Is it worth making the long journey to the resort in the Krasnodar Territory? Maybe if you lower your ambitions, then the small mountains will be enough for skiing practice. The question is controversial and everyone will have their own answer. For residents of Moscow and the region who do not want to miss the ski season, there are several excellent sets within a couple of hours drive from home.
Volen and Stepanovo
The brother resorts, located literally next door, are located 45 km from Moscow along the Dmitrovskoe highway on the slopes of the Klinsko-Dmitrovskaya ridge. There are 16 trails in Volen, the longest of which is 450 meters. They are served by 7 lifts. For those who shy away from alpine skiing and snowboarding, there is an ice skating rink, toboggan run, tubing and cross-country skiing, paintball and horse riding.
“Volen” is popular among skiers with different levels of training, while “Stepanovo” is mainly chosen by professionals. Here are record-breaking tracks for the Moscow region: almost a kilometer long, on one of them the height difference is 110 meters. And in total, “Stepanovo” offers six slopes.
Instructors work in two complexes who will help beginners quickly get on their feet and improve the skills of intermediate ones. Those who decide to ski in “Volena” and “Stepanovo” in one day will have to buy ski passes twice: they are valid only where they were purchased.
Cost: At Volen there is one lift – 30 rubles and 70 rubles on weekdays and weekends, respectively. At Stepanovo – 70 rubles on weekdays, 140–160 rubles on weekends depending on the slope.
Sorochany
One of the best resorts in the Moscow region. Firstly, “Sororchany” has a record number of “black” tracks – four. Secondly, the height difference on the slopes is 90 meters, and the longest slide is 860 meters, which is also very good by the standards of the Moscow region. Thirdly, there are good conditions for beginners: a training slide, plenty of trainers and chair lifts. There are 10 trails in total; 5 lifts take athletes to the top.
An alternative to ski slopes is trips on snowmobiles, ATVs, horses, cheesecakes, even by plane (there is a small air park nearby). You can warm up in a cafe with a panoramic view, drinking tea and watching the efforts of other athletes on the slope.
“Sorochany” is located 49 km from the Moscow Ring Road along Dmitrovskoe Highway, in an ecologically clean area.
Cost: One lift on weekdays – 70 rubles, on weekends – 160 rubles. One pass along a prepared slalom course – 110 rubles.
Yakhroma Park (Ya-park)
Opposite the Volen sports park there is another complex – Yakhroma Park (46 km from the Moscow Ring Road along Dmitrovskoye Shosse),
one of the most inexpensive in the Moscow region. Ya-Park has five ski slopes plus one for training.
Like previous complexes, this one boasts a good ski school and professional instructors. In addition to standard entertainment such as tubing, snowmobiles and a helicopter, Yakhroma has unique facilities. For example, the Toboggan attraction is a rail track similar to a roller coaster, along which special carts move, accelerating due to the weight of passengers. The bath complex and grill house “Troll” are available for rent, which have won the hearts of those who prefer a broom and grilled food to skiing.
Cost: Five lifts on weekdays – 250 rubles and 500 rubles on weekends.
Leonid Tyagachev Ski Club (Shulkovo)
The oldest ski complex in the Moscow region, where members of the Russian national alpine skiing and snowboarding team train, is also located in the Dmitrovsky district. This place is loved by snowboarding fans. The instructor will quickly put you on the board and help you hone your skills in the snowboard park.
Starting this year, you can ski on the training slopes of Shulkovo without an instructor. True, the rules are strict and walking up the slope is strictly prohibited. You will have to pay for the lift anyway.
The ski club has a well-developed infrastructure: there is a hotel, a chalet and several cafes. As a bonus to skiing, you can order a helicopter and hang gliding flight, as well as an outdoor pool and ice skating rink.
Cost: One lift 40–45 rubles on weekdays and 65–90 rubles on weekends.
Chulkovo
Near the village of Chulkovo in the east of the Moscow region there are two ski clubs: named after Guy Severin and “Borovskaya Kurgan”. The first one is in the lead in terms of height difference, and the second one in the number of routes. Holidays in Chulkova complexes will cost less than in Dmitrovsky complexes.
The disadvantages include the lack of chairlifts, long trails, and restaurants. However, from the Chulkovo hills there is a beautiful view of the Moscow River, which compensates for all the inconveniences. There are also several good cafes, tubing, an ice skating rink, and the Guy Severin club even has a snowboard park. Unfortunately, Borovskaya Kurgan did not open for the 2016 season, so now only one of the two clubs is available.
Cost: One lift on weekdays – 30 rubles, on weekends – 60 rubles.
