Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Hi All,

A couple of small changes from yesterday, 1 is not very good for people here, but won't affect you guys coming out!!!!!!
1. Today the Popangelov slope (Yastrebets 2) is supposed to be closed for 2 days. Peter Popangelov (ex-BG skier) is running a competition on this slope. It's in memorial of the ex-Borosport owner who was shot in Amsterdam a few years ago... So, although yastrebets slopes are in very good condition, you will only be able to use no 3..... if for any reason the comp does not go ahead, will let you know!

2. It snowed very lightly last night - about 1cm only but the forecast is to snow more again today, but who knows. At the moment, blue skies and about -10....Was even -4 in the bedroom this morning before the heating kicked in...!!
As before, there is plenty of snow on Rila / Yastrebets as the snow cannons are put to work every night and are working today as well - the conditions on these slopes are excellent and not icy yet, although yesterday afternoon they were very icy.

So...to summarise....
Rila nursery still closed - as lift still not fixed -
Yastrebets 3 ONLY open - (Yastrebets 2 shut for 2 days)and excellent conditions
Gondola open and run down to Yastrebets is much better
Iglika and yanakiev (Rotata) drags open
Rila 4 man chair open - Martinovi 2 and 3 (both red) skiiable, - 'good' conditions at the moment
Sitnyakovo Express is open for walkers only now - they have put a 'closed sign' there but people are still skiing down it - it is not recommended to use it as the conditions are terrible...The run at the top of the Express though is in very good condition.
All Markudjik slopes are still closed...
Mussala path still closed but lots of people are skiing it anyway - top bit is good, bottom is poor so take care and don't use your own ski's!
Nursery at top of the gondola is open.

Any questions, just shout as working on laptop all day!

Hi Nightmuffy...not sure what to suggest. If the promised snow comes this weekend, then I would say yes. There is supposed to be aboout 40 or 50cm over the next 5 days and the operators have said they will open the Markudjik slopes if this happens...but like all the forcasts this season, just no idea of knowing if it will actually fall and / or if they will open them... I saw Phil's post this morning about no new snow, but there was just over 1cm at the very top, which was supposed to happen, followed by heavier falls over the next few days... If it follows plan, you should be fine. Will keep you updated...

Reading this from afar, my initial reaction about closing two slopes for a private competition is one of incredulity. Perhaps they are taking advantage of the British being too reserved to complain, who knows. Wouldnt it be fairer to delay this competition until the whole resort is functioning? Or at very least, repair the broken lift to increase the scope for those skiers who have paid money to travel to Bulgaria?
I come from a city that was built on tourism. The needs of the visitors are paramount, or else the local economy suffers.
I won't be in Borovets for over a week, so hopefully lack of snow or such poor management wont affect me. It still leaves me bewildered however.

I've just changed my flights and come back early from a trip to Borovets. 1st time I've been there and I can definitely say I won't be going back. If you are staying at the top end of the resort there is effetively only one run you can do and by 10am the boarders have scraped the snow off the piste and it is solid ice underneath. It is boring, limited and in some places, downright dangerous. The 'easy' paths are rocky, icy and narrow. I've never yet seen as many people sitting at the edge of the 'easy' way down just trying to pick a path through the rocks.There are other runs open but it's a hike to get to them. Nothing connects up.

The piste management is limited. Piste bashers are going up in the evenings but don't seem to be doing much.

I can see nothing about this place that is any good for, beginners, intermediates or experts.If you are planning to go to Borovets for the ski-ing then I would say, don't bother. There are a thousand better places to go.