The New Year is almost upon us, which means it’s time for our final Snow Report of 2018 from Bansko, Bulgaria. We’ve had a good start of the season, but hopefully, 2019 will bring tons of new snow and great memories for everyone who is planning to visit Bansko this winter. If you’re still undecided about coming to Bansko, or just want to be prepared for when you do come, make sure to follow our Snow Reports that we post every week.
The Plato early in the morning.
All of the lifts are operating, except for the Chalin Valog ski lift, which has yet to open this season. We’re not sure when this lift will be, but probably after the next sufficient snowfall, as this ski area is located below the main ski zone, with a maximum altitude of about 1465m. asl. Good news is that the surface lift in the Chalin Valog ski area is running and the beginners’ slope next to it is groomed and there was almost no one skiing there today. We haven’t had any big queues for the lifts as of lately, except some instances where lifts were closed due to strong winds last week. There are 20-30 minute lines for lift passes occasionally, depending on when you go to get your lift pass. If you’ve booked through us a package that includes a lift pass, then you’ll get to skip this queue as you’ll receive your pass in our rental shop.
The now open N.6 Todorka ski run.
Since our last Snow Report, the newly open slopes are the beginners’ slope in Chalin Valog and the N.6 Todorka ski run. Visible progress has been made on the remaining slopes and more should open soon. The snow cannons are constantly working and the accumulated snow is spread out over the slopes daily. We’re expecting within the next few days for the N.5 Shiligarnika ski run to open, which will greatly spread out the skiers across more slopes, making things less crowded. Skiing conditions are very good in the morning and the slopes soften up a little by noon. The best slope at the moment is probably the N.4 Balkaniada, up until the Bunderitza lift mid-way station. The freshly opened for today N.6 Todorka is a little rough, but it’s an important connection between the top and bottom of the ski zone. And by “rough” I mean it’s not perfectly groomed and there were some mini icy chunks from the snowcat tracks. It will get better each day it’s groomed, but then again it is a red slope, so we advise beginners to not go down in these conditions. There aren’t any rocks on the slopes, except for a few here and there on the Plato, but you should be careful about icy spots right next to some of the snow cannons.
The fan favorite N.5 Shiligarnika ski run should open soon.
Ski & Board Traventuria is a leading provider of lift passes, equipment rental, airport transfers and ski school for the Bansko area. To book your next ski vacation in Bansko with us, please check our website – www.skibansko.bg
