Winter Ski:

Pamporovo:

www.weatherreports.com enter: Snejanka Bulgaria

Stop Press: Pamporovo ski area has announced plans to build a new six-seater high-speed detachable chairlift between the ski area and the village of Stoikite, turning this existing village into a ski resort base. The route for the lift has been cleared with trees felled to make way for towers and cables.
It seems unlikely the new lift and runs could be operational for the coming winter but definitely next season. However resort management are optimistic that the lift could be ready, and already have taken delivery of key parts of it from France.
The new lift will be one of the longest built at just under 3km (two miles), and the two new runs about 5km (just over three miles) long. 
  

Overview:

Pine Lodge is located in the heart of the Rhodope Mountains. This is a fantastic picturesque area among evergreen spruce forests, picturesque meadows, strange rock formations and beautiful mountain peaks.  Pamporovo is a modern ski resort within this area and one of the furthest south ski resorts in Europe. Its close proximity to the Aegean Sea means that it has a unique climate with mild winters. It is the sunniest mountain resort, which enjoys more than 240 days of sunshine a year with wonderful snow, with an average snow layer of 140-150 centimeters throughout the whole season starting December through to mid April. One day on the slopes here is enough to give you a nice golden tan. The temperature in this resort rarely falls below minus seven degrees. Pampoorovo benefits from the influence of the Mediterranean giving a mild climate during the winter, and very warm during the summer months. Pamporovo is 1620m above sea level and famous for its negative air ionization and beneficial to your health. The highest point, Snejanka is 1926m. Pamporovo itself is on the north face of the Snejanka peak and Pine Lodge is situated on the south. This can be covered by skis, chair lift or transfer from the apartment being only 10-15 minutes, there are 5 chair lifts and 13 tows at present. An essential convenience for all guests here is that the lifts and the rope-lines have capacity of 8500 people per hour. Pine Lodge is situated 500m away from ski lift number 4, which leads straight to the top of Snejanka  where you will find various cafés serving food and drinks. The famous Snezhanka Tower prominent on the very summit is a 156-metre-high television tower built of reinforced concrete with an observation deck at 1928m above sea level. The tower has a café with a panoramic view of the Rhodope, the Rila and the Pirin Mountains, even the Aegean Sea being visible on a clear day. info@pamporovo.net

Piste Maps & Info:

Height of resort: 1620 m.  Highest skiing area: 1,937 m.  Lifts: 5 chair lifts, 13 drag lifts, with total capacity 8600 persons per hour .  Total length of ski runs: 25 km + 30 km slopes for ski run;  Longest run: 4,2 km
 

Pamporovo on the piste
Resort Altitude	1600m
Highest Lift	1926m
Longest Run	3km
Kms of piste	25km
Total Runs	17
Advanced Runs	2
Intermediate Runs	4
Beginner Runs	11
Total Lifts	12
Chairlifts	4
Direction of slopes	N/ N/E, N/W
Uphill Capacity	15000

 

Ski run		Difficulty	Length [m]	Inclination [m]
Snejanka 6 - Turisticheska	*	light piste	4200	476
Snejanka 5 (Snejanka- Ardashla)	*	medium	3500	474
Snejanka 7 - Smolyan Lakes	*	medium	3000	390
Snejanka 3 (Snejanka - Dvata mosta)	*	difficult ski run	2200	405
Snejanka 4 (Snejanka - Evropeiskata)	*	difficult ski run	2000	476
Studenets - Ski Centre 1	*	Beginners	1500	130
Snejanka 2 - The Wall	*	difficult ski run	1100	285
Snejanka	*	difficult ski run	1060	130
Snejanka 1 - The Small Wall	*	medium	990	155
The South	*	difficult ski run	800	90
Snejanka 10	*	difficult ski run	800	68
Malina	*	difficult ski run	400	110
Turisticheska - The Dam	*	Beginners	380	30
Snejanka - The Dam	*	Beginners	347	38

Skiing from Pine Lodge:

Pine Lodge is situated on the south side of the Snejanka peak and all your skiing can be achieved from here. From the front balcony straight ahead of you on the mountain can be seen the No 4 chair lift. You are 500 metres from the base station of that lift. The Snejanka tower is just hidden from view. The piste map here is as you would view the mountain from the balcony. The No 4 chair lift  takes you up to the top, just a short walk from the tower, restaurants and snack bars and all the ski runs and lifts down the West, North & East side of the mountain into Pamporovo and all it can offer.

How to get there: From Pine Lodge you can walk to the ski lift with or without gear easily. Step out of Pine Lodge and turn right heading uphill. Walk on up past the Mexaha on your right and then the lake and church on your right until eventually you will come to the end of the road

as it doubles back on itself at a roundabout. Bear right here up a track into the pines signposted ‘ski lift’. The No 4 chair lift is just around the corner. Here you can hire any Ski gear that you need, Snowboards and Ski-Doos can also be hired,  buy ski lift passes - normally without queueing, and take this lift to the top of the Snejanka. At the top, where you get off the chair lift, the Snejanka Tower is close by and towers above you. You may begin to notice the negative air ionization? Close by is The Lodge Bar & Restaurant doing good food & drinks with a roaring log fire inside and equally as pleasant outside in the sunshine before and during your skiing. A visit up the Snejanka Tower, 156 metes high, is well worth while, the views from the viewing gallery here on a clear day are stunning. The Aegean Sea can even be seen on the coast of Greece! And if you wish,  take in the awesome views of the mountain ranges and nearby Greece whilst sipping a coffee in the panorama café up here. Up here, snow ploughs are on hand 24 hrs to deal with keeping the slopes right for your skiing, deployed as and when required, as and where required. Clearly visible just by the Snejanka tower is the 4 man chair lift from Stoudenets. 

When on top:  There are ski runs of all degrees of difficulty & simplicity in Pamporovo. Most of the tracks start from the very peak thus, if you are keen on skiing, you will be able to try the different slopes here to make your vacation truly unforgettable. Straight off the stoudenets chair lift here can launch you into the Turisticheska and the Snejanka Dam runs, suitable for beginners and are between 347 and 380 metres long that terminate at one of the Smolyan Lakes called The Dam.

Beginners: Skiing here is suitable for beginners and families, with the ski schools being some of the best in Europe. Beginners Can start with the ski school of Pamporovo, which is quite famous with quality tuition.  There are plenty of highly qualified instructors fluent in many languages especially English. Starting on the nursery slopes, after a few days you would be able to ski on the higher ski runs starting with possibly the Turisticheska Dam or the Snejanka Dam. A drag lift takes you back to the top from where you can go again or maybe try the Ski Centre 1 run down to Stoudenets from where you can get the 4 person chair lift to the top again and repeat any of those three runs or carry on through Stoudenets and all the way down to the Ski school below the Malina settlement.
Intermediate skiers: The total length of ski runs which are suitable for Intermediates is approx    20 km. There is a fantastic run from behind & to the side of the tower that takes you right down to the Ski school below the Malina Villa settlement. Skiers can jump on the triple chairlift from the Malina station going right back up to the top of Snejanka peak again or a single chair lift goes to the middle station, from where the new four persons lift runs up to the peak. When back up at the top, why not try the red run from behind the tower called "The Small Wall" which joins the green run just past  "The Wall" gently down to Stoudenets where the four persons lift runs back up to the peak. Another red can be accessed via  a ski track joining the long beginner run right down to the Ski school again at Malina. Your choices and combinations are endless.

Advanced skiers: From behind the Tower a short ski run brings you to “The Wall”, a black run and an extreme challenge for even the best skiers. It is the most difficult ski run in the resort. The bottom of this run brings you to Stoudenets where you can jump on the drag lift which runs up the side of “The Wall”  or ski on to the 4 man chair lift and come right back up to the tower. There are other difficult ski runs, like the Giant Slalom which is excellent for every skiing expert! The other difficult pistes start from behind and to the left of the TV tower, after the last station of the triple chair, the pistes are called Snejanka. and end up crossing a cross country ski track where after the challenge they have presented they turn into intermediate runs down to Malina & a mid level where you can get drag lifts and chair lift back to the top.

Ski Tracks: Additionally, there are three comfortable and modern cross-country runs in Pamporovo with total length of around 40 km. And in the nine ski-wardrobes near all these tracks, you could find over 2000 ski outfits and equipment, snow-boards and sleighs. On the other hand, skiers who bring their own equipment will also have the opportunity to use these wardrobes for safe keeping.

Off Piste: There is also great off-piste skiing and snowboarding and local guides are available should you wish to ski off piste.
The mountain rescue service: works 24 hours a day, taking care of the security of the skiers and are always on hand and at the ready to help. An emergency rescue helicopter is on standby at all times in case of emergency. The ski-kindergarten is open from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm.

When you have enjoyed your day's skiing you can either return on the ski lift or ski back to Pine Lodge via a choice of a couple of runs which will bring you back to the bottom of the chair lift No 4. You can either then walk or ski back home. If you want to stay in Pamporovo or Stoudenets for the night life then there are ample taxis that will take you back or alternatively, check with Pine Lodge reception to see if transport can be laid on for you,

 email: pinelodgebulgaria@uwclub.net