 Poster: A snowHead
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Anyone who is interested in skiing in Macedonia? I just got back from a trip to "sound it out"!
The off piste opportunities are amazing but this location would not be for everyone!!! I will go back for sure and I think with a set of skins and an open minded attitude there is a great time to be had.
I blogged it here www.petesilvergillespie.wordpress.com
Be interested to hear from anyone else who has been (or similar places)
PSG
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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very interesting, gilleski - good to hear about other places, really quite close to home, in terms of simple distance, but so different in other ways.
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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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Good read.
Stayed at the Hotel Slavija for 8 nights in January 2011.
Skied the resort for 7 days and 1 day with Eskimo Freeride cat skiing.
Great welcome and service at the hotel.
Food and drink solid.
Snow excellent.
Amazing views.
Excellent skiing and touring.
Cheap and superb value for money.
Returned to that area a month later and skied Brezovica, Kosovo and Savin Kuk & Kolasin, Montenegro.
A two week trip skiing all three countries is highly recommended.
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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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Mike Pow, Thanks Mike, I would love to check out the other areas. I think the Balkans has something to offer, little bit wild!!
PSG
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Going to get round to the TR some day soon. One that slipped through the cracks.
Eskimo Freeride is a good operation but if the double to the top is open then I'd just ride the lifts.
Approx 15 euro for a day ticket compared with 160 euro for a cat day. They end up doing 1-2 runs more on pretty much the same terrain.
But if the double is closed and it's a powder day then it's a must do.
Or if the front side is wind blasted and Eskimo ski the backside.
Easy touring from the base.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 11-09-13 9:54; edited 3 times in total
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gilleski, Hi, I went skiing a Strpce in Kosovo in 2002 when I was working in Kosovo. I remember some good nights at the pizzeria and being invited to drink slivovic at 08h00 in the morning with the local instructors! I spent a good number of weekends in Macedonia between Skopje and Ohrid but never went skiing in Macedonia although my Macedonian friends spoke about Tetovo. I did a lot of paragliding around Lake Ohrid on the border with Albania. Fond memories and still stay in contact with Macedonian friends.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Interesting read! Thank you for posting. You really wouldn't take kids there though, huh?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Clarrylove wrote: |
| Interesting read! Thank you for posting. You really wouldn't take kids there though, huh? |
Plenty of children skiing Popova Shapka when I was there.
Great variety of terrain.
Quiet.
Very different ski experience.
Very friendly workers and visitors.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You know it makes sense.
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This all looks VERY interesting!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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It's a great area and I'd definitely return.
Keep checking the link as I add more entries.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Nothing in our sH snowbase for Macedonia - anyone want to update it? Or is snowbase just a historical 'feature' that is never really used these days?
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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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| mountainaddict wrote: |
Wow! just seen that Whizzair flights from Luton to Skopje are as little as £30 each way in the winter! Mrs MA and I are always game to ski somewhere new so could well be up for some of that for a long weekend in Macedonia  .
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Which period did you look for? I could not find anything under £160 on Kayak?
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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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Two otehr questiosn that sprang to mind is:
- What kind of backcountry gear is one going to need for the off-piste areas?
- What is the avalanche risk?
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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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ysb33r, presumably:
- The normal kit
- Depends
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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clarky999, keep the avalanche poodle on a hair trigger. 
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| Quote: |
| Wow! just seen that Whizzair flights from Luton to Skopje are as little as £30 each way in the winter! |
| Quote: |
| Which period did you look for? I could not find anything under £160 on Kayak? |
I went straight to the Wizzair website ysb33r - and have just been back on five mins ago. I haven't checked any other times in winter but in the last week of February and the first week of March 2014, practically all of the outbound flights and a lot of the return flights are £29.99 each. After that, the next price is £39.99.
Mike Pow: Your link and report are excellent! Really whetting my appetite - it all looks amazing! Keep it coming .
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meh,
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| clarky999 wrote: |
ysb33r, presumably:
- The normal kit
- Depends
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+1
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Thanks mountainaddict
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Interesting piece.
'The only one obvious difference is the villages were centred around a Mosque.'
This worried me, until you mentioned the half litre of wine.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I loved Macedonia and am returning in 2014 with some clients. You need to be open minded as its not like a standard European resort ( service levels) although everyone I can across was really friendly. The trade off is it feels like an adventure and you feel you are skiing in an exotic location with a twist of adventure.
We used the Luton Skopje flight then a Macedonian friend organised a private taxi to resort. This cost €150 return which was quite good value as I was also quotes €300 for the same trip. It helps to have someone on the inside as western Europeans may be taken advantage of!
I used Hotel Slavja which was ok as I knew what to expect and I was there for the adventure. Food was nice but rooms very basic and bathrooms was “ Interesting” to say the least. This season I am using The Snow Patrol lodge ( you fill find them n FB). These guys seem really well organised and are quick to get back to you.
It’s a small resort but with some good piste. The off piste terrain is great and if you have skins you will be able to access a very big area. The CAT skiing operation looks good but quite expensive and agree all prices first!! In the Balkans prices have a tendency to change a little ( but not in your favour)!
There is NO plan B for anything! You are your only plan B so think about that.
Not much on slope facilities and night life will be based around your accommodation as there is not really a hub to the resort.
Its as cheap as chips with lift pass at €15.00 a day and night skiing €5.00. ( obviously you will need the man who sells the lift tickets to turn up, he was a little late on most occasions.)
Its Balkan….but I love it.
PSG
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Cheers gilleski!
It all sounds great - Mrs MA & I love off the beaten track/almost Warren Miller-esque destinations. So far we've managed that sort of feeling in Chile, Poland and, to a lesser extent, Bulgaria (lost on roads with cyrillic road signs.....then 'Istanbul 1500(?)km, being the next English sign we saw). Great fun. We're planning on trying a few more exotic places.
Interestingly, I note that Mike Pow's trip report refers to dirt cheap taxis from the airport to the skiing - which contrasts with the cautionary note (from gilleski) re. needing an insider/local to avoid being ripped off. Car hire seems reasonably priced though - but how are the roads?
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You know it makes sense.
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Things may have changed since I was there (2011) compared with gilleski who was there in 2013.
But snow tyres aside I had no problems either way.
My second trip out there a month later (TR to follow) saw me fly in to Skojpe, hire a car at the airport with SIXT and then drive through Kosovo to Montenegro and back.
Roads were mostly good. Potholes in the cities and larger towns.
Not much traffic, downtown Pristina, Kosovo notwithstanding, and safe.
Stopped by police twice in Kosovo because I was on Macedonia plates driving late at night.
Very friendly. No dramas.
I was solo and it was good value. 2 people sharing the costs would make it very reasonable.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Looks good, and possibly a good place to learn some off piste skills and gain confidence. Cheap as well, very tempting.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Whilst the pitch, the wide open spaces and lack of crowds are great to help you transition from piste to off-piste, there is no avalanche control and no ski patrol (when I was there, may be different now).
So either have the skills and partners, or go with a company that provides guiding and first aid, if needed.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The terrain is great just off the side of the slopes, but as Mike Pow, said there is no avalance control as such. I did see a few piste patrol guys out and about.
If the top chair is closed ( wind etc) you would need skins to access the main off piste area. That said it would be easy skinning. The CAT opperation looks good but you can so a lot of what they do with a €15 a day pass and a set of skins, or a traverse.
I will look to go every season now www.offpistemacedonia.com and www.mountaintracks.co.uk also run courses there.
PSG
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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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FAQ
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