Waiting for the winter
Me in my paradise
Hello, Steemit people!
Browsing through my memories of white adventures, I came across some really beautiful photos from a free ride camp that we organized this winter with my friends.
These photos made me travel back in time to one amazing adventure with plenty of laughter, skiing, stunning beauty and good friends, and I thought it would worth it to take you also there - in the highest parts of our mountains where the snow is great for skiing even in the end of March.
I live 10 km away from one of the biggest ski resorts in Bulgaria - Borovets and now it is the time to prepare for the winter season, to sharpen the ski edges and to pray for snow.
The winter season is short here but enough for most fans of the snow sports, but it is different for us - the passionate free riders as our thirst for adventures is just insatiable.
Usually in the beginning of March the snow starts to melt in the low parts of the mountains, the ski season is just about to end and the skiing is possible only in the high parts of the mountains, where there are some chairlifts.
But free ride is so much better as it is far more adventurous and one can go to some places where there is nobody else around and have the whole mountain only for you. Also skiing there is possible even in April and sometimes May if the winter has been a good and snowy one.
That's why every year me and some close friends of mine organize a free ride camp and spent several days in the high mountains sleeping in a hut - Zavratchitsa in a wonderful place, and practice free ride skiing.
When most of the ski and snowboard fans has already put their equipment deep in the wardrobe for the next year and are getting ready and dream for the beach, we prepare our luggage and leave the town to have fun in paradise around some gorgeous slopes and ridges.
I really can not express this experience as the words are just not enough, but I'll try at least to show you with some photos that I took the last time in the few moments I had time to think at all about photos.
We have a proverb here in Bulgaria - Сговорна дружина, планина повдига , I don't know how to translate in literally in English but it means that when some people unite because of a mutual purpose, they can accomplish everything, even to raise a mountain. That was the case with us back then as getting to that paradise wasn't easy at all. We needed a snowmobile because there isn't anything else in that valley besides the hut and it would give us the opportunity to ski more. The problem was that there wasn't enough snow in the low parts of the mountains for a snowmobile so we had to figure out some other way to take it there, as there is only a narrow pathway to this hut. We were around 15 people and we had to build almost one kilometer snow way for the snowmobile. That whole snow road building thing took us 4 hours more but when several people have the same dream, nothing can stand on your way.
Our Way to the Hut
That whole camp requires a lot of discussions and organization because it is not that safe to practice free riding. You know - avalanches, snow conditions, weather conditions, 15 people, hut, hut keeper and stuff like that. We rented the whole hut, and all the slopes were only for us. There was no one else around.
The next day after we arrived the true fairy tale began! :)
From our slopes around the valley of Maritsa River we could see Musala - the highest peak in Bulgaria, we were just below it and also the ski trails around the other big ski resort in Bulgaria in Pirin Mountain.
The snowmobile was our lift.
The truest friendships are made in the mountains :)
One of my friend's camera, ready for some beautiful shots.
Look at our traces!
Thank you for reading!
The Man from the Mountains
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Thank you very much!!! for the vote. :)
Dang!!!, hardcore adrenaline ready.
Nice pics.
yes Dang!! :) ,thanks.
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You guys are truly determined to achieve your goal. True winter sport lovers! These mountains in Bulgaria look amazing and I would never say it's Bulgaria to be honest. Didn't know there was so much snow :) How high are these mountains? Around 2000 m?
It really is a winter paradise or like we say winter wonderland. So much snow, beautiful scenery and NO people around, just you and your friends.. and of course the hut, hut keeper, snowmobile, avalanches and all the other things :D
But why is it better for free riders to go in late March/April? Is it because of the snow quality or it doesn't really matter?
Your photos are amazing. The sky is so blue! It looks like you had a blast and I'm sure you can't wait for this winter to come :)
I'm afraid of breaking my limbs so I prefer hiking in the mountains but I love watching people skiing or snowboarding or doing whatever they do with snow :)
Thank you for sharing!
Hey, @delishtreats! Thank you very much for your lovely comment! The hut is at 2162m altitude and we ski just below our highest peak in Bulgaria - Musala, 2925m.
The snow is usually(not always, it depends on the year) terrible in late March and early April and we ski only between 10 and 12 am because before that the snow is too hard, like ice, and later it is too unstable and wet. But we love winter sports and the mountains so much that we use even these last opportunities :)
It would worth it to overcome your fears :) It is an amazing sport that reveals a whole new world for you.
Have a great evening!
Highest peak in Bulgaria is almost at 3000 m?! WOW! I had no idea!
I can imagine... I've heard that it is difficult ski when it's like ice and wet snow is not good either. It's good that you found the best time of the day for you..
Oh, you know.. I know too many people who had serious ski injuries and a friend of mine died 6 years ago when she was skying. She was sitting in a ski lift and some snowboarder push her while he was jumping and she fell on icy snow.. she couldn't be helped.. so this is why I have my fears and I don't think I could ever overcome them. I'm lucky that I enjoy hiking so that I can go to mountains and enjoy winter wonderland anyway :)
Have a great evening too!
I've always wanted to go back-country skiing but I'm not sure I could. I've only just this year skied my first classified double-black diamond and it kicked my ass. Grew up on the glorified foothills of the southern Appalachians, so I wasn't ready for how difficult and tiring it was skiing through powder up to my thighs.
Thanks for sharing!
~ Mako
Yes, you are right! It requires a great physical condition, but you can quickly achieve one if you practice it very often and you exercise and hike a lot :)
This looks like so much fun! It's extremely impressive that you BUILT a snow path for the snowmobile!! How amazing is that?!?! Very cool.
I used to go on snow trips with my friends in college and it was always the most fun. I looked forward to it every year. We'd drive 8 hours to get to a cabin we'd rent and an entire group of us would ski or snowboard over the next few days. I have some great memories from it and made some fantastic friends. So I totally know where you're coming from with this.
I'm not sure I've ever been that high though! And I've only ever snowboarded in the United States. It's been a long time since I've been able to go and this gave me a good reminder of how fun it can be.
Thanks for sharing! I really enjoyed reading your post and looking at all the photos. Cheers!
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed reading it!
You're very welcome! Happy to read through it. Brought back good memories for me.
so you guys don't use any dog's cart there? I thought that every snowy mountain also provide such cart like in the movie.. so, were you with all your friends walking to reach the best place at your mountain?
😂😂😂😂😂