March is in full swing here in Bansko and conditions are great, considering the warmer weather we’ve had the last few days. The high-season has passed and spring skiing mode is on, so make sure to bring plenty of sunscreen, sunglasses and everything else you need for a great sunny day. The slopes aren’t the same as in January but have a different type of charm. The best news we have today is that the Fun Park has finally opened! We were worried that this year there wouldn’t be any jumps and rails, but thankfully the resort staff has put together some awesome features!
The newly built Bansko Fun Park is located at the end of the Plato ski run.
Today was another windy day, we’ve had quite a few already this season. Wind speeds of over 20-25km/h closed the top of the resort in the morning, with the Plato and Bunderitza 2 lifts working for only a little while before that. Thankfully, the top station of the 6-seat Todorka lift is slightly lower in the mountain and can withstand stronger winds, thus giving access to most of the mountain, including the lower part of the Plato, where the Fun Park is. Lift queues aren’t as big as during the mid-term holidays, however, there is still a decent line for the gondola in the morning. But the wait is under 1 hour at its peak and shorter throughout the rest of the day, which is much quicker than during the end of February. If your planning on buying afternoon passes, you probably won’t be waiting more than 15 minutes in line, if at all.
The N.5 Shiligarnika ski run.
Chalin Valog in the morning.
Slope conditions are in their typical spring skiing phase. Early in the morning, they are extremely hardpacked but start softening up by 10 AM. If your a fan of fast skiing down stiff slopes and have sharp edges on your skis, it’s definitely worth getting up the mountain earlier. If your a more casual skier, going up an hour later might be better, but keep in mind that the gondola queue will be longer. Early in the morning, the Chalin Valog runs are great, as they are lower in the mountain and soften up an hour earlier than up top. After a few runs there, you can take the gondola from its mid-way station and ski the main part of the resort after it’s softened up and not rock-hard. The best time to ski on days like today is between 10 AM and 1 PM, that’s when the slope conditions are optimal. After 12 o’clock, the slopes start to get slushy and choppy but were not bad at all today.
The Todorka ski run at the end of the ski day.
On days like today, where the top lifts are closed due to the wind, the rest of the slopes become more crowded and this leads to them deteriorating faster. We’re not expecting strong wind until around next Tuesday, so conditions will most likely be better over the next few days. The best slopes for advanced and intermediate skiers today were probably the Balkaniada and Todorka ski runs, especially the latter. The Todorka and Tomba ski runs today where much stiffer than the rest, mostly because of the FIS World Cup which was held there and the slopes were “iced up” before that. The current snow cover is more than enough to outlast the ski season, which will most likely end a week earlier than last year, on the 7th of April.
The N.5 Shiligarnika ski run.
Like we said earlier, the Fun Park is now open and consists of 2 small jumps, two bigger ones, 6 rails and 5 boxes. If you’re planning on skiing there make sure to first read the “Park Rules” and remember to never stay in the landing of the jumps.
Style over the last feature.
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
