Türkiye’s important winter tourism destination, Palandöken Ski Resort, has completed its season preparations.
At Palandöken, where skiing is possible on 55 slopes ranging from 1 to 14 kilometers in length, the ski season is planned to open in November, one month earlier than usual, due to the drop in temperatures.
Teams from Ejder3200 AŞ, a subsidiary of Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality, carried out maintenance and repair work in various areas during the summer, including facilities, chairlifts, gondolas, cable cars, slopes, artificial snowmaking systems, and slope safety.
Teams that have completed all preparations at the ski resort are waiting for temperatures to drop to minus 5 degrees Celsius to start the season.
With nearly 3 million turnstile passes last season, the ski resort is expected to attract even more ski enthusiasts this year, especially after being declared the “2025 Tourism Capital” by the city’s Economic Cooperation Organization and being selected as the “European Capital of Winter Sports.”
Zafer Aynalı, the Secretary General of Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality, told an AA reporter that snowfall has begun in the region and that artificial snowmaking equipment has also been activated.
He stated that slope work has commenced with the drop in temperatures, saying, “We hope to maintain our status as the earliest opening ski resort this year as well. We have been storing snow on our valley slopes since last season. Towards the end of November, we will spread this stored snow as a base on the slopes. We will then cover it with the artificial snow we produce, allowing us to open the season as the earliest ski resort. Our plan this year is to open the season at the end of November.”
Aynalı mentioned that many events will be organized this season due to the city’s designation as the “2025 Tourism Capital” and its selection as the “European Capital of Winter Sports.”
Highlighting that Palandöken is one of the safest ski resorts in the world, Aynalı noted, “Our ski resort is just a 5-minute distance from the city, making it very important in terms of safety. Additionally, we are a ski resort that takes avalanche precautions to the highest level. We activate our systems every morning on all slopes at risk of avalanches to mitigate the danger. Thankfully, we have not experienced any problems for years, and we strive to continue this.”