Ovit Mountain Cat Skiing
Overview
Discover one of the world's newest cat ski operations at Ovit Mountain in northeast Turkey. From your boutique hotel base at 2,640m (8,660ft) altitude, explore 30,000 acres of untouched snow by snowcat in your private ski area. Led by professional local guides, ski descents of over 1,200m vertical from summits as high as 3,450m. Choose a 1, 4 or 7-day all-inclusive package or fully customise your cat-ski tour to suit your best dates & duration.
Regardless of duration, all tours are fully inclusive of hotel accommodation in the Ovit 2640 Boutique Hotel, all meals, guided cat skiing, full avalanche safety equipment and return transfer to Trabzon airport. All you need to bring is your ski or snowboard gear and your sense of adventure. The number of runs completed in a day is 'unlimited'. That said, it is only limited by daylight and the group's capacity & willingness to continue!
Where is Ovit Mountain?
Ovit Mountain is located in a high pass in the Kaçkar mountains of northeast Turkey. The hotel is on the old Silk Road from Iran to Trabzon harbour, which is on the Black Sea coast, 123km by road to the north of Ovit Mountain. The closest major airports are at Trabzon (TZX) , Erzurum (ERZ) and Batumi (BUS)(in Georgia). A new airport is being constructed at Rize, and once completed will make a convenient place to access Ovit Mountain, shortening travel times to the area by 20min. Transfers from Trabzon airport are included in the price, and take 1¾hr to get to the hotel. Transfers from Erzurum cost a little extra and take 2hr to the hotel. Transfers from Batumi in Georgia take over 3hr and the price is available on request
Snow & Terrain
The ski & snowboard terrain at Ovit Backcountry consists of a range of peaks rising up to between 3,200 & 3,450 metres altitude. The mountain snowpack is heavily influenced by abundant moisture from the storms across the Black Sea to the north. Reliable snow fall ensures a season runs from the start of December through to the end of March. Operation of the snowcats into April is dependent on the quality of snow available and is judged later in the season.
From the summits immediately above the hotel runs of around 800m vertical & 4km length are possible. Pitch can be as steep or mellow as the group wants. The further one ventures from the hotel, the more the possibilities expand. Average length of a run and average vertical drop. Descents as long as 7km are possible down the entrance of the Ovit Tunnel. Most terrain is above the tree line. Tree-skiing is possible on the longer descents and in very good snow conditions.
Ovit Backcountry ran its first season using snowmobiles to shuttle guests up the mountains. These are still available and can get skiers higher than the snowcat. Snowcat maximum elevation in the region is about 3.200m, whilst a snowmobile, or a little touring on skis/splitboards can reach up to 3,450m. To attain the best summits, final approaches may be made by snowmobile or touring equipment.
Itinerary
Once you have arrived at the hotel, each day will be a new adventure. Your guide will choose the day's location based on the group’s ability, snow & weather conditions, avalanche risk and of course ........ the group's wishes! You can choose to do other activities such as ski-touring or snowmobiling as well. To get a sense of the program see the Itinerary tab.
Lodgings & Food
Accommodation on the tour is at the delightful Ovit 2640 Boutique Hotel. A range single, double, twin, and triple rooms & suites are available, all with en-suite bathrooms. Food is freshly prepared by the hotels' chef and can be local cuisine or your familiar favourites as you wish. A full bar is available for guests (drinks at bar prices) and the hotel lounges are perfectly placed to enjoy magnificent alpine sunrises and sunsets from the comfort of a sofa. For detailed information & photos on accommodation & food, see the Lodging tab
Snowcats & Safety
Ovit Backcountry will operate brand new Prinoth Husky snowcats with super-comfy, well-ventilated cabin. Guests will enjoy the floor to ceiling windows in the snowcat cabin, a far cry from older style snowcats! Two guides accompany each cat ski tour day. The guides will be one skier & one split-boarder. Maximum guide/guest ratio is 2:10.
Your safety is the first priority at Ovit Mountain. Each guest will be outfitted with the latest avalanche safety equipment (including an avalanche airbag backpack) and be instructed in its proper wear and use. The guides focus on safety every step of the way throughout the day on the mountain.
