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Palandöken ski resort, on
the outskirts of Erzurum in eastern
Turkey, is among Turkey's newer and
more promising ski areas.
Because of its high altitude,
cold temperatures and dry atmosphere,
TTP user
Mitch Weisburgh (to whom I owe thanks
for most of this information) has described
Palandöken's
snow as resembling "Colorado
powder"—in
other words, light, fine and wonderful
for skiing.
However, as there is no snowmaking capability
yet, the slopes depend on natural snow
for cover, and very little trail grooming.
In a dry period, there's no skiing.
The two prominent luxury hotels,
the
Polat Renaissance Erzurum Hotel and
the Dedeman Palandöken Ski
Center,
each has its own lifts to the slopes,
and there is a gondola as
well. The lifts are relatively slow
and short.
The gondola and Dedeman lifts provide
access to the main mountain. On days
of high wind (which may be frequent),
the gondola and upper Dedeman
lifts
may
not be
able
to operate.
Some of the trails and terrain can
be rocky and dotted
with hazards, particularly
if the snow base is not deep. Most
of the trails would be classified as
lower intermediate in
Colorado, but the mountain
scenery is beautiful. Usually,
there are no lines/queues to use the
lifts:
you
just take your seat.
Equipment rentals are
available through the hotels, and the
staff are friendly and accommodating,
but you may have to pay in cash.
Here are tips for skiing Palandöken:
1. Determine ski and snow
conditions in advance, if possible. Make sure
there's snow!
2. Make airplane and hotel
reservations in advance. The flights and hotels
are often fully booked.
3. Prepare for the cold. The
mountain is high, the winds can be
strong.
4. Expect a different skiing
experience,
unlike what you're used to at home.
The hotels are good, the people are
friendly, but the skiing facilities
are in the early stage of development.
For reservations, contact one of TTP's
recommended travel agencies.
Erzurum
Eastern
Turkey
Skiing in Turkey
Special
Interest Trips
Recommended
Itineraries
Turkey
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