Ten early resorts
1. Ski resort Hand is located near the Arctic Circle in Finland. The seasons of winter sports here begin almost from the onset of autumn. Recently, the opening of the winter season at the Lapland resort begins in October. This season is slated to launch on October 14th. Until the very beginning of summer, the resort will be operating at full capacity, which will take almost 250 calendar days. On Fridays, it is allowed to be on the ski slope until 11pm. True, the height difference here is only 201 meters, so the resort is more suitable for calm skiers and snowboarders.
2. Levy, Finland, popular with Russian tourists and the Finnish Levi, perhaps the largest among the resorts in Finland. Levi is located beyond the Arctic Circle. The opening of the winter season here begins in mid-October. There are already 26 ski lifts starting to operate here, about half of all ski slopes in the resort become accessible. The resort has two gondola lifts. Distinctive feature this resort is the presence of "black" runs. There are also facilities for children. There are four children's slopes and a special training lift.
3. Resort Hafjell, located in the Gunbrandsdalen Valley, is one of the largest resorts in Norway. The opening of this resort is due on November 19th. The resort offers the services of thirty slopes and fifteen lifts. The difference in height reaches 835 meters. So Hafjell Resort is a great choice for tourists. There is dense snow cover and lighted trails. This is the most large area in Norway, designed for skiing at night.
4. For connoisseurs of the Norwegian resort Galhoppigen you should arrange for hotel reservations in the near future. The resort is located in the eastern part of the country. The mountain slopes are already covered with snow. Everyone is waiting for its opening by the end of October. Those who like to ski on the plain will be able to visit the resort even earlier. The difference in height here reaches 350 meters.
5. Norwegian Quitfjell waiting for tourists by the end of October, if you specify, then the 29th. The resort will run until April. The resort is included in the list of the Olympic region, and therefore will appeal to any athlete. Downhill competitions are held in Kvitfjell every year. The resort has another advantage: the ski pass purchased there can be used in neighboring resorts. Such as Skeikampene, Hafjele, Golo and Shusjoene.
6. In Norwegian Trysile opening is scheduled for October 29th. But this is subject to favorable weather conditions, which have not yet failed. The resort has good snow cover. True, fans of night skiing have nothing to do here until December 20. The season opens only from this date. The resort has trails for athletes of all levels.
7. Already on November 4, it is planned to open the slopes at the resort Hemsedal located in the Scandinavian Alps. The resort offers a wide range of activities: horse and dog riding, rock climbing. When choosing a hotel in this resort, it is worth considering that local hotels will give discounts on accommodation, ski pass and rental if you arrive in the first week after opening. Therefore, this a good option recreation.
8. Oppdal not very popular with Russian tourists. And the resort opens only in mid-November. But this is the place worth visiting. The trails are divided into three ski areas, between them you can ski absolutely free. Skiba-s for hotel guests is also offered free of charge. True, in the winter season, only drag and chair lifts work here.
9. Austrian Sölden plans to open the new season in advance. Snow will be here by mid-November. The descent height reaches 3000 meters. In addition, those arriving at the beginning of the month will pay a minimum amount for a hotel room. The season is expected to start at the end of October. There is a glacier next to the slopes, where you can ski almost all year round.
10. In a French resort Tignes it snows early. The opening of the resort is scheduled for November 27. True, skiing here begins a half month earlier. The resort has many slopes of varying degrees of difficulty, so it is suitable for any athlete.
When planning a vacation for ski resort in the Carpathians, it is important to consider the length of the season and its characteristics. For example, in the "hottest" weeks on new year holidays prices rise significantly, and then, closer to the beginning of February, they normalize. Based on the situation and your budget, it is easy to choose the most optimal time for a successful trip.
Winter season - start
The ski season begins in early winter - in November. The specific date directly depends on the weather variables and is determined according to the situation by the administration of a particular resort. The most popular ski resort of the Carpathians Bukovel is located in a unique geographic area... It is surrounded by mountains, so a large amount of snow remains lying even at freezing temperatures. Also, there are no strong piercing winds - in a word, a paradise for vacationers.
By the way, even in a winter with little snow, the rest at a ski resort in the Carpathians will be flawless, since modern technologies are used here - they spray a snow cover from special snow cannons. For this very purpose, back in 2013, the resort's management built an artificial lake with 440 m3 of water, when frozen, up to 880 m3 of snow can be obtained. Such innovations allow all ski trails to be run, regardless of the whims of nature.
The height of the ski season
The main ski season in the Carpathians lasts from December to February, when visitors can do all kinds of winter sports and relax to the fullest. There are also entertainment for little guests: slides, amusement parks, tubing. A wonderful skating rink has been built in Bukovel, so skiing and snowboarding can be combined with ice skating.
If the weather is still unstable in November, then in December it is usually quite cold and snowy, and snowboarders actively join the skiers, for whom the snow acquires a suitable texture just at this time of the year. The peak season comes in January - prices at ski resorts in 
The Carpathians are rising. Many people come on vacation to spend holidays in nature with the whole family. The infrastructure is working at full capacity, there are many festivals, celebrations and entertainment events.
They depend on many factors - not only the season, but also the level of housing. If the task is to save money, you can stay not in the Bukovel complex, but nearby in Tatariv - in the Koruna hotel. Living conditions are no worse, but at times cheaper, and getting to the resort is very close. If you decide to spend your holidays in the Carpathians, we advise you to book your accommodation in advance, as in recent weeks you will hardly be able to find free rooms. Moreover, early booking is another opportunity to save money.
February is no different from December and January. There are still many tourists here, it is worth good weather, a lot of snow. The arsenal of winter entertainment is used to its fullest: snowmobiles, tubing, snowbikes, zorbs, skating rinks, skis, sledges, teams. Everyone will find entertainment to their liking.
March and the beginning of the "velvet season"
The ski season in Bukovel continues until the end of April - this is the last chance to go skiing and sledging. In order not to be late, it is better to plan a vacation for March - this is by local standards " the Velvet season". Some people manage to ski and snowboard in shorts - that's really a pleasure for an amateur!
Summing up, we can say that the ski season in the Carpathians lasts from November to April, as on the May holidays nature is already coming to life and new opportunities for recreation are opening up: rafting, fishing, cycling, biking, horses. But we'll talk about this another time. Come to the Carpathians - it will be great!
When does the ski season start in Dombai? Which months are best to go if you are a backpacker? We will tell you what the weather is in each of the seasons and when is the best time to go to rest.
Winter: ski season in Dombai
Spring in Dombai
In March, they are still actively skiing, and, according to tourists, this is one of the most favorable months for skiers: warm and powdery. In general, the snow begins to melt at the end of April, and at this time the ski season in Dombai ends. The real spring in Dombai comes in May, although at the beginning of this month you can sometimes even ride if a particularly snowy, prolonged winter has stood out.
The average daily temperature in March is +2 ... + 3 ° С, in April +8 ... + 9 ° С, in May +12 ... + 15 ° С. May is the rainiest and most volatile month of the year (up to 12 days), and if you decide to visit Dombay at this time, it is better to bring a raincoat.
(Photo © Artem Mishchenko / flickr.com / License CC BY-NC 2.0)
Summer: hiking and climbing season
Since Dombay is predominantly a winter resort, summer is low season... There are quite a few people, mainly those who are engaged in mountaineering and trekking come, so the prices become quite affordable. However, due to the low tourist flow, some infrastructure facilities (cafes, restaurants, hotels, cable cars) are "resting".
Summer is the hiking season in Dombai. At this time, there is room for exploring the surrounding mountains, hiking possible on any route. At the beginning of summer, snow can still lie in many places (at height and in the shade), so July, August and September are more popular with mountain hikers, when it is comfortable to sleep in a tent at night.
In Dombai, it is usually sunny and dry in summer, although the weather is sometimes changeable. In June, the daytime temperature averages +18 ... + 19 ° С, in July and August around +21 ... + 22 ° С. However, when heading into the mountains, remember that the closer to the top, the colder, but at the same time use sunscreen and cover open areas bodies - can be seriously burned.
Autumn in Dombai
Autumn, namely October, is the most beautiful time: the monotony of green is diluted with bright autumn colors, and on the slope of Mussa-Achitara you can already find snow. However, the weather is getting a little worse, and we recommend that you carefully study the forecast before your trip. We were lucky, and almost all the time of our vacation in Dombai in early October, the sun was shining on us.
The average daily temperature in September is + 16 ° С, in October it is already + 10 ° С, and in November it is about + 4 ° С. It can even snow a little at the end of October, which is the end of the hiking season. November is considered dead season: The first tourists appear only at the end of the month if there is a lot of snow.
Hiking in September and October is good, as there are very few tourists and you can enjoy the beauty of the mountains alone. It is quite warm in the valley, sometimes even hot (however, it is cool in the morning and in the evening), and at an altitude of 2500 meters it is better to have a windproof jacket, hat / cap, gloves and a scarf with you. Do not forget about sunglasses and sunscreen: even in October, your face can easily turn red.
So hunting for a ride on the first snow, what drives your teeth? But do not know where and when the ski season starts? Don't panic, I will help - in the article you will find information about when the season starts at 9 major ski resorts in Russia.
Only large resorts, because on small ones you won't get much pleasure from skiing - there are few tracks, little entertainment. It's not worth risking time for them, because most of us have so little of it. If you are going to go, then to the big mountains, there is where to roam, even if there is a flight with snow.
So, with this immersion into the snowy depths, I will get rid of the scabies from those of you who are impatient to uncover your skis / boards and leave the first (but fleeting) traces on the fresh powder. Come on, don't stand, jump into the bathyscaphe, I'll spill balm on your wounds!
I’ll make a reservation right away: you don’t have to year after year, because we are dealing with the weather, which, as you know, cannot be ordered. That is, it is possible, but whether or not they will bring it on time is a big question. Therefore, the article will focus on approximate dates that need to be clarified on websites or by calling resorts.
If you like to ride, and not light up in establishments all night long, try not to celebrate the New Year at these resorts. At this time, there are huge queues for the lifts, a crush on the slopes, overpriced hotels and ski passes. At the end I will give a link to my article about what is happening on New Year in Krasnaya Polyana.
Geography
All resorts can be divided into three categories based on geographic location:
- Murmansk region (Bolshoy Vudyavr)
- Caucasus (Rosa Khutor, Gorki Gorod, Elbrus-Azau, Cheget, Dombay, Arkhyz)
- Kemerovo region (Sheregesh)
Murmansk region:
Useful links on the resort Bolshoy Vudyavr
There are not many hotels in Kirovsk, mostly they live here in apartments on Olimpiyskaya Street, be prepared for this.
Sheregesh
(Kemerovo region, settlement Sheregesh)
The beginning of the ski season in Sheregesh: late November / early December.
This is my favorite resort. If possible, I fly here. The mountains here, although not high, are rich in snow and forest skiing. And the place itself is filled with a mysterious aura.
The Sheregesh ski resort still does not have an official website, as the lifts are operated by disparate legal entities. On this basis, third-party information resources are developing, some of which provide us with useful information very well.
Useful links about the resort of Cheget
- How to get there (the road is the same as to Elbrus, only you don't reach 5 km)
- Tripadvisor hotel reviews
Dombay
If you wave along the ridges in a straight line, then Cheget is 60 kilometers from here. We can say that the skiing region is the same and the weather is similar. However, by car - 350 km, through Kislovodsk.
The resort has excellent skiing, there are lifts with cabins (appeared in 2007), wonderful barbecue food, whoever likes it.
Of the minuses - the level of service leaves much to be desired - this is for those who are very susceptible to this. The main airports and train stations are about 3 hours by taxi.
Useful links on the Dombay resort
- Tripadvisor hotel reviews
Arkhyz
(Karachay-Cherkess Republic)
You have to go to Arkhyz. And the main reason is a modern resort and it is developing at a rapid pace. This can be seen in the quality (for the better) of the lifts and service (although there is room for improvement in this area).
Disadvantages - not all lifts are well debugged, therefore, failures occur in their work. This translates into queues, and what could be worse than queues at a ski resort! Only the absence of snow.
Useful links to the resort Arkhyz
Krasnaya Polyana: Rosa Khutor and Gorki Gorod
(Krasnodar region)
Conclusion
If you like my dives (have already made more than 70 trips to the depths of the ski ocean), then the quality and fan with which we do it, if you have a desire to say a little thank you, then go to my Powder store and see what design I create for you, connoisseurs of mountains.
I approach the creation of these clothes as responsibly as I do every dive of the LET IT SNOW bathyscaphe.
Floating up ... no, one second ...
Now we pop up, thanks for being with us again! Until next time!
