Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Bansko gondola queues

Jan 6th, 09:00
Bankso gondola, more than 2 hrs of queuing.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/4jIX1V3hdsM

Are things any better this week? Because if this is the case everyday, it's not worth it...

re: Bansko gondola queues

Its slightly better, but the massive influx of Romanians and Russians for their Christmas/new year celebrations has caught Bansko on the hop, should be a lot quieter this time of Jan...
Thankfully once up the mountain its no problem... answer, get to the gondola at 08.00am, or as we do go up to Challin Valog (taxi ?) ski there, always empty first thing, and then jump aboard the gondola at mid station

re: Bansko gondola queues

One of the reasons why I go to Pamporovo, never any problems with queues there.

Borovets can be just as bad, last time I went there spent over an hour every morning queuing!..... Add that up over the week and its like losing a days skiing!

DDT

re: Bansko gondola queues

I've been looking at the live cam on the bansko blog over the last week or so... last week did look bad and if the queue goes around the corner like that 2hrs is not unrealistic... This week does look better though - I haven't seen much of a queue at all last few days.

re: Bansko gondola queues

But at least in Boro you have a choice. You can ski Rila side for a bit or get the mini bus to the Yastrabets chair. We did that last time Gondola queue was big and it worked really well. Did a couple of runs on the chair then down to the middle station and up top.

re: Bansko gondola queues

Yeah I think most would agree that Bansko could really use more that 1 lift for getting up the mountain... It's been talked about, but not much more from what I can tell.

re: Bansko gondola queues

Steve, thanks for the tip, but I don't think I can manage the black parts in Chalin Valog. They seem quite scary from the gondola.
Plus, is it certain that there will be any empty seats at all in the gondola in mid station? Do some people get off there, or does everybody go up to the top, so we "trap" ourselves in the mid station?
And another thing: Is it possible to go by bus or taxi or car up to Bunderishka polyana? Is there a parking for a private car?
Thank you all.

re: Bansko gondola queues

Steve, thanks for the tip, but I don't think I can manage the black parts in Chalin Valog. They seem quite scary from the gondola.
Plus, is it certain that there will be any empty seats at all in the gondola in mid station? Do some people get off there, or does everybody go up to the top, so we "trap" ourselves in the mid station?
And another thing: Is it possible to go by bus or taxi or car up to Bunderishka polyana? Is there a parking for a private car?
Thank you all.

re: Bansko gondola queues

Yes you can drive up the mountain, there are car parks but at Chalin Valog there is a short ski road to get you past the black runs and it really is a fantastic ski area, it's like a secret resort, good fun for an hour or two in the mornings whilst the gondola is busy.

re: Bansko gondola queues

I made a Chalin Valog map, combining the Bansko site map (you Bansko people need to upgrade the official map to HiRes ASAP), Google Earth image and your info above.
http://postimage.org/image/lrxz5p42j/
Can please Niki, Steve or anybody else confirm that the above red/blue trail is correct?
I find the prospect of skiing in Chalin Valog very interesting, but don't want to find myself trapped in a black run with no exit around.