Welcome to our final Snow Report for the 2017/18 winter season! It’s been a great 4 months and there are still 4 more days left to get some final laps in. The season officially closes on the 15th of April, but the lifts won’t be closed for too long before the summer season starts and the gondola and bike park open. Conditions on the mountain are still holding, even though there are plenty of signs that the season is pretty much over.
Markudjik 3
The Sitnyakovo Ski Center saw its last skiers and snowboarders on the 9th of April and has been closed since then. This leaves only the Yastrebets and Markudjik Ski Centers open, which are higher up on the mountain and still have snow on the slopes. All lifts are working in the open ski centers and there are absolutely no queues anywhere. The forecast is looking good for the next few days, but there might be some small rain showers on Friday and Saturday evening. The forecast was for rain last weekend, but it stayed sunny, so we’re hoping the same will happen again this weekend.
The best part of the Popangelov ski run.
Now let’s talk about the slope conditions. We’re not gonna lie, it’s much better earlier in the season, but spring skiing does have its own charm. The weather is warm enough that you don’t need to wear a million layers of clothes or even gloves for that matter, but the snow is much softer and slushier. If you’re a dedicated racer, this probably won’t put a smile on your face, but for most casual skiers it’s not such a big problem. However, it is more difficult to ski in slush, than on a cold and firm piste. Early morning the slopes are groomed and have a corduroy finish, but they soften up after 9:30 and the ski tracks left in the snow from each turn start to add up. If you’re more freestyle oriented, then you may even like the slushier conditions better than an ice-hard run.
Yastrebets 1 (closed)
Markudjik 2A (closed)
Conditions in the Markudjik Ski Center are best on the Markudjik 3 ski run. That is the run with the most snow left and today there were no exposed rocks and grassy patches. On the N.1 and N.2B slopes, which are skied much more than the N.3 during the season, the snow is gone in some spots at the end of the runs. These patches only cover a small portion of the slopes and can be easily skied around, but you should still be mindful of them. The connection between the Markudjik 1 surface lift and the Markudjik 2 chairlift is also very rocky on the right side. The N.2A run is closed and has grassy patches all over it, this is due to it being groomed less often during the season. In the Yastrebets Ski Center conditions are very nice in the first half, where you won’t find any exposed parts of the slope, but the lower you go, the slushier it becomes in the afternoon. The Popangelov ski run (since it’s more popular) has more grassy patches than the Yastrebets 3 run, while the N.1 piste is closed. The connection to the gondola mid-station is also closed and lacks snow, so you’ll need to walk a bit to take the gondola up towards the Markudjik Ski Center.
It’s been a great season and we hope to see you again in summer! Borovets has plenty of summer activities, from hikes in the Rila mountains, to shredding up the mountain bike park, there’s something for everybody.
Down in the valley it already feels like summer.
Ski & Board Traventuria is a leading provider of lift passes, equipment rental, airport transfers and ski school for the Borovets area. To book your next ski vacation in Borovets with us, please check our website – www.skiborovets.bg
