Ovit Mountain Snowmobile Skiing
Overview
Discover the amazing backcountry terrain by snowmobile 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 snowmobile 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 2 or 3-day all-inclusive package or fully customise your tour to suit your private group's best dates & duration.
Regardless of duration, all tours are fully inclusive of hotel accommodation in the Ovit 2640 Boutique Hotel, all meals, guided snowmobile skiing, full avalanche safety equipment and return oversnow transfer to the Ovit Tunnel. 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!
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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), Rize (RZV)(brand new!), Erzurum (ERZ) and Batumi (BUS)(in Georgia). The new airport at Rize, is a convenient place to access Ovit Mountain, shortening travel times to the area by 20min. Transfers from Trabzon & Rize airports are at an additional cost, but can be organised by Ovit Mountain. The cost per person is dependent on the number of people in the vehicle, and takes 1½ to 1¾hr to get to the Ovit tunnel, where you will be picked up by snowmobile for the final leg to the hotel. Transfers from Erzurum cost a little extra and take 2hr to the Ovit Tunnel. 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 snowmobiles is from the start of February to the end of March.
From the summits immediately above the hote,l 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, and the longer the length of a run and vertical drop. Descents as long as 7km are possible down to 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 snowmobiles, (or a little touring on skis/splitboards) can reach up to 3,450m in good snow conditions.
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 of very spacious 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
Snowmobiles, Safety & Fitness
Oversnow transport and the backcountry skiing is accessed using snowmobiles (& a bit of ski-touring if you are up for it!), with the guest riding either on the backseat for fast journeys up the hill. For larger groups, one guest will sit in front of the driver (who is standing on one side step), whilst another guest will stand on the opposite side step. Both guests have handholds, but it requires some strength.. Two guides accompany each day tour. 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.
Whilst Ovit Mountain can cater for all ski/snowboard abilities, as the region is high alpine backcountry, the snow can be variable and weather can be challenging. Riding the snowmobiles is still physically taxing. To get the most out of the experience, skiers/snowboarders should have strong ability on the snow and be physically fit.
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