Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Hi Daniel,
Out of interest when did you last go to Pamporovo was it recently in 2009, the ski season 2009 started in December 9th I was there with the college students and we skied plus I took the family in April 2nd week and skied on plenty of snow it snowed 4 of the seven days we were there.
December to April I make almost 5 months yes there are the odd occasion that snow fall lacks a bit but no more than Austria last year where 5 friends of mine ended up with a hiking holiday no snow at all in March.
Yes I stand by what I said, thew slopes are lovely and skiing in the sun down tree lined slopes, wonderful!
I am 45 and have been skiing for 23 25 years admittedly I don't want to tear down black runs all the time anymore but there are some good hard runs there. Not everyone is a young extreme skiers you know. Far to harsh to say its only good for beginners and intermediates, if I wanted to be bull headed I could say the same of a lot of European resorts, it's how well you ski down a slope that makes it fun or not.
If you want extreme skiing I agree it's not for you, but then I did not say it was a great resort for extreme skiers, but then how many resorts offer that with out the use of heli skiing or a really long walk up a mountain because that's how you get to the extreme skiing and I have done my share over the years.

The people are all friendly the food was lunch and not a three course meal and yes it did cost only 15.00 for lunch and drinks, I omitted it was my wife and I and our two girls 1 x 12 years one 16 years but they can eat as much as an adult.
the food a plate of chicken bites, a pizza, 2 salads, and 2 chips plus cokes a beer for me and a local wine for the wife. £15.00 mid station.

re the Perelik project google it if you want and you will see 240KM of slopes. I will find the exact website and come back to you.

Bulgaria only joined the Eu in 2007 January to put a slope in by 2008/9 is pretty good and yes 250 million euros I think not pounds (not that it makes much difference now) has been given by the EU for the Perelik project.

re Smolyan airport what do you mean they are not going to spend money on it why not? it's bringing tourists in to that area of the country.
For instance just because Gatwick builds terminal 5, does that mean that the British Airport Authority says "ah you know what"! "there is no point in spending money on Heathrow we just spent shit loads at Gatwick", No of course not.
The fact is that Bulgaria has been talking about what they wanted to do since before 1998 when they first had the idea to improve parts of the tourist industry, and probably when they first realized that joining the EU might be a good idea!!????. I hope that's enough question marks and exclamation marks, I know how you like them..

Since Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007 not 1998 so far they have put in new roads and pathways up the mountain, built a new motorway from Sofia past Borovets leading to Pamporovo, Built up Plovdiv Airport, building a new motorway to Greece from the Pamporovo Area, built 2 new slopes and a great lift, and building a new Snowboard Park a new Hotel Spa fortunately just up the road from my house, plus a new center of sports excellence including golf course and mountain bike tracks. building starts in 2009 2010.
Not bad going at all..

Finally, yes I am passionate about Pamporovo and its people and what they have done and are doing to improve their country, it's amazing considering what they have been through and the speed of development that is going on now they have the money.

Mark J

Hi Daniel,
With respect, Please don't think I am being smug but, I had Dinner with the Lady Mayoress and her husband of Smolyan and the Mayor of Momchilovtsi last year with my very good friend Jivco and I was told about the improvements first hand, about what was going on in the region of Pamporovo and to be fair what was said is happening now. and no its not just a big Up as you put it on my part for Pamporovo because I have a house there, thanks to the investment and a lot of hard work its all happening now!

As promised I Found the article. on The Perelik Super Project
see below. I hope you find it interesting there was another website article stating the 240Km of pistes I'll find that later perhaps.

(Extract from the local supplement to “24 Hours” Bulgarian newspaper, 15 june 2007)

Perelik Project. as of 2007 funding had exceeded 417 million euros.
Now private investment has bought it up to 1 billion euros to date.
here is the link http://www.pamporovo-ski.com/pereliksportsproject.htm
and there is more
re smolyan airport
same web link as above here is the excerpt about the airport and new motorways.
An airport by Smolyan and a 100 km three-lane road to Plovdiv are stipulated to be the infrastructural help financed by the government budget. The Architect of the mega resort Prof. Dr. Veselina Troeva revealed that in Stoikite village there would be a craftsman street. A Fairy Tales Museum will be set up in Gela and the number of beds in the northern part of the village will be increased by 500. The village of Mugla will have a Museum of Milk. A lift and a golf course are planned to be built by the village.

Wow such a long winded and passionate defence anyone would think you have a vested interest in the place.......oh hang on a bit you do!(sorry it is my first exclamation mark)

I already know everything you have said it is all old news Mark. As for the information being on the Internet Oh well it must be true then, so must the websites that say Elvis is alive, Aliens secretly rule the world and the world will end in 2012.

Comparing a small provincial airport to 2 of the largest in the world well you have me on that one Mark what a superb analogy.

Being smug for having dinner with the Lady Mayoress. Oh my what a feather in your cap that must be. I once had lunch with a local parish councillor and boy I am so envious of you now you little upstart. And get this local politicians told a foreign investor all about the wonderful and magical improvements to the area? Jeez Mark your a business man surely you are not that gullible?

The snowboard park you talk of is in Momchilivisti not Pamporovo so it is not worth mentioning as 99% of the tourist's who will be going to Pamporovo will not know about it and even if they did they are not likely to hop over in a 20 min car journey.

My problem with your post and why I responded is you are presenting things as fact when they are not. I know Pamporovo is a lovely pretty little resort I also know that the runs at the moment are very limiting and it is best suited for beginners and Intermediates. I never mentioned extreme skiing or Heli. You said and I quote"There are some great slopes and they are building more all the time" Not true 1 new slope in the last god knows how many years is not all the time. Are their any new runs in Pamporovo this year?

5 Month ski season? Please! I would be interested to know how you went skiing in April when the lifts closed in March?

As the the Fairy tale museum(aptly named) and the museum of Milk!!!!! Wow that will have the tourists flocking in wont it?

Ok I am waffling now Mark sorry. But look I love Bulgaria and Pamporovo is a lovely little resort and could be a great little place if any improvements are done sympathetically but I will not hold my breath as they are already ruining the mountain by sticking apartments all over it.

The Perelik project has been waved around for years if it happens yes it could be good, but please don't present things as a done deal when they are not. It has already been said on here the Rhodopes are not the best place for a large ski resort because they lack height and do not have the best snow record.

Mark you remind me of someone I met in Bansko 3 years ago. He had just brought an apartment having been in resort for a day and not stepping foot on the mountain. He proceeded to tell my friends and I that their will be a second gondola in 2 years a new airport would also so be built I think he said within 5 and the resort would have loads of new slopes. Now we tried to tell him it was a fairy tale but he would not listen he had been told by a local so it must be true. 3 years on and has the above happend in Bansko? well I will let you find out!!!!!(sorry could not resist the !!!)

Daniel you obviously have not been to Pamporovo for a long time
and to be honest I could not care less now. As I said in my last post however passionate, it was the second week in April 09 that I was skiing with my family and my brother in-laws family and that was the last week of the season not in March 09. The schools were also still teaching the children slalom. To call me a little upstart is amusing as you know nothing about me, from what I can see you are the type of person just wants to throw his weight around on the forums disparraging what others say with caustic and personnal remarks meant to bully and belittle others and make you feel good about yourself. Check your facts first and less we forget sticking to the same old tune of beginners and intermediates like a stuck record.
I would like to see any beginner or intermediate try any of the black or red slopes especially the wall with out seriously injuring them selves. get a life... and to be honest I have wasted far to much of my time replying to you.

mark j

Ah Nigel what a suprise that you would comment anyone would think that this has become the Momchilovtsi investors forum.

I have not been to Pamps for a few years Nigel 2005 was my last time I go to Bansko now. But I know enough from reading on here and many other articles to know what it is like. And as Mikey has said it is a fact that the last 2-3 season's it has suffered from bad snow conditions. Yes it has had some good weeks in each season,but the seasons on a whole have been poor.

As I said to Mark (and I admire his enthusiasm) you cannot expect to post on a forum and have everyone roll over and agree with you. And if you don't like that and you want a forum where everyone agrees with you then may I suggest you find somewhere else?

I will say again I love Pamporovo and I love Bulgaria but I will not stand by and let the likes of you post fairy tales on here and describe something that it is not. I hope the Perelik project happens but please do not present it as a fact and certainty when at this moment it is not.

A post of MR MR's
What makes you think he has a property in Borovets? I LIKE THE TRUST ME BIT LOL LOL '

Author : Mr Mr (---.pool1.unallocated-107-0.orangehomeds)
posts : 25
Date : 07-14-09 18:53

in this order(starting with the best choice):

Borovets 1250m above the sea level up to 2550m(the higher the better) right at the bottom of the ski slopes and feels like a ski resort.closest from Sofia Airport with the shortest airport transfer.Best snow cover year on year(facts given by the Meteorological centre)West Rila(the mountain where Borovets is) is the snowiest place in Bulagria with the thickest snow cover so chances to have snow on top and plenty and in the resort are greater too

Bansko-900m above sea level and up to 2550m.reliable snow cover on the top part where the skiing is done anyway.In the town dont expect snowy feel cos with 900m it isnt high enough.

town with alot of buildings (some of them mega ugly and far from the slopes or shall i say connected with a boring ski road. Lift system is best but too many people for the chairs and gondola so expect jam pack queues and like a M25 traffic on the slopes.Longer airport transfer.Make sure you dont fly to Plovdiv for this one.

Pamporovo- 1450m above sea but going only up to 1990m so the least snow reliability of the 3(better look at the history snow cover -mega poor snow cover for the start of seasons and up to end of Jan.
The resort is kind of scattered around unless you choose the main area but this is far from the slopes (bus service there and back)some complexes closer to the slopes Monastery etc but difficult to get toi the main happening which is still in the very centre.
Long transfers to this one.
Of course for the snow reliability you can gamble choose one and hope for the best or choose the ones with the best chance of having white stuff for your well earned holiday.
if you are complete beginners(not clear -first time going to Bulgaria or skiing) maybe best is still Pamporovo cos you will not need more that a bash or two on the slopes.
if you have few weeks experience and really want to try something very unusual (bulgaria) then
probably Borovets is your best bet.

trust me.