The Slovenia Times

Slovenia's highest ski resort offering off-trail, heli-skiing

Sport

Bovec - Kanin, Slovenia's highest-altitude ski resort, will this year expand its services by offering off-trail skiing with a mountain guide and heli-skiing. Next year, the ski resort is to see a EUR 50 million renovation, which will include replacing the old ski lift system with a new one.

The new skiing season in Kanin starts this Saturday and the two main new attractions this year will be off-trail skiing with a guide, which will be available only in good weather conditions, and heli-skiing.

According to the head of the Bovec Alpine School, Robert Rot, Kanin is a very interesting location for off-trail skiing but because of the many pits near the ski slopes it is best to hire a guide.

In cooperation with the association of Slovenian mountain guides, the school also offers workshops and lessons on off-trail skiing and protection against avalanches.

Those in for an even more adventurous experience will be able to take a helicopter ride from the Bovec or Lesce airports offered by company Flycom Aviation to Mt Kanin or any other remote location they want to start skiing from.

The head of the ski resort, Manuela Božič Badalič, believes the future of Kanin is the planned renovation, worth EUR 50 million, which will include the replacing of its 50-year-old ski lift system.

Because of its age, the current system is sensitive to wind and entails high maintenance costs.

Financial planning is currently under way and the preparations for the renovation are expected by the end of the year, said Danijel Krivec, an MP for the senior coalition Democrats (SDS).

A public call for applications is expected to be published after New Year's, with the project also including the setting up of an anti-avalanche and snow-making systems, and a new restaurant.

Construction work is to start next year and conclude by the end of 2023.

As the old ski lift system is to be replaced, the ski resort will probably be closed for one summer season, but all efforts will be invested into not losing a winter season, Krivec said.

He was not specific about the sources of financing, noting that the money would be drawn from different sources, including EU funds.

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