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Bansko Ski Season Ends Early

Lance — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 07:14:05 +0000

The Bansko ski season seems to be ending early this year. Sunday 3rd April will be the last day of the ski lifts will be operating. UPDATE : ULEN CONFIRM ON BANSKOSKI.COM, THAT LIFTS SHUT SUNDAY 3rd APRIL. I am not certain if this is just a commercial decision from Ulen, or one which is based on their snow forecast. More on this later. But first, David brings us the ski conditions in glorious video.

Thanks David, love the white dot skis! Superb spring ski conditions. High up on the Pirin mountains its been freezing overnight. Up to around 12.30pm the conditions have been some of the best all year. Then the sun has been getting strong — up to 20 degrees on the web cam in town. Take a peek at the web cam. Watch ladies and gents strolling past in spring outfits. So often March is the favourite time to come catch good skiing and serious sunshine in Bansko.

Weather And Snow Forecast

It’s looking like snow Tuesday, Wednesday and possibly Thursday and Friday. Did I say snow? Well, it will be rain in town. My uncertainty is at what height this rain starts falling as snow. Herein lies the problem ahead. It may be only on the plato that there is snow, and elsewhere its rain. The slopes will be damaged and, frankly it may seem a less harsh decision to close the lifts for the week commencing 4th April – a very popular holiday week for UK visitors. This is because of the UK private school holidays start from around the 1st April.

Click For Met Office Weather Chart

Click on the Met Offfice chart to see the low pressure weather system that sits nicely over the region.

Snow, But No Lifts

Have Ulen screwed up? Let’s look at the evidence… I think visitor numbers are lower than expected and are forecast to be lower due to the late Easter this year. So arguably, for Ulen, its best to close the lifts with good notice. Fair enough, there is no point in running empty lifts. Even this would be okay if there was an official announcement on Ulen web site, banskoski.com. But there isn’t — why not? Please tell me Ulen. Or anyone else please comment below.

There is a very high chance that salt will be rubbed into the ski wound. Yes, those “lucky” April Bansko visitors now be facing the prospect of no lifts. But there WILL be more SNOW arriving 4th April. Some cooler air and precipitation should provide a fresh covering — with even off piste potential. Folks staying in Bansko with the prospect of a ski-less winter holiday may have an option. So, assuming the lifts are not working in Bansko, try heading for Dobrinishte Bezbog chair lift. It’s just a 20 minute drive away (best in a 4×4). This lift could be working if there is nice fresh snow. In any event, it’s very beautiful there.

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UPDATE: LIFTS SHUT Sunday 3rd April (last day). I now agree with this decision. Snow will be useless. Ulen you tried hard – adjusted your decision based on a revised forecast and then changed it back when it became clear that it will be terrible conditions. There’s no winning.

A Dream Bansko World Cup Ski Day The Bansko World Cup action is over and I had...

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JJ Murphy’s Night: 6.00pm Tuesday

Lance — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:31:15 +0000

Bansko Blog night out… hits JJ Murphy’s on Tuesday 29th December! And I’ve just had some good news from Shelly, Murphy’s manager, and from the well known Bavarian long time local, Frank Nadler…Â that â€œStar Merakâ€ (â€œOld Zestâ€) perform in Murphyâ€™s on Tuesday, around 6 p.m. Please come, enjoy and say hello…

Traditional Bansko Choir And Rakia

â€œStar Merakâ€ is a male Bansko choir established more than 20 years ago. Bansko has more than 500 original (from only Bansko) songs. Frank’s friends sing these old traditional songs in the typical local way, with the aim to preserve these gems that are not written down anywhere. They hope to hand them, and the Bansko spirit, down to future generations. Frank says “They are my anchor in Bansko.” And the choir feature on his Bansko film “Mein Bansko”.

Frank goes on to say “Foreigners will have a chance to meet the choir and listen to their magical music at JJ Murphyâ€™s between around 6 and 8 pm. We will bring some homemade rakia (free to try) and some homemade Bansko specialities, but am not sure for how many people they will last… It will be like a temporary bridge between two cultures.”

Shelly and Gary run this Irish bar, and this Murphy’s will feel very familiar to anyone who haa been to Sofia’s Murphy’s. Located just near The Lion and Perun Hotels, it’s an easy walk… It’s sure to be a fun and entertaining early evening.

Snow Reports

I’m retweeting comments on twitter.com/bansko. So please check there and web cams for the latest. Its snowed on the mountain last night, temperatures have dropped below zero. Today is reported as quite okay.

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Snow Conditions

Lance — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 13:38:38 +0000

Snow scene from last season will this 09/10 season deliver this much snow again?

Bansko snow conditions: Web cams tell the story…with over 80 cm of snow at Todorka and 60cm at Bunderitsa. But I’ll leave it to the first of our resident snow bloggers, Nikolai Chongarov, a member of the Bulgaria Ski Team, to sum up the conditions.

“Hello, dear blog readers. My name is Nikola Chongarov, I am a ski racer in the Bulgarian Ski Team. Right now I am in Bansko and I decided to write a little something about the conditions and the mood here.

Today was a cold day with the temperatures around -10Âº, -12Âº C. The snow coverage on the mountain is about 70cm. All the ski trails are opened now as it has been snowing, on and off, for the last three days.

And right now itâ€™s really coming down hard.

On top of that the snow guns are blasting non stop. There is 10-15cm of new snow down in the village only from the past 3 hours. Tomorrow should be a great day for powder skiing. I envy all you guys that are here or coming soon for a vacation, because I have a race Saturday and Sunday and I canâ€™t go out for free skiing.

Otherwise there has been more and more people arriving here since the conditions got a lot better over the past couple of days. The mood is pretty exciting before Christmas and New Year. Everyone seems happy that the long year is coming to an end.

I am going to be training here with the team until the 23^rd and then from 26^th to 30^th so you will probably hear from me again about the change in conditions. Take care!”

Thanks Nick! Snow forecast is for more snow tomorrow as you say. So things have changed a little since my last forecast. Nonetheless, it’s all good news. Temperatures will drop with cold clear nights. This will mean that we’ll soon have the run down to Bansko main gondola station open soon. And some more snow on Tuesday is my bet.

It will be interesting to see if the cold front coming down through the Alps on Wednesday makes it as far as the Pirin. I suspect not but keep a close eye on it here: http://www.meteonet.nl/aktueel/brackall.htm as well as the accuview forecast.

Full credit to Howies, my merino wool vest arrived the following day from ordering it. Merino wool featured in my 2010 ski fashion and gear review. They are highly recommended. Keeping me really warm. Now off to pick up Giro G10 helmet. I’m converted that my head is worth it, some might say only just though.

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NEWS: New Year accommodation deal from â‚¬10 per person per night.

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Snow And More Snow To Come: Bansko Opens In Style

Lance — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:18:12 +0000

The snow forecast is… more snow. What a fabulous start to the ski season. There’ is over 70cm of snow on Todorka. All liftS are open. The snow arrived just in time for the Saturday’s opening ceremony that Mark Girardelli win the ski legends slalom. Whilst we wait for pistes to be fully groomed, the very good news there is more snow on its way. Saturday and Sunday, when the skies could clear, will see Bansko at its early season best.