Early Ski Season 2025 Starts at Palandöken & Sarıkamış, Türkiye
Fresh Snowfall Triggers Early Ski Season in Eastern Türkiye
Recent snowfall has marked an early start to the ski season at several slopes in Palandöken and Sarıkamış, attracting winter sports enthusiasts eager to hit the slopes as soon as possible.
Palandöken Ski Center: Open and Accessible
At the Palandöken Ski Center in the eastern province of Erzurum, snow depth has reached 41 centimeters, making some pistes already suitable for skiing. Located just 4 kilometers from the city center and 20 kilometers from the airport, the resort is popular with both domestic and international visitors thanks to its easy accessibility.
Families spending the weekend in Palandöken enjoyed sledding with children, while other visitors skied and snowboarded.
“We came to ski and open the season. I’ve been here for two days — it’s very enjoyable and fun. I’ve skied in Erciyes and Uludağ before, but I like it more here.”
— Skier Görken Yıldırım, visiting from Gümüşhane
Visitor Nur Toksöz from İzmir also highlighted the good piste conditions and high-quality services at the resort. Another guest, Utkan Yanar, described the slopes as comfortable, adding that conditions will improve even further with new snowfall.
Visitor Note: Despite the early opening, visitor numbers are already high, especially on the upper slopes.
Muhammet Doğan said he had been eagerly waiting to return to the slopes after a one-year break.
“Palandöken is the best ski resort in the region. The pistes are very good, and artificial snowmaking systems are also in use.”
Sarıkamış Ski Center: Crystal Snow & Pine Forests
Skiing has also begun at the Sarıkamış Ski Center, one of Türkiye’s key winter tourism destinations, following snowfall in the region.
Key Features: Known for its “crystal” snow, pine forests and long pistes, the resort is located at an altitude of 2,634 meters above sea level.
Although the official season opening has not yet been announced, visitors skied, snowboarded and sledded over the weekend on second-stage slopes surrounded by snow-covered pine trees. Ercan Polat, who visited Sarıkamış for the weekend, said lift testing is still ongoing, but skiing conditions are ideal.
“We want to enjoy skiing in this beautiful landscape. The snow is great, the view is stunning — we’re making our first snowboard run of the season.”
— Visitor Ercan Polat
Snowboarder Dürdane Aşık expressed hope for a snowy winter and wished everyone a successful season. Skier Nazenin Aslan Tatar added that visitors were fully enjoying the day:
“Some are sledding. I hope this winter will be wonderful.”
Preparations Continue for Full Season
On Track: Preparations continue at both Palandöken and Sarıkamış, with piste improvements underway as artificial snowmaking systems are gradually activated.
