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Bansko ski touring 5-day trip, Pirin Mountains
Enjoy great ascents and ski runs on this 5-day ski tour in the Pirin Mountains, near Bansko, along with IFMGA aspirant guide Georgy.
Description
The Pirin Mountains offer incredible ski touring terrain, with peaks exceeding 2900m, rising dramatically out of Bulgaria’s southwest. Join me on this 5-day ski tour in Bansko, climb some great peaks and enjoy wonderful descents!
Bansko is a popular ski resort and town in southwestern Bulgaria. It’s situated at the foot of the beautiful Pirin Mountains. The peaks of this range exceed the 2900 m, with more tan 100 mountains going beyond 2000 m and 12 peaks higher than 2700 m.
We will have the opportunity to get to the top of Mt.Vihren (2915 m), the highest peak in the range. The mountain is a mecca for backcountry skiing and snowboarding, with many different possibilites for incredible ski descents.
During these 5-day ski tour, we will climb peaks like Kvoinati (2635 m), Tcherna Mogila (2682 m), Disilitza Peak (2700 m) and Polejan (2815 m). On our last day, I will guide you to the top of the Vihren Peak (2915 m), the highest mountain in the Pirin range. It has always been a dream descent for many skiers, and you are going to experience it!
You can check the day-by-day itinerary below this text. Please be aware in order to join this ski tour you need a good skiing/snowboarding level (parallel turns). Also, you need a good physical condition, allowing ski touring up to 3-4 hours.
Interested in this 5-day ski tour in Bansko? Request your booking! I will be happy to guide you in the Pirin Mountains.
You can also take a look at other ski touring options I offer in Bulgaria:
Details
More info Necessary Equipment: -Backpack -Skis with touring bindings/splitboard/snowshoes, skins -Avalanche safety set (shovel, probe and beacon) -Insurance -Crampons for skis -Crampons for ski boots, ice axe (depending on the chosen route), harness (available for free) Necessary Skills: -Good skiing/snowboarding level (parallel turns) -Good physical condition allowing ski touring up to 3-4 hours |
Meeting point Bansko |
Photos
Itinerary
Day 1: Vihren Hut-Hvoinati peak (2635m)-Bansko
The Hvoinati peak (2635m) lies between Vihren, the highest peak in Pirin, and Muratov peak. We start from Bunderishka poliana (1650 m) and in 40 min. we reach Vihren hut (1950m). The route continues through the wide river valley, in southeast direction, until the end of the flat part, and then it curves west towards Muratovo lake. With its 2230m, it lays in the foot of Muratov peak. From the lake it takes us 1 hour to reach Hvoinati Peak. The ascent is shorter but steeper, gaining another 400 m of denivelation. According to the snow conditions, we have two different options for a ski descent: between Hvoinati and Vihren peak down to Vihren hut, and the other is in direction down to Muratovo lake and then Vihren hut. After a short rest in the hut we ski all the way down to Bansko.
Day 2: Bunderishka Poliana (1650 m)-Tcherna Mogila (2682 m)-Bansko
Tcherna Mogila (2682m) is situated above the top station of an old lift which has been out of order for many years. We ascend in western direction through the old spruce forest along the old piste parallel to the lift. It takes us between 3,5 and 4 hours to reach the top of Tcherna Mogila. The altitude we have to gain is 1000 m from our starting point – Bunderishka poliana (1650m). According to the snow conditions we have two different lines of descent: the north side through a wide couloir and then through the forest until Bansko, and the east side through the line of ascent. Both of them end at the bottom station of the gondola in Bansko.
Day 5: Disilitza Peak (2700 m)
Disilitza peak (2700m) is situated in another part of the Pirin mountains, above Dobrinishte village, which is 4 km away from Bansko. Our starting point is the top station of the chairlift (2240m). We need 2 hours to reach the top of Disilitza Peak (2700 m) and 500m to climb up. The gently descent leads us to the bottom station of the chairlift. In case of lack of snow in the lower parts we might need to skin up 30 min. back to the ski area and ski down the resorts pistes.
Day 4: Bezbog Lake-Polejan Peak (2851 m)-Damianitza Hut
Our starting point is again the top station of the Dobrinishte chair lift. We cross the Bezbog lake and head towards Bezbog peak. We traverse before the peak and in an hour we reach Polejan Peak (2851 m). The total time of skinning up is about 2 to 2,5 hours.
We descend between several other peaks and down to Damianitza valley and hut. We follow the river down and ski down to Bansko village.
Day 5: Vihren Hut-Vihren Peak (2914 m)
Vihren peak (2914m) is the highest peak in the Pirin range and it has always been a dream descent for many skiers. Our starting point is Bunderishka poliana (1650m) and in a less than an hour we reach Vihren hut. Our route up continues in direction to Muratovo lake and Hvoinati peak. After following the ridge and another hour of climbing up, we reach the top of the Vihren Peak. We need about 4 hours of skinning up in total and gaining more than 1000m of denivelation. The ski descent is all the way down to Bansko village.
About the guide
I am an IFMGA Guide and have been working as an independent guide since 1994. I guide trekking groups worldwide: Alps, Himalayas, Carpathians, the mountains of Turkey, Greece and Macedonia and others. I did numerous ascents in the Alps and peaks over 4000 m. (over 30 ascents of Mont Blanc, peaks of the Monte Rosa range, Gran Paradiso, Grandes Jorasses, Mаtterhorn, Bar, Dome Des Ecrins etc), Caucasus, Pamir and others.
I was the leader of ski expeditions to Mera Peak, Saribung, Larkye Peak /first ski descent/alpine expeditions to Ama Dablam, Island Peak (Nepal), ski groups to India, the Austrian, French and Italian Alps, Turkey, Macedonia, Greece.
I have been guiding trekking, climbing and ski touring groups in Bulgaria and abroad for Club Aventure, ZigZag, Atalant, TopSki (France), Exodus (UK), SNP (The Netherlands), Lapoint and others. I did first ascents in the Bulgarian and Turkish mountains, numerous first ski descents. I participated in numerous Bulgarian first ascents worldwide. I'm an instructor at Maljovitza Mountain School and “Mountains and People” Association. I was the technical director of the “Shared Peaks” project in 2007 and 2009.
What people are saying about Georgy Georgiev
Alguzs
5.00
February 2018
Dan Patitucci
5.00
March 2017
Our trip with Georgy in Bulgaria\'s Pirin Mountains went perfectly. Georgy is a great guide, clearly knows the region extraordinarily well, and did everything to make this trip fun, comfortable, safe and memorable for our group of four. Plus, he\'s fun to spend time with. I can\'t speak highly enough for him and absolutely recommend him for any guiding needs.
Chris
5.00
April 2016
We organised in advance a very bespoke ski touring itinerary with Georgy in Bulgaria. He was flexible and able to accommodate our precise itinerary whilst also recommending if it was feasible, what the snow conditions were like and what grade of touring/mountaineering/skiing was possible. He was also able to arrange all logistics and accommodation where necessary. He was actually busy for the dates that we wanted but introduced us to Hristo who we We ski toured for 5 days hut-to-hut in both the Rila and Pirin mountain ranges, both equally rewarding and stunning. Hristo, our guide, was excellent, personable and above all showed us a great time in the mountains - challenging us on the uphill and downhill and keeping us aware of and safe in the terrain. It was a fascinating trip which opened my eyes to foreign cultures and new mountain ranges. See Bulgaria, you won\'t be disappointed.
Prices per person
Group of 1 | EUR 511 each |
Group of 2 | EUR 256 each |
Group of 3 | EUR 171 each |
Group of 4 | EUR 145 each |
Group of 5 | EUR 129 each |
Group of 6 | EUR 119 each |
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Price includes
- Guiding fee
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I am delighted with the ski trip to the Pirin Mountains. These are the most beautiful and unusual places with beautiful nature. I booked a trip to Georgiy Georgiev, but for some reason my guide was not he, but Milena Padalska. However, I do not regret it at all. Milena is a very experienced smart and attentive guide. She organized the trip perfectly and helped me to choose the equipment. She very sensibly corrected the routes, in accordance with the weather and my technical and physical abilities. Despite the not quite favorable weather, we did not miss a single day of trekking. And Milena is very contact and interesting person and an charming woman.