Powder skiing in Turkey is Bliss
Hi powder skiers,
Most of you are keen on taking tours to the Alps, the Pyrenees, Utah or British Colombia and spending a serious amount of money with your family for such an enjoyable vacation. What if I say Turkey is waiting for you like a secret gem, especially if you are from Europe or North America? You may be somewhat surprised to know how accessible and affordable skiing in Turkey can be.
A Family Dedicated to Skiing
My name is Idris Atesci. I am 43 years old from The City of Erzurum which hosts the most profound opportunities in Turkey by the means of winter sports. I am skiing for 40 years. My father and uncle were the members of the Turkish National Alpine Skiing Team. My uncle Ozer Atesci participated to 1966 Sestriere, 1968 Innsbruck Universiade along with 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympic Games. Our hometown, Erzurum also hosted 2011 Winter Universiade. It won’t be wrong if we name Erzurum “The Capital of Turkish Winter Sports”.
Turkish Skiing Demographics and Resorts
Geography
Most commonly Turkey is perceived as a desert country like Arabic Countries. But on the contrary, Turkey is one of the highest countries in Europe and East Asia. For instance, the average altitude of East Anatolia Region -which Erzurum resides- is 1.403 meters. Erzurum city centre placed on 1.895 meters of altitude as an example. Summit of Palandoken is 3.271m Mt Ejder (Turkish for Dragon)Accessibility
Turkey has a wide variety of skiing resorts, with a great potential, very cheap because of the exchange rates and offerings, but poorly managed and remote. But the important thing is, slopes are not heavily crowded. In Turkey football is the most popular sport for the record. Skiing slopes are mostly empty during winter. Only, two weeks of the semester break is an exception.
Facilities
Skiing population is approximately sixty-five percent beginners, thirty percent intermediate and five percent upper intermediate and experts in my estimation. There are no scientific surveys about skiing demographics about Turkey. I rely on my 40 years of experience. So almost all of the skiing resorts have powder skiing opportunities with a decent lifts background icluding gondola, two or four manned chairs. As a result, we have moderate facilities poorly managed by warm personnel which are very cheap. And there are a lot of off-pists visible and available. You can reach summits with those lifts. You do not have to pay for heli-skiing.Heliskiing In Turkey
Talking about heli-skiing, Rize City, Kackar Mountains provides the one and only service for heli-skiers.
Remote but Awesome
Close to Rize, I also advise Erzincan and Malatya Cities but you are completely on your own with your telemark adventure skies, without mountain guides. They are completely virgin and literally remote places. You might provide backup and help from villagers. Here is a rare and very good promotion about the related region. I think we have to thank Red Bull for introducing "Virgin Turkish Slopes" to us all. Snowmads: Powder Dreams in Turkey | Episode 2
As a conclusion I want to make shortlist of places that provides powder skiing opportunities in Turkey.
Skiing Resorts for powder skiing without helicopter with decent facilities:
Uludag, Bursa City (2 hours from Istanbul by bus)
Asia Turkey Marmara Region
Evaluation
555 m (1767 m - 2322 m)
28 km10 km15 km3 km
Kartalkaya: Bolu City (3-4 hours from Istanbul by bus)
Asia Turkey Black Sea Region
Evaluation
Evaluation
552 m (1948 m - 2500 m)
20 km
8 ski lifts
Mountain Erciyes: Kayseri City (4 hours from Ankara by bus, 11 km. from Kayseri Airport)
Erciyes – Kayseri
Asia Turkey Central Anatolia
Evaluation
1260 m (2100 m - 3360 m)
55 km18 km29.4 km7.6 km
14 ski lifts
TRY 70,- / approx. € 11,-
Palandöken: Erzurum City (3km. from city centre, 15 km. from Erzurum Airport)
Palandöken (Ejder 3200 World Ski Center)
Asia Turkey Eastern Anatolia
Evaluation
976 m (2200 m - 3176 m)
43 km19 km11 km13 km
13 ski lifts
Konaklı Village: Erzurum City (20 minutes from city, 35 minutes from Airport with a cab)
Asia Turkey Eastern Anatolia
Konakli (Ejder 3200 World Ski Center)
Evaluation
940 m (2200 m - 3140 m)
940 m (2200 m - 3140 m)
22 km6 km3 km13 km
6 ski lifts
TRY 40,- / approx. € 7,-
Sarikamis: Kars City (140 km. from Erzurum, 53 km. from Kars City, 2 km. from Sarıkamis town centre)
Asia Turkey Eastern Anatolia
Sarıkamıs
Evaluation
Evaluation
505 m (2130 m - 2635 m)
21.3 km7.9 km8.2 km5.2 km
4 ski lifts
TRY 45,- / approx. € 7,-
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