Powder Skiing / Kyrgyzstan Feb 2014
In February 2014 I went with some friends for back country skiing in Suusamyr / Kyrgyzstan (the below pictures were taken by the group members). Suusamyr is a 100 km long valley some 130 km south-west of Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek. The valley is located at an altitude of approx. 2,200 m and is surrounded by mountains up to 4,000m. Suusamyr, inhabited by only a few hundred people, is a great location for outdoor sports: In winter free riding and back country skiing; in summer paragliding, hiking, kayaking and horseback riding.
There is one hotel in the valley which provides accommodation and full board http://www.suusamyr.kg/index.php/en/ . It has two snow cats which transport you up to an altitude of some 2,700 m from where you can start your ski tour.
While you have the guarantee that you will find many untouched slopes with wonderful powder snow it is necessary that your group has experience enough to assess the avalanche situation and that you carry all necessary rescue equipment with you. In addition be prepared that temperatures may be below minus 25 degrees Celsius.
