The snow is falling. Good conditions prevail.
Pictures taken 27th January 2014
The snow tumbles down from the sky as I type this. My legs are pleasantly tired. A nice reminder of some nice sessions out on the hill.
See my GoPro video report below of how things are looking now.
Lift and fun park opening news
Monday saw the plato open and some fresh tracks. Shred it, gnarl it.. the local riders were out in force.
The fun park is open.
After today’s snow I think Chalin Valog will be good enough to explore.
The Secret Hotel Airbag sessions
Today (Wednesday) sees the Secret Hotel have their first Airbag session. This will be a load of fun watching tricks — all done in complete safety.
Watch out for news on these events within the App and on FBook page. I am told Wednesday’s and Saturdays are the party days. The secret Hotel is in Chalin Valog and exact location may be found in the Bansko App. It’s also marked in the piste map which may be found in both the app and paper versions. All for free. (Also in the piste map cloth goggle wipe.)
VIP Room good for a coffee as well as lunch
Places to go
It’s always hard to recommend bars and restaurants as consistency, at even the finest venues, is often hard to find. However, there are a few restaurants that have never missed a beat for me — so far. I update the main restaurants, bars and clubs article, so click here for latest places in each category.
All places can be located in the Bansko App.
1. The VIP Room (Banderishks Poliana). Wonderful dining room. Excellent executive chef (180 and Sopranos also benefit from his touch). But this is the lunch place for genuine Italian cuisine. Enter with your skis. Put on comfy slippers. Dine whilst your boots dry. What could be better?
Upscale and at a price to reflect this (main course, 20 lv+). But it’s still a great deal when compared to similar quality in big name French/Swiss ski resorts. Service is generally good, but staff can seem distracted when it’s quiet. Great wine list.
2. The Mussel Farm Dolbaka at the Astera Hotel. I know the name due the to their restaurant in Pancherevo, near Sofia. They have many types Black Sea fish. And shell fish from their own mussel farm near Kavarna. Healthy choice and makes a pleasant change from meat heavy menus elsewhere in town.
3. The Log House. Perfect for simple, well priced dishes for lunch and dinner. The olive homemade bread comes recommended.
4= Euphoria Bar & Grill: What’s Up live band. What energy! Every night. The move on to Jacks House — it’s 30 metres from Euphoria.
4= Curry Fix… Mind The Step at the Dream Hotel and The Avalon Hotel, Thursday curry nights. Two places I like for my curry fix. How can you quench ski hunger better. Just the thought of a good Indian curry makes me want one now!
There are, of course, many great eating and drinking places in Bansko, and this is just a personal update of places I like.
Reminder
A reminder to book online here at banskoblog.com and because it’s BanskoBlog.com’s 5th anniversary since starting, I am giving out a special piste map goggle lens cloth. It’s my free gift to you for all bookings made here online. One cloth per person in the booking.
Piste map lens wipes “By Post”
Due to popular demand piste maps are available for purchase.
Not coming to Bansko this year? Register here to get details on how to order your lens wipes, By Post.
Offer coming soon.
Hi lance, thanks for these updates there great! Is the weather set to continue for the next couple of weeks in your opinion? Weather forecast seem to only show fog? Traveling out a week on Saturday so very anxious and excited.
Hi Chris,
It looks like some more snow on Sunday. After that can’t see any more snow for five days. I tend not to bother looking further than that as things change too much and become much too unreliable to be useful.
Hi Lance. We are travelling out to Bansko this weekend for a weeks skiing. Just wondering with all the snow you have had in the last week, what percentage of the runs are now open? Has it snowed enough to expect most of the resort runs to be open for our trip?
Thanks
Stephen
Hi Stephen, Yes almost all the runs are now open, but mor esnow arriving Sunday may help fix that. Have a great time and thank you commenting here.
Hi lance. Can’t get to bansko this ski season as easter too late. Am coming in the summer for three weeks so will get a bansko fix. The log house is super and could eat there every day for a week!
Hi Stephen Thank you for commenting here. I was at The Log House on Sunday for a late lunch. Once again, I love the Bob (bean soup) it’s the best in Bansko I’ve tried and the olive bread is divine. The trout is fine too and the whole pig for a large group (order the day in advance) is fabulous is you have a big group to feed.
Hi Lance, I’m heading out there on Thursday for a few days skiing.
Been keeping a close eye on the webcams and noticed that it’s warmer at the top parts of the mountain than the lower parts.
Is this normal for the Pirin mountains?
Should I be concerned that some of the mountain will have to be closed off?
Cheers
Iain
Hi Iain,
Sometimes there is a temperature inversion. Quite normal in all valley systems where a layer of warmer air sits on top of cold valley air. Cold valley air caused by an evening katabatic breeze…
At the moment it’s all skiing good. It will get warmer, so we’ll be monitoring the impact of this very closely. Thank for asking the question sorry do not have time to explain in details but a search on google and wikipedia will help explain temperature inversions.