Ski season in Turkish provinces continues despite warming of weather

ISTANBUL

Ski resorts in provinces across Turkey continue to attract domestic and foreign visitors despite the arrival of spring and the gradual warming of the weather.

The extension of the ski season until the end of April was welcomed at the Yedikuyular Ski Center in the eastern province of Kahramanmaraş, a destination for ski lovers with its proximity to Turkey’s Mediterranean and southeastern regions.

The center, where the ski season ended in mid-March due to insufficient snowfall and high temperatures in the past years, welcomes visitors in April this year.

The snow depth of 100 centimeters was measured at Yedikuyular Ski Center, located 13 kilometers from the city center and at an altitude of 2,300 meters, thanks to the heavy snowfall in the last days of March.

The center is one of the most important ski resorts in the region with its slope, height and different tracks and a candidate to be the new haunt of local and foreign tourists.

The facility, which hosts many ski lovers from neighboring provinces, fascinates its visitors with its seven-kilometer track, natural beauties and different activities.

Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, the center’s manager, Mustafa Orak, said that the facility is an attraction area for the people of the region with its easy transportation and various recreation activities.

“Our ski center has also benefited from the snowfall throughout the country, especially last week. This will allow us to continue the season for about 15-20 days,” Orak said.

Explaining that the facility drew top reviews from its visitors with the length of the tracks and the quality of snow, Orak stated that they serve the visitors within the framework of COVID-19 measures.

“We receive visitors from all of Kahramanmaraş’s neighboring provinces. When we consider the situation of the surrounding provinces, Yedikuyular Ski Center is expected to appeal to approximately 20 million people,” Orak added.

Meanwhile, winter sports activities continue in other leading ski centers of the country because the depth of snow is still suitable for skiing.

The highest figure of 198 centimeters was measured at Kartalkaya Ski Center in the northwestern Bolu province.

This was followed by 140 centimeters at the Hakkâri Ski Center and 122 centimeters at Palandöken Ski Center.

Snow depth in Uludağ in the northwestern Bursa province, one of the world’s top winter tourism spots, was recorded at 130 centimeters.

Snow remains deep enough to allow for skiing four months of the year at Uludağ, which hosts 17 hotels with a bed capacity of more than 6,000.