Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Got back last night after a wicked week in Pamps. After all angst about lack of snow, it WAS snowing when we arrived on Saturday night and conditions Sunday were perfect. By Wednesday though, the lower slopes were pretty poor - skiing down below the mid-section was practically impossible. The upper slopes were still fantastic (superb blues and reds), but this meant that the queue for the three man chair at mid-station was horrendous most of the time. I felt really sorry for the beginners - the green runs were a real mess by the end of the week. Also the slope from the ski depot to the four man chair became a mess of puddles during the day and then froze solid overnight. This meant that you were skiing down to the four-man lift on sheet ice every morning - some nasty tumbles there - one lad fell and cut his head open! The upper slopes were also icy on a morning - we saw one lady break her shoulder when she lost it and hit a tree. The ambulances were a common sight - particularly in the latter part of the week.
Having been last year, we'd expected chaos at the ski fitting on day one, but managed to get through that quite quickly. We then went for a 'warm up' with two instructors and 24 other people, meeting the others at The Lodge for lunch. Then we went for 'the test' to decide groups. Because the slopes were so busy, the tests happened on the red run at the top (a bit daunting for some). The 'organisation' of this was so poor that it took nearly all afternoon! LOADS of standing about and confusion! When we finally got our instructor, we only had time to go back down once before she finished!
Our instructor this year wasn't as good as the one we had last year - she was slow to start on a morning and always finished well before 3 in the afternoon. However, this wasn't a problem as we'd been before and felt confident enough to go off on our own for the remainder fo the day.
We stayed at the Elina - a lovely hotel with really friendly staff. Food was ok - not a lot of choice, but we weren't that bothered. Rooms were clean and warm. The hotel runs a courtesy bus into the resort centre at 7pm and a return bus at 8.30. This is handy if you just want to nip to the supermarket to change money or whatever. A couple of times we just used the bus to get down there and made our own way back. Because the roads were clear, it was a nice walk anyway.
The prices have risen since last year, although they vary depending on where you are. A large beer and a white wine was 5.50 lev in the Elina, but the same round cost us a staggering 13.50 lev in the White Hart!! A typical snack lunch was around 23 lev for two. Soup was about 6 lev, 14 lev for a pizza. Black coffee was 3 lev, but 5 lev with milk!
We're going back next year - it really was a fantastic holiday and we had a ball! Apparently the poor conditions were unusual - the driver at our hotel told us that his mum could only ever remember it being like this twice before in her lifetime - and she's 89 !

We have just got back from pamps as well I would agree with lizzies report about the snow conditions and lift queues and ice but it should be a bit better next week as only half the number of people expected. We stayed at the Hotel Panorama which was great, very quiet, good food (but no real veggies option at dinner), there was a good little everything shop at the Castle where you catch the bus for to the ski centre, only negative point was that the hotel was in the middle of a building site and the track leading to the hotel was very muddy once the snow melted. But all our rooms were facing away from the building works and as we were out all day it wasn't a problem. To get to the centre of pamporovo we caught the ski buses at the end of the day to Perelik and then it is only about 20mins walk back or a taxi is 15leva (make sure you agree the price first). Our instructors tended to stay with us all 9.30-4ish only problem was meeting up with kids in different groups not knowing when they might finish and also not much chance to all ski together as a family.

I have also just got back and I was a beginner, the journey down to the three man lift from the depot is perilous, pure ice hard to walk on, impossible to ski on for beginners. In fairness the two nursery slopes at the top are ok for snow, although ruts on the drag lift make the trip back up the slope 'interesting'. Unfortunately my 11 year old broke his leg, and I have the bruise from hell on my hip where I fell on the ice coming off the 1 man lift (bottom half of green was too difficult for me due to conditions)....will write a full report later on the whole holiday experience

Just back yesterday..temperature at -10c. but very little snow.The top slopes were possible but very icy in the morning.In the afternoon they softened and were slushy allowing some skiing.Instructors great .This last week was there busiest with 2000 in ski schools but it will be well down next week.Stoudenets station very muddy,bottom of greenslope almost impossible (brown slope with icy patches).The red slopes were better as there was less usage.~It really needs a good heavy snowfall,but enjoy the nightlife.