In the heart of Denmark’s capital you find the usual city stuff that you would expect - but also in the heart of Copenhagen lies Copenhill. The most unusual ski resort you will probably ever see. Let me explain why...

What makes it unique?

Now, most artificial ski slopes are on actual hills, like Hillend in Edinburgh - but what happens if the highest point in your country is only 170 metres and that place is basically flat? Well, of course, you build a massive renewable  energy plant and stick a dry ski slope on the top! Copenhill is not only in a unique position but its environmental focus is a key factor as well. As Copenhagen’s urban mountain, it turns the city’s waste into heat and electricity.

What else is on the mountain?

On Copenhill there is much more than just a ski slope. It also houses the world’s tallest climbing wall - 85 metres of climbing up the wall of the power plant. The running watch company Garmin has sponsored the urban mountain and is holding events to get people more involved in mountain running. You can also hike up the mountain or do parkour classes in the designated freestyle park at the top.

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How does the power plant work?
The plant gets waste from waste collection lorries and is filtered into a large furnace. The furnace then heats the water for all the central heating in Copenhagen. The emissions from the furnaces then goes into chambers full of calcium which takes out all of the Co2, and the plume that you see leaving the top of the building is just steam.

So if you are one for sports and saving the planet, then Copenhill is the perfect match.

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