The Big Woodyavr resort is located on Mount Kukisvumchorr, part of the Khibiny Mountains, near the city of Kirovsk, 1100 miles to the north of Moscow. It is one of Russia’s northernmost ski resorts.
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Mikhail Mordasov
The Big Woodyavr resort is located on Mount Kukisvumchorr, part of the Khibiny Mountains, near the city of Kirovsk, 1100 miles to the north of Moscow. It is one of Russia's northernmost ski resorts.
Mikhail Mordasov
The trails here begin 1060 meters above the ground. The ski season opens in December, the heart of the winter which lasts 9 months.
Mikhail Mordasov
During the New Year holidays, the Khibins were crowded despite the harsh weather conditions. The temperature fell to -30 degrees Celsius (-22 F) and a snow storm hit the mountain with wind gusts of up to 25-30 meters per second. Holidaymakers were nevertheless able to share their impressions about their time at the resort.
Mikhail Mordasov
Anastasia Smirnova, Saint Petersburg. "There aren't many ski trails in Saint Petersburg and it's very expensive to ski there. Kirovsk is the most budget-friendly option for active winter holidays available at the moment."
Mikhail Mordasov
Anton, Saint Petersburg. "We don't have such tall mountains in Saint Petersburg. A lot of people talk about the Khibny Mountains. My friends and I are here for the first time. I liked the long trail. I'm a beginner and it's a lot easier to start out here."
Mikhail Mordasov
Irina, Veliky Novgorod. "This is my first time skiing. I came up north to visit my relatives for the New Year holidays. There are a lot of winter recreations here: skating, sledding, cross-country skiing. We decided to go mountain skiing. The conditions weren't very good for beginners. It was 30 below zero and snowing hard. But I still enjoyed everything. I got a lot of adrenaline, hit some high speeds, and had some good physical exercise."
Mikhail Mordasov
Aleksey Borisov, Saint Petersburg. "This is my first time in the Khibins. I came with some friends. It's really cold, but that makes for better skiing and faster powder."
Mikhail Mordasov
Natalya Ostasheva, Saint Petersburg. "This is our first time in Kirovsk. They've got great ski lifts and fascinating trails. I like the nature, the weather, and the service."
Mikhail Mordasov
Ekaterina Litina, Murmansk. "I used to go cross-country skiing, but never got the chance to try my hand at mountain skiing or snowboarding. When I moved to Saint Petersburg, I started skiing. This is my first time skiing in Kirovsk. They have tall mountains, cool trails, and it's more or less close to Saint Petersburg."
Mikhail Mordasov
Andrey Korobov and family, Moscow. "I've been skiing in the Khibny Mountains for about ten years. It's always been during the New Year, with the exception of last year. I come here for the weather: the dark skies, blizzards. You almost can't see anything. I don't wear a ski mask when I got skiing. That's how I get a huge flow of adrenaline. I'll come back for the May holidays to close the season. I've skied on Elbrus, Cheget, Dombay, the Himalayans, Austria, and Sochi."
Mikhail Mordasov
Dmitry Kuleshov, Saint Petersburg. "The Khibny Mountains are the closest ones to Saint Petersburg and I like them a lot more than the mountains there. What they consider to be a beginner trail here is the longest slope in Saint Petersburg."
