• ABOUT THE SPOT

Skiing in Gornaya Karousel (Mountain Carousel), Sochi, Kray of Krasnodar Russia

Base elevation:
178 ft/540 m
Top elevation:
7533 ft/2.296 m
Vertical drop:
5761 ft/1.756 m
Lifts:
5
Longest run:
22965 ft/7000 m
Sochi is a city situated in the federal subject of Krasnodar Kray, Russia. Its exact location is near the border between Russia and Georgia, on the Black Sea coast. Sochi is known to the entire world, as the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics are about to take place here.

Gornaya Karousel is a world class Olympic facility placed in Sochi, covering all Olympic specifications, something that makes it perfect for alpine skiing. A unique feature of the Mountain Carousel is the alpine zone, where the snow does not melt until the mid summer.

The resort is situated on the northern slope of the Aibga mountain range and offers three lifts, gondola style that take you to 2200 m/7217 ft height.

Recently 2 more chairlifts have been added, so you can get to the base of Chernaya Piramida summit, which lies at a height of 2296 m/7533 ft. The area covers 12 km/7.8 mi of terrain with 8 tracks in total for all levels, from novices to experts.

More privileged skiers are the advanced, as they have 3 tracks, intermediate skiers and experts have each 2 tracks and novices 1 track. The 7 tracks are feasible by all levels of skiers, but the 8th track, the expert one, is a “Black” track, the only one yet in Krasnaya Polyana.

If you prefer tricks and jumps, you will have a blast in the freeride area of the resort. Amenities of the facility include cafes in two levels, rentals, repair shop and qualified instructors to help you through your first ski steps.

It is an excellent alpine skiing destination, placing you in the heart of the Sochi Winter Olympics.