[Tekst na srpskom] Kopaonik, the largest massif in Serbia, which stretches from northwest to southeast at a length of 75km and which has a width of 40km in its middle region, is home to the largest ski centre in Serbia – one of the most beautiful in this part of the region (Balkan). The Kopaonik Ski Resort, located in the Kopaonik National Park, has over 60km of tracks for alpine skiing and 12 for Nordic, for all categories of skiers. A system of cable cars and ski lifts connects all tracks, which span the altitudes between 1,100 and 2,017m. Three six-seat, seven four-seat and two two-seat cable cars, ten ski lifts, two chairlifts, and a ski lift for beginners can serve more than 30,000 skiers per hour. A system for artificial snowing, with 315 launchers and guns, covers around 95% of tracks which allows the skiing season to last longer, often until the month of May. In 2017 the Kopaonik Ski Resort received a homologation from the International Ski Federation (FIS) for three tracks, which confirms that these tracks conform to the FIS standards. This will allow the organising of international competitions in alpine skiing and snowboarding.
Skiers of exceptional ability gladly come to Kopaonik because of the good snow, challenging tracks such as Crna duboka, Gvozdac and others, beautiful surroundings, as well as constant modernisation efforts. For the night skiing aficionados two tracks with lighting are available – Karaman greben and Malo Jezero. For the youngest skiers and adult beginners, a number of ski schools and kindergartens are available. During the entire year, the enthusiasts of panoramic sightseeing have at their disposal the four-seat cable car Pančićev vrh. The Snow park is the site of numerous competitions of domestic and international character, while from the 2017/18 season Gobelja ridge sports a free riding track.
The government investments into the modernisation of the Kopaonik Ski Centre, in accordance with the European standards, is an excellent example of how it is possible in Serbia to invest into self-sustaining resources, instead of selling them to foreigners. The guests who visit Kopaonik every year can take notice of the modernisation of the technical conditions and services provided in the ski resort. Ten new installations and 12 new ski tracks have been constructed, while some have also been expanded. The existing water accumulation systems for the artificial snowing of the tracks have been adapted and their capacity has been increased. Track signalisation and marking on Kopaonik is better than in a large number of European ski centres. For the purpose of increasing the safety of skiers and snowboarders, protective fences, nets and sponge cushions have been erected on the most critical and dangerous spots. Routes for motor skies have particularly been dealt with.
Buying a ski pass – which is expensive when compared to the prices in other international ski centres (author’s note) – skiers are provided with the services of the Mountain Rescue Service (GSS) and health insurance, particularly for the more difficult injuries which can be treated in the Clinical Centre of Serbia (KBC). In such situations Serbian Ministry of the Interior provides helicopter transportation to the injured skiers, which is quite praiseworthy.
What particularly makes me glad, and I have to stress that I have been coming to Kopaonik since 1972, when there was only one, military, single-seat cable car (at that time the cable car was not at the guests’ disposal between the hours of 12 and 15 no matter how fine the weather was), is the noticeable improvement in the behaviour, treatment and manners exhibited by the ski resort employees. What was once unimaginable is now a reality. Snow is cleaned from the seats prior to the skiers’ take-off, they are turned upside down if they are to remain unoccupied, the employees are incomparably more pleasant and always ready to assist the skiers and other guests. It seems that sending the employees to be trained in foreign ski centres was worthwhile. This has also had a positive effect on the work of the new snow groomers and the construction and decoration of tracks. There are many more things that can be improved, but the general impression is that the Kopaonik Ski Resort is today in the same rank as some famous European ski centres – from the aspect of organisation and available technical equipment. Natural characteristics – the altitude, track length, altitude differences – are all recommending. At the end of March 2018 Kopaonik was besieged by guests: skiers, participants in the 14th European Festival of Recreational Activities from 22 countries (over 2.000 competitors), participants of various gatherings, councils, scientific conferences, tourists. It is worth mentioning that all the while the tracks never seemed overcrowded.
Sources: Kopaonik (ur) Dragana Miljanović, Beograd: Službeni glasnik; Kopaonik, Ilustrovane novine, no. 5. January 2018, pp.10-11; https://kopaonik.travel/kopaonik/o-kopaoniku-0; https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopaonik
The photographs were made at the end of March 2018 during a ski vacation (iPhone 5).
