New Year is just around the corner and with just 2 ski days left in 2019, conditions in Bansko are getting better by the day. Cold weather and some fresh snow have helped the resort management open new slopes and almost all ski lifts are working as well. But the best news is that the Ski Road is almost ready to open and we wouldn’t be surprised if this happens within the next 2-3 days.
The Mosta lift.
Today a few new slopes and lifts have opened, which dispersed the lift queues to some extent. The biggest queues are at the gondola base station and the Kolarski ski lift, but those can be avoided by getting to the gondola early and heading straight up towards the Plato. Another long queue on the mountain is at the Bunderitza lift mid-way station, but this one cannot be skipped, as the ski slopes down from it are closed. If you want to avoid waiting in line for more than 1-2 minutes, we suggest using the Shiligarnika and Mosta ski lifts and skiing down the N.10 run. The lift line for the Plato is relatively fast at around 5-10 minutes, even though it looks like it will take longer. The only lifts that remain closed are the 6-seater Todorka and the Chalin Valog ski area. Temperatures are extremely low in Bansko and will remain like this at least until the first weekend of January. It was -15°C at the top of the Plato ski run, so make sure to dress accordingly. Also, we suggest not staying up on the mountain until the last runs, as by then the queue to get back down the mountain with the gondola is quite long. This won’t be a problem once the Ski Road opens, but until then…
The beginning of the N.10 ski run.
Two new slopes opened today, the N.10 Shiligarnika ski run and the final part of the N.12 Strazhite. With these two slopes open you can finally ski from the very top to the very bottom of the ski zone. The snow conditions are good, but not perfect on every run as the resort has had to rely heavily on artificial snow, which is icier than natural snow. The best slopes at the moment are still the Plato ski runs (where the snow cover is without artificial snow) and the end of the N.10 run, after you take the right turn towards the Mosta lift. There are no rocks or roots or anything like that on the open slopes, but you should be careful of icy patches, most often located in front of the snow cannons. If we had to bet on which slopes will open next, our money would be on the Ski Road and the N.5 Shiligarnika ski run, as they are almost ready anyways. Hopefully, the temperatures will stay low and the rest of the resort will open with the next snowfall. Conditions off-piste are still bad and none of the lift-accessible terrains have enough snow to be skied yet.
One of the best slopes to ski today, the end of the N.10 ski run.
Just above the base gondola station, the ski road is almost ready to open.
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
