Sochi Olympic Park and Rosa Khutor Skiing Resort

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January 18

The visit to Russian Olympic Rosa Khutor Skiing Resort was a substitute for my two Alps plans. It was due to, on the one hand, to the dropping ruble, and on the other hand due to lack of work so I didn’t manage to earn enough money. I studied the official website of Rosa and found it to be quite a high-quality place for skiing. I invited my friend Alexei for a week trip there. The currency exchange rate was absolutely not important in case of Rosa – I paid just exactly what it cost, while almost any European trip has become twice as expensive.

On January 18 I got up at 5 o’clock in the morning. My departure from St. Petersburg to Sochi by Aeroflot Airlines was at 8-45. I saw the huge spacious new airport built not very long ago.

It was +8 degrees C in Sochi, sunny, and I felt quite amazed and had a nostalgic feeling as the plane gradually approached the runway and passed the sea and the city buildings on its shore. I had last visited Sochi on November 1, 2009, more than five years ago. I saw changes everywhere, while some places remained unchanged. The airport building already existed in 2009 but was not in use. A new railway station has been built. Many roads and other structures have been built. I was quite happy to be in Sochi again.

Alexei would arrive in two hours, so I had the time to catch a bus to Adler (a district of Sochi) and check in at the mini-hotel Déjà vu (sort of a comfortable modern guest-house where I’ve stayed on my two previous visits), and then returned to the airport to meet Alexei. The weather was excellent, without any snow anywhere. I’d surely find snow in the mountains!

With Alexei we went first to see the newly built Adler Train Station, then took a bus to the Olympic Park. It occupies a vast territory, features many absolutely new buildings, and it took us more almost two hours to walk across it. You might ask why I didn’t visit Sochi during the Olympic Games in 2014, but somehow I and my wife didn’t discuss it, while saving up the money for property acquisition. I am quite disappointed that we didn’t go to the Olympics. We also saw the Formula 1 race course and speed cars driving there. It also included an amusement park. Many people were biking, roller skating, and roller skiing. We saw the Olympic Flame (it wasn’t burning unfortunately) and the dismantling of a stadium roof, in preparation for the Mundial 2018.

I wanted to reach the sea but it turned out to be far away, so we started going back to the bus station, returned to the hotel and had supper.

January 19

We got up at 8 and took bus to Rosa Khutor. It cost 200 Roubles only – I think almost nowhere in the world you will get from a city to a skiing resort so cheaply. If you go to Rosa Khutor directly from the airport, it costs about 150 roubles (less than 3 USD actually). I asked the driver for hotel directions, but he didn’t know the address. However, I understood that we should get off at Gornaya Karusel aka Gorki Gorod – a new skiing resort also built for the Olympics. It has a smaller skiing area than Rosa Khutor.

We needed the Piramida Hotel. We went in the right direction, but then were at a loss. Finally I saw the signpost showing ‘Esto Sadok’ – the beginning of the settlement, and, remembering the map, I figured out where our hotel was. We checked in and went at once to the skiing resort itself. We took a bus from Gorki Gorod and soon were at the heart of Rosa Khutor, Mzymta Square, where I got my pre-ordered skipass and Alexei bought himself one also. It costs 8300 rubles for 5consequtive days. Then we found a ski rental, just a couple of steps from the ski lift entrance, and I signed a rental agreement for two ski sets, leaving my passport as security. The rental guy selected good and comfortable skis for us, he seemed a true and devoted professional.

In a couple of minutes the cabin lift was taking us to Rosa Plateau located at 1170 meters. The views were astounding and we started skiing on the beginner’s slope, feeling very excited. It is an Olympic Resort and it is there for us. For me. But for the warm weather, it could have many more miles of slopes. I hope they prepare new slopes and build new lifts there.

Skiing was easy nevertheless I felt I needed much practice on this green slope before I could start a blue one. We soon went to a blue piste and I fell at its very beginning, but then I skied without any occurrences. As I practiced, I became better and better, and surer of myself.

January 20

On this day we as usual started with the green slope and then went to the blue one. We also went to the very top, Rosa Peak (2320 m), where the panoramic views were astounding and many pistes originated. There was an unexpected steep section, rather short, at the blue slope called Horizon. I managed to descend it stepwise, and then skied right forward, and found myself several meters high on the unprepared slope, though already ploughed by the many skis of freeriders. I also descended it stepwise carefully and then managed to ski more confidently.

There were many turns and finally they made me tired and exhausted. I even took off my skis and descended a couple of turns on foot. Then I skied to the finish, making short stops for rest before negotiating turns. I saw two artificial lakes looking quite impressive on the background of mountains.

January 21

A couple of green descents, then two blue pistes. The long green run with continuation on the blue piste.

No descents from the peak this time, Alexei skied from the peak several times. Taking a short portion of a red piste – turns out not so difficult given the accumulating experience. Tea for 70-80 roubles, no food – only supper at the hotel in the evenings. Finished the day as usual on the green slope for rest.

January 22

Again returned to the peak, this time the Triton descent. Easier than Horizon and with many turns, can be continued to the long green piste, from where the final run along the blue piste. You can switch pistes in many places as they intercross – from a red one you can get to black, then to blue, again to black or blue as you think fit.

January 23

The final day of skiing for me because I’ve run out of funds. Green, then blue, then went to the Peak and descended Triton, then Horizon – it was much easier this time. The sun was shining brightly and there were much more people. We returned the skis, paid for them and returned to the hotel.

January 24

Day of rest – we walked to Rosa Khutor and had a bite at McDonalds. I was translating during the whole day.

January 25

Alexei goes skiing for half a day (I decided not to borrow money from him). In the evening, we went to the airport and spent the night there because of early departure. I managed to sleep for a couple of hours on the long bench. Check in at 6-35. Returned to St. Petersburg dreaming of Alps or other skiing areas, anywhere.

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