Poster: A snowHead
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Mount Kopaonik witnessed some of the heaviest fighting in the recent Balkans wars. Now its resort is welcoming tourists again and providing something different for those who don't mind 'challenging' chairlifts and off-piste that was targeted by cluster bombs just a few years ago.
Mark Townsend ventures into this territory with just a little apprehension, while assuring us that "the good news is that Kopaonik is now officially safe, the last of the mountain's slopes having been wholly de-mined by bomb disposal experts for the start of this season."
His entertaining article is in today's Observer.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ive been boarding at kopaonik for the past 3 years. its a really nice mountain, with the main resort practically at the top. the runs are good, interlinked and theres a lot of variety amoung them. recently they've cleared the one of the black runs of cluster bombs, making it slightly less exciting than it was before (im kidding, they had closed the bombed runs).
im there again with some friends in february, and cant wait.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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What's the drive like from Belgrade?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I read of some renewed tensions in the Kosova area a while back. How reasonable is it to consider flying to Pristina for a skiing holiday in Gjeravica (Peje)?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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depends on the weather, time of day and mode of transport.
but getting a coach (like ive done for the past 2 years) takes anywhere between 5 hours and 7 hours. this year ive hired a minivan to take my and my friends there, so it should be about 4/5 hours. the coaches take longer as they have specific routes to follow to pick up more passengers.
the conditions on the mountain dictate the time very heavily. the shortest route up is the one most likely to get snowed in - so if thats the case, then you have to take the much much longer route up the mountain and that can add hours to the trip time. a few years ago coming down took us about 4 hours alone. in the end we were on the coach for around 10 hours till we got back to belgrade.
another time (ive got tons of horror stories about serbian coach journeys...) we got stuck coming up, and everyone got out to push (yeah that was a DUMB idea... 30 odd men cannot push a heavily laden coach....) and eventually had to wait for the ice to melt before we could get enough traction to start moving again. still, it was a nice break as we were very close to the resort and had some fantastic views.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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PG, sorry i cant help you with kosovo, ive never been there and dont really have many plans to check it out anytime soon. ive heard that theres some really great skiing down there, pristina is supposed to be very safe, but i have no idea about anywhere else around there. id probably go somewhere less politically sensitive, like bulgaria.
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brendangibson wrote: |
What's the drive like from Belgrade? |
The best way to come to Kopaonik form Belgrade is:
Belgrade 0 km
Batocina 110 km (excellent - you have to pay 2€ taxes)
Kragujevac 144 km (good)
Kraljevo 204 km (good)
Kopaonik 304 km (in last two years allmost all have been reconstructed - also called "Ibarska magistrala")
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dnc wrote: |
recently they've cleared the one of the black runs of cluster bombs, making it slightly less exciting than it was before (im kidding, they had closed the bombed runs).
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Only one slope was bombed and It called Krcmar. This slope does not work from 1999. because NATO drop down cluster bombs, bombs that are prohibited by all war rules. The problem is not the slope because it is safe and clean the problem is forest near slope. Miltary said that they cleaned place but It is still closed. There always will be "mad" skiers that will go there and because of that for a safe reasons this slope does not work for past five years. The whole area is safetly marked. When I said mad skiers - I saw people that jump over marked place and skies over it:)
After five years I can not imagine why NATO bombs ski center with cluster bombs?!
This is that place:
http://ept.kg.ac.yu/kopaonik/Kopaonik%20Zimi%2017.Jan%20-%2031.Jan%202004/Usek%20izmedju%20Duboke%20i%20Krcmara.jpg
I can say that is completly safe to ski on Kopaonik (even if you are mad ). I was there for last five years and no one have been hurt. This bombed place is a very little and Kopaonik has many many other ski runs that are far away from it. So don't worry:) Also I live for a day when slope called Krcmar will bi reopen because It is one of my favorite.
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