Bansko has a lot to offer its visitors, other than just skiing. If you drop by Ski & Board Traventuria, you can book a variety of different activities ranging from a simple mineral spa trip to an action packed snowmobile adventure. One of our guests’ favorites is a snowshoe journey in the snowy mountains, especially to the Damianiza hut. Read on to find out what a typical trip is like.
Our journey to the hut starts at 9AM at Ski & Board Traventuria. From there we take a car or bus up the mountain to where the walking starts. The trip is normally around 20 minutes. From there we put on our snow shoes and start up a path that follows the Damianiza river.
The path is normally groomed from snowmobiles that go the the hut everyday or so with supplies. It is possible to walk on it with normal shoes, however the snowshoes give extra traction and stability. They also keep your feet off the snow, so they stay warmer throughout the day.
One of the best reasons to us the snowshoes is the many shortcuts you can take. Going off the groomed track on shoes will leave you knee deep in snow. These shortcuts save quite a bit of time and give you access to a few views you’d have missed on the normal path.
The walking distance is around 7km and takes between two and three hours, depending on the group. The first attraction is a small waterfall that is frozen when it’s really cold. This is also where the first break is, about 45 minutes into the walk.
After the waterfall we have about another hour and a half walking to the hut. At 3-4 points we take small shortcuts to cut a few corners of the trail. One of these shortcuts takes us to a field with an abandoned building on it, that isn’t passable without snowshoes.
Once we reach our destination it’s time for a longer lunch break. The hut offers a very basic menu of foods and drinks. They will typically have a soup ready and grilled meat. You can drink tea that was picked in the surrounding fields during the summer, beer or brandy.
You can hear the Nuttcrackers chirping the whole day.
There are many other routes that start from the Damianiza hut, but these are best left for the summer. It is possible to ski to the hut from the ski area, however the path goes through avalanche terrain and is difficult to navigate.
Once well rested, it’s time to head back. The journey down always seems much faster than walking up. We take the same short cuts and get back to the car in under 2 hours sometimes. Along the path we often notice a few tracks left by freeride skiers and snowboarders who have come through the woods from the ski area. They reach the same path we take and ski to the road, from there hitch hiking is the only way down. Thankfully our car is waiting for us and we take a final ride down to Ski & Board Traventuria, where our day ends.
End of a long day
You can find additional trails and information HERE. Availability is limited, so it’s best to book in advance. You can alternatively sign up for a snowshoeing trip by coming to our rental shop near the gondola station (View Map). You can choose from a variety of other activities as well.
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
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