You can get a tan even in winter - in the mountains
Just think: a little over half a century ago, skiing was a hobby of only a few dozen people! And about 80 years ago, the five Alpine resorts had only just stopped closing their hotels for the winter, and people, considered nearly mad, began coming to the mountains in winter to ski. The rapid spread of the passion for skiing is akin to the global computerization and internetization of the world's population: now about 40 million people each year go to 300 mountain resorts on different continents! Needless to say, these three hundred resorts are the most beautiful places on the planet! They range from Alaska to the Chilean Andes in the Americas, from the Spanish Mediterranean in the west to Korea and the Pacific coast in the Far East.
There are a great many countries in the world where people ski: Australia, Austria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Germany, Georgia, Israel, India, Iran, Spain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Canada, Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan, China, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, UAE, Poland, Russia, Romania, USA, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Finland, France, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Chile, Switzerland, Sweden, South Africa, South Korea, Japan. Perhaps this is not even a complete list, perhaps we forgot some countries. For example, we almost forgot the United Arab Emirates - there is no snow there, but there is skiing!
Once the legendary French skier Jean-Claude Killy said: 'Skiing in itself is not happiness, but it can quite replace it.' Probably, this is the best answer to the question about the reason for the unprecedented popularity of skiing. True, only someone who has never put on skis can ask it...
Skiing right now
Some ski slopes operating in summer are located in the Southern Hemisphere. From April-May to October or November you can ski in Australia and New Zealand, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and even South Africa. Bolivia is home to the highest-altitude resort in the world - Chacaltaya. It is located 55 km from La Paz at an altitude of 5,486 m! A dozen runs stretch between 5,400 and 4,700 m, served by eight lifts. The infrastructure is decent, but breathing is sometimes difficult. The low oxygen level in the air and very hard runs make this resort one of the most extreme. The best skiing at Chacaltaya is from April to June. The season is similarly short in Argentina and Chile.
Skiing lasts longer in New Zealand. By the way, the most impatient can start the season right now - they can still ski on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu. The largest ski center is Whakapapa, located on the western slope. With a vertical drop of 675 m, there are over 20 lifts serving about 40 runs of varying difficulty. The resort is open from June to November. On other slopes of the mountain are the resorts of Whakapapa and Turoa. These resorts attract 400,000 skiers annually. Mount Hutt on the South Island is famous for its reliable snow, with the season lasting from May to October.
In the Southern Lakes region lies the town of Wanaka. There are two resorts: Treble Cone, with stunningly beautiful landscapes and interesting runs for advanced skiers, and Cardrona, with a ski area spread over three valleys. There are two half-pipes and heavily varied slopes, ideal for snowboarders. The second largest city on the South Island is Queenstown. Next to it are two excellent resorts: Coronet Peak with runs of all colors and an altitude of 1,650 m, and the most 'adrenaline' place in New Zealand, The Remarkables, at an altitude of 2,000 m.
The ski resort in South Africa is called Tiffindell. It is located on the border with Lesotho, on the slopes of Ben Macdhui (3,001 m) in the Southern Drakensberg. This is the only place south of the Sahara where you can carve a series of slalom turns on real snow. The season, however, is limited to three months - from June to August. The main slope is 650 m long with a 100 m vertical drop, the second is shorter but has a jump. The third is for beginners. All are equipped with tow lifts. The main feature of the South African resort is the intense sun. Everyone comes down from there brown.
Beach skiing
Some countries are so lucky that they have both mountains and sea on their territory. There you can go down to the beach after skiing and, if not swim, at least sunbathe. Or simply gaze at the blue infinity, listening to the sound of the waves - the most beautiful music in the world.
First on this list is Spain with its Sierra Nevada on the Costa del Sol coast. There you can combine skiing not only with the beach but also with excursions - to see Granada with the Alhambra Palace and the Generalife Gardens, Seville, and Cordoba. Sierra Nevada is at an altitude of 3,400 m. The capacity of 23 lifts is up to 32,000 skiers per hour. The resort has 45 runs with a total length of 61 km, two of which are equipped for night skiing. Blue and red runs predominate. Championships in freestyle and extreme skiing are held here. The season usually begins in December.
Turkey offers all-inclusive holidays at ski resorts and relatively low prices. There are several centers. The largest: Uludağ and Palandöken. Smaller resorts: Erciyes (25 km from Kayseri), Kartalkaya (52 km from Bolu), Davraz Dağı (17 km from Isparta), Hasan Dağı (30 km from Aksaray), Zigana Dağı (140 km from Trabzon), Kop Dağı (94 km from Erzurum), and Sarıkamış. Besides skiing, the resorts have many activities, including for children. Schools have Russian-speaking instructors. The most family-friendly resort is Uludağ, the most sporty is Palandöken.
The season in Cyprus usually begins in December. Skiing takes place in the Troodos Mountains, on the northern slope of Olympus and from the mythological peaks named after the gods Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite and Hermes. The ski season starts in December and lasts until March. The slopes descend from an altitude of 2,000 m. There are five slopes in total, serviced by four T-bar lifts. The main station is on Olympus, with which the slopes and lifts of Zeus and Hera are connected. At the Sunny Valley resort, you can ski on four slopes, having risen to the peaks of Aphrodite and Hermes. Overall, Troodos is a modern resort built by the British, where international competitions are held. The nearest seaside resort is Limassol.
Strange as it may seem, there is also a ski resort in Israel. It is located in the northeast of the country, on the border with Syria, on Mount Hermon (2,282 m), towering over the Golan Heights. This is the only place in Israel where snow stays all winter, and you can ski almost until April. The resort has one easy slope and two of medium difficulty, with a total length of about 8 km. Three lifts take skiers to an altitude of 2,000 m. All of this is a three-hour drive from the beaches of Netanya.
Near the sea
Besides beach ski countries, there are also near-beach resorts where you can also get a good tan. There is no sea, but its proximity is felt - the gentle Mediterranean sun makes the high-altitude fashionable tan breathtaking, and high humidity promises magical snow. Among such wonderful places, the principality of Andorra leads. This is a very small state in the Pyrenees - a true ski power. On an area of 468 sq. km, there are 64 peaks over 2,500 m high! The lowest point of Andorra is at 840 m above sea level.
Andorra in winter is 152 ski slopes with a total length of 247 km, six major ski resorts, with 91 lifts and 500 instructors. The rulers here are not the Andorran highlanders, but the ski guests. Everything is subordinated to their interests: the operation of public transport, the life of shops, hotels and restaurants.
Currently, in Andorra, there are 150 tourists per local resident. Over the winter, about 10 million people manage to ski at its resorts. Almost half of them are regular guests of these places who come to Andorra every year. According to statistics, this is the sunniest ski region in Europe. At the same time, it is the snowiest: excellent skiing is guaranteed from early December to the end of April. A large number of snow cannons on the slopes insure skiers against weather whims. If you add Spanish prices and French spirit, you get a very good cocktail.
Ski tales of the East
Skiing is also possible in exotic Eastern countries. There, after the ski run, guests are awaited by hookah bars, and mint tea is served in glass glasses. There, even the snow smells of spices, and the sunsets blaze like oriental carpets.
In the fairy-tale kingdom of Morocco, the main ski resort is called La Station De Loukaimeden (Oukaimeden). It is located 75 km south of Marrakech, on the western spurs of the Atlas Mountains. The mountain peak height is 3,270 m, the station stands at an altitude of 2,600 m. The season lasts about the same as in Cyprus, from December to March-April. The resort can accommodate up to 4,000 tourists at a time. There are slopes of varying difficulty, from 600 m to 1,000 m long, with a slope of 35-40 degrees. They are serviced by seven lifts. Tourists are received by a nice chalet-style hotel. Winter temperatures range from -3 to +15 degrees.
In addition, there is a ski resort in Morocco called Ifrane, where the mountains are much higher. After descending from them, it is not bad to sunbathe by the ocean in Agadir.
Skiing exists in a truly Eastern country - Lebanon. The season there lasts from November to April, snow falls only high in the mountains. Before the wars, this country was called the "Middle Eastern Switzerland." Several resorts operate here. Cedars, also known as Les Cèdres, lies in a natural amphitheater of mountains covered with cedar forest and offers nine slopes at altitudes from 1,850 to 3,087 m. Most of the runs are "black," there are slopes for giant slalom and slalom.
Iran also has ski resorts: Dizin, Tochal, Ab-e Ali. The most famous of them is Dizin in the Alborz Mountains. It is located north of Tehran and is open from November to April. In Dizin, skiing takes place at an altitude of 3,550-900 m.
Skis in the desert
The most impatient can start the ski season right now - in the United Arab Emirates. In Dubai, there is an indoor ski complex Ski Dubai, which can accommodate up to 50,000 people per day, 1,500 skiers and snowboarders simultaneously. This is the only ski resort located in the desert! It has a ski slope 62 m high and 450 m long with five slopes and lifts, a snow park, toboggan slides, a snowball play area, a snowboard zone with a halfpipe, as well as caves with stalactites and ice sculptures. The complex maintains a temperature of minus 2-3 degrees. The snow cover is 50 cm thick, its top layer is renewed daily. Every night, special installations produce 30 tons of snow!
This all-season paradise is located in the shopping center Mall of the Emirates. It is open daily from 10 am to 10 pm, the ticket price for two hours of skiing is about $30. The skiing area equals three football fields: 22,500 sq. m.
The mega-complex Mall of the Emirates is located in the Sheikh Zayed Road area, on its giant territory there are boutiques, entertainment and health centers, the Kempinski hotel, built in the spirit of the "Dubai Alps." Its rooms offer views of real snow slopes, frozen waterfalls, and the streets of Dubai. Guests alternate skiing with visits to SPA salons and the Ayurveda center, pools, and courts.
To ride the world's longest artificial ski slope, you'll have to wait until December. Its opening in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah is scheduled for the beginning of December. The descent will start from the summit of Jebel Jais and end at the seashore. The total length of the slope will be 12 km. The "Ras Al Khaimah Ski" complex will include two luxurious hotels, villas, and a golf course.