in a safe, accessible, and affordable environment.
A brand new facility in Thornton
The expansion of SNÖBAHN with its new 3500 m2 facility is a significant milestone for the company. This sport and leisure center has quickly become a hub, not only for skateboarding and BMX, but also for skiing and snowboarding. The facility boasts a skate / scooter / BMX park featuring a Big Air jump crafted by California Skateparks who also made the parks for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics and X Games. Additionally, there’s a trampoline freestyle area equipped with seven MaxAir performance trampolines, a jump tower, and a run wall. In February 2023, our engineers started the job and despite a tight schedule, they successfully performed maintenance at the current maxxtracks simulators at the Centennial center while they constructed four new Treadmill SkiMachines at the new Thornton center. While indoor ski and snowboard centers are popular in Europe, SNÖBAHN stands out as one of the pioneers introducing this trend to the United States. Beyond offering a fun and safe training space, SNÖBAHN is actively shaping the future of Colorado’s thriving winter sports industry. Each year, the center trains 14,000 skiers and snowboarders, with an impressive 98% of them becoming lifelong winter sports enthusiasts. The new Thornton facility alone can accommodate 8,000 individuals, contributing to the growth of Colorado’s $4.8 billion winter sports economy. In addition to training novice skiers and snowboarders, SNÖBAHN provides year-round training for Colorado race teams such as Denver University, Team Summit, Loveland, Team Breck, and Winter Park freestyle comp team.
Opening ceremony with Gobe Miller and Mayor Jan Kulmann
To celebrate, the city of Thornton declared March 8 as ‘Winter Sports Appreciation Day’ in Thornton to honor the importance of winter sports and the essential role companies like SNÖBAHN play in supporting Colorado’s winter sports legacy. The grand opening ceremony included live demonstrations by SNÖBAHN athletes and ambassadors, including Olympic and World Championship gold medalist skier Bode Miller. Since opening on March 9, the new Thornton location has been bustling with action sports fans!
Winter sports are the heart and soul of Colorado’s thriving tourism and outdoor recreation economy. Understanding the importance of nurturing a love for these activities and inspiring the next generation of athletes and enthusiasts, we’re thrilled to welcome SNÖBAHN to the community.
Contact SkiMachine
With 100+ endless ski slopes installed worldwide, numerous positive reactions from clients, and over 25 years of experience, SkiMachine has created wealth and know-how in manufacturing the highest quality indoor simulators in the industry. We are happy to provide you with professional input at any time!
