Another week, another snow report from the slopes of Borovets. It’s been a 7 days since the resort opened and roughly 2/3 of the the ski runs are open and in perfect working conditions. Low temperatures have allowed for the snow cannons to work for a big part of the week, constantly making snow.
The cold front that Bulgaria has been experiencing might be miserable for city dwellers, but for us mountain people, it’s a dream come true. Thermometers have stayed below freezing for most of the week, only during the last weekend did they go up slightly. The conditions on the slope today were cold, with temperatures around -5 to -10. In other words, wear really warm clothes. Thanks to this cold, the snow machines have been working even during the day. It’s somewhat unpleasant to ski while the machines are on, but if it means a better season later on, then were OK with it.
The Markudjik ski center is still closed, so the gondola wasn’t open either. This is due to the lack of snow cannons above the Yastrebets ski center. The natural snow just isn’t enough yet for the top part of the mountain to be safely opened. On the picture above is the Yastrebets 1 ski run, which runs parallel to the Popangelov slope. Even though it looks like there is sufficient snow cover, there are still small rocks and branches just underneath the surface. Keep in mind that it’s only the middle of December and the next big snowfall will probably bring enough snow to open the rest of the resort.
Snow and skiing conditions on the open slopes are good, though still hard to find a perfectly groomed slope top to bottom. The traditional small jumps on the side of the slopes are starting to form, which adds a nice bit of diversity to a run, if you’re into that kind of thing. The slopes themselves are very hard packed from the freezing cold and the snow cannon snow, which tends to be harder than natural snow. This means that any imperfections in the slope will be felt harder on your feet, as the snow requires more force to be displaced and your ski to move smoothly through it. For these conditions (where the snow isn’t perfectly smooth, but rather bumpy at higher speeds), softer skis would provide a more comfortable and laid back ride, while stiffer skis will provide more control, but will be more exhausting.
The snow forecast while this is being written is for a small snowfall Thursday and Friday, with a bigger one next week. But these change often and at the last minute, for better or worse.
If your planning on coming to Borovets, Ski & Board Traventuria is already open for business. See you here!
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