While there is not enough snow in the Swiss Alps and in many of the world's ski resorts this year, the Kaçkar Mountains, in northern Türkiye, have turned into the center of heli-skiing in the country and are filled with sports enthusiasts thanks to the snowboarding and heli-skiing activities that are set to last for 13 weeks.
Heli-skiing is an extreme winter sport in which athletes glide down pristine slopes after being dropped off on remote summits by helicopters. The sport is only supported in a few winter sports centers in the world, including on the plateaus of the Kaçkar Mountains close to Rize at an elevation of about 3,000 meters (9,800 feet).
This sport, which is as exciting as it is dangerous, has been active since 2005 in the Çamlıhemşin district of Rize through the support of the Turkey-Ayder Heliski Aviation and Tourism Company, which operates in partnership between Türkiye and Switzerland.
The Kaçkar Mountains, located in a region where the snow depths often measure over 1 meter (3.28 feet), gained fame due to their proximity to Europe and snow quality.
Esra Alemdaroğlu, director of Rize Culture and Tourism, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the 2023 activities have kick-started after research and examination determined that Kaçkar has the most popular tracks and snow quality. She also said that the center saw 432 applications for heli-skiing last year, while more than 400 applications have been made so far this year.
''We receive applications generally come from Switzerland, other European countries, Russia, Canada and Türkiye. The snow quality on our tracks and the beauty of our valleys come to the fore. Athletes experience both excitement and pleasure in the valleys," she noted.
Stating that the season is progressing smoothly and remarking on observations conducted in the last few years, she noted Kaçkar has now confirmed its place in the world as ''a brand.''
Celal Özkan, operations manager for the heli-skiing project, for his part, said that this organization is very important for Türkiye, noting that the most important factors in choosing Kaçkar are the professional teams working there as well as the beauty of its nature. "We have the incredibly beautiful Kaçkar Mountains. The quality of snow is very good, and the slope of the mountain is ideal for heli-skiing activities,'' he noted.
Emphasizing that the Kaçkar Mountains are one of the best in the world for heli-skiing, they also noted that they started opening reservations for 2024. ''We have determined a date range by planning the season as 14 weeks in 2024. Sales are progressing well,'' said Özkan.
Roland Brunner, who has been working as a pilot and ski guide on the mountains since the launch of the sports program, said that the geography of the region is beautiful and that he is working there with pleasure. While noting there are around 500 ski tracks in the region, Brunner said, ''Conditions for heli-skiing are ideal.''
He explained that since there is no snow in the Alps this year, it is very hard to conduct operations there. Meanwhile, as Türkiye is known more for summer tourism, athletes who come to Kaçkar are really surprised when they discover its potential. "Those who come want to come again. That's why we're extending the season. Many skiers from Canada and the U.S. have started coming here as well. Many come back after they discover the skiing is 'the best skiing ever,'" Brunner said.