Where to ski and snowboard: Resorts in Russia and neighboring countries
If winter seems like an exceptionally unpleasant and dreary season, it means that you have never been to the mountains, just from a glance at the snow-capped peaks of which naturally breath-taking - no, not because of the frost, but because of the incredible beauty. Admiring mountain landscapes is in fact perfectly combined with skiing and snowboarding, which is even nicer. The choice of ski resorts today is so rich that there is an ideal option for everyone, regardless of budget, skills, and ideas about comfort. Another thing is that the ruble exchange rate does not allow us to organize a holiday in a big way and spontaneously fall for a favorite European resort. Fortunately, in Russia there is where to go, besides, the snow on many domestic bases lies until late spring. We asked experienced riders to tell about their favorite ski resorts in Russia and the near abroad - from Kamchatka to the Caucasus.
Generally, Shymbulak is correct, but not everyone managed to reorganize the Russified spelling that arose in the USSR. Almost nothing of the Scoop’s legacy has survived here, just some of its touching elements: figures of mountain sheep and bears and bus stops with tiled mosaics. By the Asian Games 2011, Medeu and Chimbulak were thoroughly shoveled by waving a train of money into this business. To Chimbulak from the center of Almaty - funny 40 minutes by car. The bus will take a little longer: there are three of them - the 6th, the 2nd and the 12th - walk from the Kazakhstan Hotel and take them to the Medeu rink, from there it is further on the cable car. Skipass per day will cost 3850 tenge (850 rubles) on weekdays and 6400 tenge at the weekend. The elevator goes late, the night wheelchair costs 4500 tenges. Rental in the city is cheaper than local. There are eight tracks in total, and snowmobiles on them are very zealous. For freestyle there is a park, for freeride it is worth climbing higher than Chimbulak - there are more opportunities for it.
Just walk up, I also strongly advise. For Chimbulak goes plateau Mynzhilki, walk there really even in sneakers - it took me an hour and a half. Above, on the Tuyuksu glacier, without intelligible trekking boots, it is pointless to climb. If the shoes are there, the road will take about three hours. I am not a specialist in rental housing in Almaty, but I can recommend the only hotel where I could stay with a clear conscience. Called "Salem", this is a network of five conveniently located small hotels.
It is easy to orient yourself in the “eat and drink” part in the center: there is a coffee shop at a coffee shop in Abylay Khan, cafes and bars in the neighboring streets. The best solution is to despise all these same-type establishments and go eat manti and kebabs. In this regard, the champion in national love - "Saule", the truest unit in Almaty. It is located at the entrance to the Almarasan gorge, which is inhabited with barbecue and beshbarmak, but it only makes sense to go to the other if there are no places in Saul (which is quite possible). If you still want the usual set, I would advise Noodles and Del Papa.
In addition to Chimbulak, you can catch a ride on Akbulak. There are two ways to get there from Almaty - cheap and reasonable. From the bus station "Sayakhat" there is a bus to the bus station Talgar, from Talgar carry private traders. Given the driving style of rural drivers, it is better not to be wise and order a transfer from Almaty. In addition to the hotel "Akbulak" there is a guesthouse "Alma-Akbulak", which is several kilometers lower, but the number in it is several thousand tenge cheaper.
In Magadan, almost everyone rides - in the city most of the year there is snow. From the beginning of October on the hills in the area snow falls and the informal season begins. On the slopes, the season usually begins in mid-late October. Ride stop only when the snow melts completely. It does not happen before May.
In Magadan, there are two slopes equipped with lifts: public and private. Both are within the city, and get to them no more than 15-20 minutes. There are almost no traffic jams in Magadan. On the RSH - the state slope - things are not very good. There are two drag lifts, which were made back in Yugoslavia. One works constantly, the second is turned on only when the queue at first exceeds the number of Bratislava. One lift costs 78 rubles. Equipment for
maintenance slopes there, but do not know how to work with him. For example, instead of snow, ice is often inflated. The slope itself is very long, but only the fourth part is lit. So the evening ride will not work. There are two skiing schools - ski and snowboard - but they mostly work only on weekends, although there are a lot of people who want it.
On the "Snegorka" private slope, things are not better. There are two baby lift, one of which includes only at the end of the season. Here you do not pay for elevations, but for the time - 350 rubles per hour, regardless of whether it is a day off or a weekday. The slope is well lit and snowed, but it is almost four times shorter than the state. "Snegorka" focuses primarily on vacationers, so there are more children on tubing and lovers of winter barbecue. Now an organization has emerged in the city that is engaged in popularizing snowboarding: they are trying to build parks, hold competitions, offer some improvements, but there are people in the directorates of both slopes who don’t understand at all why this is needed, and then there’s no idea is moving.
Those who ride professionally love to go out of town and ride off piste. There you can, for example, build "kickers" and jump. The most popular places are Marchekansky Sopka and Armansky Pass. But many have their own well-known secret places. In this regard, nature in Magadan is ideal - the whole city is surrounded by hills, on which snow often lies year round. In addition, the fells are not as steep as the mountains, which excludes the possibility of falling under an avalanche or falling into a snow break. On the other hand, steep slopes are also not found. Riding off piste is also good because you can see nature. Actually, this is the only thing worth going to Magadan if you have no relatives there.
Contrary to popular belief, Magadan is not a very cold city. Usually the temperature does not fall below 20-25 degrees below zero. However, if you leave the city for twenty kilometers, you can feel the real severe Kolyma winter. This, by the way, is what you need to prepare for if you are coming to Magadan for the first time. The airport is 50 kilometers from the city, and the difference with the temperature in Magadan itself can reach 15-20 degrees. It is better to come to the city at the end of winter or in spring, then the tickets are cheaper. Ticket prices - the only thing that stops a large number of tourists. There is no railway in Magadan, so an airplane is the only way to get here. In summer and winter, during the holidays, the cost of the round-trip ticket can increase to 50-60 thousand rubles. In the spring, you can have time to buy tickets for 26-35 thousand.
For the first time in Sheregesh, I was in 2006. Then snowboarding in Siberia suddenly became very fashionable, several of my friends got carried away at once, and I also decided to try. Since then, I started driving to Sheregesh two or three times a season. In recent years, however, it turned out much less often. But now I sort of rehabilitated myself and have already traveled twice.
In Sheregesh, I like variety. There you can ride along prepared tracks (if they are prepared, of course), and fry. There are several "wild" peaks, where they throw on snowmobiles or snowmobiles. With some of them, the descent can take several hours, if you stop and stare at the surrounding beauty. It is very beautiful there. In Sheregesh, there are generally good clubs and bars, saunas and all sorts of other opportunities to diversify the evening after skiing. Instead of skiing, you can fly a hang glider, ride a snowmobile ... It seems to me that this is a great weekend route for Siberians: from Tomsk, for example, to Sheregesh, not more than 700 kilometers, you can take time off on Friday, on Thursday evening, take a bus or a car, already at night to be in place, quietly ride for three days, and already on Monday to be in the workplace. By the way, I have never been in Sheregesh more than three days, and for some reason I think that there is nothing more to do there. Although my friends can not get out a week from there and they like it terribly. I recently met on the mountain guys from Togliatti, they came to Sheregesh as the capital of freeride. Satisfied, like elephants.
In Sheregesh, the routes are divided into two sectors: A and E. In sector A, it seems to me, the routes are more varied: there are red and, it seems, black areas. There is a descent and a special lift to the middle of the mountain for beginners. Sector E, in my opinion, is more suitable for relaxed skiing, either for beginners or inexperienced riders. There is also a completely bald vykat on top.
Siberians can get to Sheregesh by bus - there are tours from all major cities, most often they are designed for three days. From the capital - by plane to the airport of Novokuznetsk, from there - by bus to Tashtagol or directly to Sheregesh (from Novokuznetsk to Sheregesh about 200 kilometers). At the foot of the Green Mountain in sector A there are a lot of hotels for every taste and color: there are quite good cheap hostels, there are hotels with stars, some of them offer their guests serious discounts on ski passes. There are also concentrated bars and clubs, parking, souvenir shops. You can live in the village: local apartments rent cheap (on average about 2000 rubles per day), you can rent a cottage for a large company (prices range from 4 to 30 thousand rubles and more). A taxi from the village to the mountain costs 100-200 rubles.
In recent years, built a lot of new lifts. There are old open double chairs, there are rope tows. Newer ones are usually four-seaters with a plastic protective screen or eight-person cabs in general. On old chairs in sector A, the wind blows heavily at the top, however, this is not very scary. I am not a very pretentious traveler, so I can’t say that something in Sheregesh is simply not enough. It seems there is everything you need to have a great time.
You can go to Sheregesh with any experience. In the end, at the box office you can hire an instructor who will quickly teach you everything on special routes. Plus, as I have already said, there is sector E, where there are practically no serious biases and it is not at all scary to ride for beginners. Pluses for beginners: first, you can easily and quickly learn to ride, and if you are tired or naughty, you have something to do other than riding. For experienced - certainly, not bad opportunities for freeride. True, it is better not to go for the powder, not at the beginning of winter, but later. We do this, for example, at the end of February.
As for the snow, before it was much more in Sheregesh. Locals say that at the beginning of the 2000s, they even broke through a special trench in the snow for a ski lift, because the chairs were stuck in the snow. Now there is enough snow for a comfortable ride, but it's not very interesting to ride in the woods: hard, everything is rolled out. In my opinion, it is best to go here in February or early March. The main thing is not for the holidays: neither New Year's, nor February 23, nor March 8. You can stand all day in the queue for lifts - what kind of skating is this?
For me personally, a good motivation to go to Khibiny was the fact that the snow there quietly lies right up to the May holidays, and not some melting something, but decent snowdrifts reaching the roofs of passenger cars. At the same time, compared with winter skiing (which, however, I didn’t have to try it myself), the polar night ended, and the daylight hours are longer than the work of the lifts. The lifts here are a separate story.
In Kirovsk two main slope. The first one is urban, it is also the northern slope of the mountain with the almost unpronounceable name Aykuayvenchorr, on which there are chairlifts from Soviet times (if they were not replaced). The second one is south, it is Big Vudyavr, it has tow lifts, but nevertheless it is more well-groomed, refined and pleasant to use. But he is more gentle at the same time. However, if your skills make you bored on the southern one, it is better to arrange freeride on it, moving out of the route, because there are excellent visors on the northern slope, which since April have been marked by avalanche danger. There is also a slope at the 25th kilometer, in the village of Kukisvumchorr, to which a very dark yoke leads. This slope is not for the faint of heart, especially if you move to the left - in my highly personal view, the slope at the very top reached almost 90 degrees. But fear has big eyes.
As for all kinds of amusements - they are either very small or very difficult to find. There are several cafes, bowling and other things, sharpened primarily under the local population, so there is a chance to get acquainted with the inhabitants of the neighborhood and take part in the fun in the spirit of "who will get the most out of the floor" or "who drinks more vodka." In the neighboring town of Apatity, anti-fascism flourished earlier and it was possible to get to the local thematic concert.
It is best to go to Khibiny big crowd. There is a good choice of rented apartments in any distance from the slope (and sometimes almost on it), and the optimal transport to get to the place is a plane to Murmansk plus a transfer from there, which you cannot pull alone. However, there is still a train to the city and the apatity station of the same name, which takes about 1.5 days, and it is easy and quick (in half an hour) from Apatity to Kirovsk by bus-bus. Back in May, in Kirovsk, a snowpark and all sorts of entertainment competitions are traditionally arranged, which is ideal for those who like to jump.
Having traveled to Elbrus last year, I screwed up almost everything. I bought a ticket four days before departure, neglected the search for accommodation in advance. It turned out that spontaneity in Terskol has no place to turn around - the settlement is quite small, unlike the demand for housing in it. There are still villages of Tegenekli and Neutrino, but they are even smaller. With the help of taxi drivers, there was only one option, and he was uncompromisingly bad. The only consolation was that if he had not been found, he would have had to sleep on the sofa in the lobby of the Defense Ministry, populated by the military who had come to the training camp. If you agree on housing in advance, the most intrepid housing options for locals cost from 500 rubles per person, for a thousand you can already get settled in some decent house. A good example of this is the cottage "Sapira", concurrently the only almost gingerbread house in the shabby Terskol as a whole.
On the spot immediately multiply by two. As for the hotels, in the spring, booking in advance, it was possible for 2000 rubles to live in the Azau glade itself. Accommodation, transfer from the airport (Nalchik, by the way, closer to Elbrus than Minvody) and, if necessary, the instructor is easily located in VKontakte. Taxi drivers at Minvod airport take a thousand of their nose, but they may not be enough for everyone, the instructors directly at Azau sit at the box office, they are one and a half people and they do not deserve recommendations. With rental in the meadow, too, the trouble - the range is clearly replenished with the king Pea. Better to go to the rental hotel "7 peaks". Another trouble - toilets. If on the glade they are just terrible, which is quite in the key of the general impairment of the service, then at the station "Krugozor" the toilet can be simply closed to the granary lock. Lifts cost 1300 rubles on weekdays for the new one, 600 - the old one, that is, the slow one. At the cash registers, sometimes those who have already skated get their skipasses at half price. The cable car runs until 5:00 pm, later only the slope in the meadow and a lot of cafes are available.
The title of the best catering I would give the cafe of the hotel "Meridian", in almost the most famous Terskolsky catering "Dome" was tasteless, and the most pleasant atmosphere was in "Bayramuk". For some tangible fun in the evening in Terskol there is nowhere to go - they say that the whole party is kolesit on Cheget, for example in the "Deep Purple" bar. However, I did not get to Cheget.
Cheget either you love without memory, with its antediluvian elevators and barbeque children at dusk, or you don’t understand at all why people voluntarily come here. The track here is essentially the same. Steep, complex, officially red, a height difference of 900 meters and giant snow mounds, not knowing the snowmobile. All the rest is freeride.
Here I’ll go to the armored cars and say: freeride on Cheget is only with guides. There is a very difficult avalanche situation, and you shouldn’t even go into the neighboring couloirs without an avalanche outfit and a person who knows exactly how this couloir will end and what forecast the avalanche service has given today. There have already been deaths this year, so take care of yourself. It is better to agree with the guides in advance so that you definitely get beeper and avalanche shovels for rent (if you don’t have them). Since most of the freeride region is very close to the border with Georgia, you will need passes to the border zone. They can also arrange for you guides, it remains only to pick up a pass on the way from the airport.
The season lasts from December to April, the best time is February-March. The lifts on Cheget are well-deserved, creak touchingly, like an old swing: two chairlifts on the first stage, to Cafe Ay, with a legendary view of Elbrus (food is not so legendary). Then another kresselka (blows terribly) and a yoke, also of retirement age. The views are incredible: in one direction - Elbrus in all its glory, in the other - Mount Donguz-Orun with the Seven glacier. Вообще, за пейзажами на миллион стоит прогуляться по тропе, ведущей по гребню от верхней станции канатки: полчаса-час - и вы чувствуете себя на крыше мира. Если решили, что на Чегете сегодня делать нечего - прыгаете в такси, изрыгающее кавказские народные, и через десять минут оказываетесь у эльбрусских подъемников.
Добираться до Чегета на такси от аэропорта в Минеральных Водах часа четыре. You can settle in one of the many small hotels surrounding Cheget openings, and if there are many of you, it is better to rent an apartment in Terskol and walk to the ski lift through the fabulous snowy forest along the Baksan River. The apartment will be hung with lush carpets and full of household goods, but you can farm and cook giant eggs on everyone in the morning. There are no problems with “where to eat”, the whole Cheget glade consists of a cafe: lagman, kebabs, khichins, herbal tea and, oh, local soda in glass bottles - why is it so tasty, incomprehensible. At the local bazaar (right there, on the glade) you need to buy jurabs as a gift for everyone - thick bright patterned socks (300 rubles), churchkhela and sour fruit marshmallow - such flat sheets from which you can tear off a piece, stick it behind your cheek and feel like a happy person .
Snow valley
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
Total elevation difference - 15,000 m (standard heliski program)
The length of the ski slopes - 5000 m
I love Kamchatka and ride there every year for ten years in a row. The rolling season on Kamchatka starts at the beginning of January and ends only at the end of May. January and February are good in terms of snow, but rather cold. In March it gets much warmer and more sunny days, so I usually choose the end of March and the whole of April for skiing.
The problem with Kamchatka is the lack of infrastructure and elevators. All skating here happens with the help of snowmobiles or helicopters. The best place in Kamchatka is the sports base “Snow Valley”, located two hours from the airport at the foot of the Viluchinsky volcano. There are all conditions for quality living. Plus, the guys have a big snowmobile park and a good snowmobile school. There is a rental of snowboards and skis, and there are also many guides who organize great skiing. If desired, you can also order heliski-skating.
Riding on Kamchatka will suit first of all experienced skiers and snowboarders, but do not be afraid, Kamchatka is much closer and more accessible than it might seem. Be sure to warm yourself in warm springs - they are right on the base - and try the local fish and seafood.
I can name a few good reasons to go to Gudauri: the hospitality of the locals, the excellent level of service at low prices, amazing food, the lack of a visa regime, breathtaking mountain views and opportunities for skiing. The tracks are always prepared, the Doppelmayer and Poma lifts work (there are chairs and gondolas), and every evening a very (very!) Delicious Georgian food awaits. Three years ago, weekly skiing in Gudauri and a couple of days of rest in Tbilisi cost me 30 thousand rubles, including flight. Now it is unlikely to be able to meet this amount, although GEL has grown less than a dollar and a euro, so a trip to Georgia is still cheaper than European pokatushek.
Gudauri is good for skiers, for snowboarders, for those just starting to ride, and for experienced riders. Skiers are traditionally more, especially among locals. There is a school of instructors SnowLab, which will help get up on the board or skis, and for those who have seen almost everything, there are excellent options for freeride and heliski. You can even fly on a paraglider.
The easiest way to get to Gudauri is by transfer from Tbilisi (about $ 100), but you can take a chance and, having saved on the flight, get to Vladikavkaz and drive from there along the Georgian Military Highway. But in this case, you risk remaining on the other side of the Cross Pass, which often falls asleep with snow. I prefer to live in the lower or central part of Gudauri: most cafes and shops are concentrated there. Accommodation and transfer can be booked on one of two sites: GudauriTravel or Gudauri, - there you can also monitor weather forecasts and prices for ski pass. By the way, the cost of insurance is included in the skipass, so no additional expenses will be required (although I hope you will not need insurance).
The resort’s most favorite restaurant is “Hreki”, where you definitely need to try odjahuri and khachapuri on a spit. On the second floor of the restaurant is located the hotel, so that you can not only eat, but also live. Although I prefer to stay in the apartments of local residents and enjoy Georgian hospitality.
Krasnaya Polyana
Sochi
Height difference - 1745 m
The total length of the tracks is 72,000 m
According to my personal impressions, Krasnaya Polyana is getting better every year, although the price of skating and living is higher than at other Russian resorts. Exactly therefore, it is imperative to plan the trip as much as possible in advance and go by a large company, while there is a chance to snatch cheap flights and a large choice of accommodation. Check the dates of the competition on the sites of resorts, otherwise you can come, but in the end and not go. There are two ways to get to Krasnaya Polyana. By plane to Sochi or Adler, and then by Lastochka, by taxi or by bus. On the "Swallow" is usually the most interesting of all, however, it is worth checking in advance its schedule. A double-decker train also runs from Moscow to Sochi, but it is not very convenient to carry equipment in the covers.
On the spot, you can choose which of the resorts to go for a ride, each has its own advantages: Rosa Khutor has the The Stash eco-boarding park, Gorky Gorod offers night skiing, and in addition to being able to ride at night, the cheapest skipass . Unfortunately, there is no single ski pass to all resorts, but there are routes for different levels of training and modern lifts are installed.
There are no problems with infrastructure and food either, in recent years a lot of things have appeared for recreation - from spa and cinemas to the water park. Almost everywhere they accept cards and there are ATMs. It is better to pick up a place nearby so that you do not have to travel two hours to the ski lift, for example, in Krasnaya Polyana, Gorky Gorod or the village of Esto-Sadok.
In February and March there is usually a lot of snow. At the same time, the temperature in March in Sochi and Adler is around + 10 ... +15 degrees, and on the mountain only -3 ... -5. Most of all I remember skating after snowfall on fresh, not yet rolled out snow. In contrast to the warm Adler in the mountains is incredibly beautiful and snowy. A trip to Krasnaya Polyana should be combined with walks around Sochi, in Adler, be sure to check out the market for tea, spices and mimosa. And it is possible to continue the holiday in Abkhazia even after skiing.
Photo: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 via Shutterstock, Wikipedia, Nastya Dujardin