Skiing season opens in towering mountains of eastern Anatolia

ALTHOUGH we are still days away from the official start of winter, the mountains in eastern Anatolia have already welcomed the first snow of the season and some parts are even ready to host skiers.

Cıbıltpe Ski Resort in Kars’s Sarıkamış district was one of the first ski resorts in Turkey to kick off the season. Surrounded with scotch pines, Cınbıltepe Ski Resort is home to some of the most popular slopes in Turkey. With 45 centimeters of snow covering the summit already, the locals donned their ski gear and ventured up to the summit to enjoy slopes for the first time this season.

Ski trainer Serkan Taş, not wanting to miss the opportunity to enjoy the summit before it gets too crowded, was one of the first to tackle Cıbıltepe. “The official season hasn’t started yet, but I wanted to take the opportunity to work out my muscles with my son Hamza. More snow is expected in the next few days, but we couldn’t wait any longer,” said Taş.

The Sarıkamış district of Kars is not only famous for its ski resort. The district welcomes nature lovers from all over Turkey and the world throughout the year. Covered with thick forests and surrounded by high hills and mountains, Sarıkamış is a hidden gem for photographers as well as adventure seekers.

Amateur photographer Hasan Cellat said taking photos in Sarıkamış is a privilege. “As amateur photographers, the first light of the morning is the best time to take photos in Sarıkamış,” he explained.

As the nights in Sarıkamış are quite cold, when the sun comes up over the mountains, the frost covers all the trees, offering the best winter scenes for photographers and nature lovers.