One of Europe’s cheapest ski destinations has turned to mud

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Visitors to Bosnia’s Mount Bjelasnica lugged skis by way of mud to attain ski-lifts this week as spring-like climate following the planet’s hottest January spoilt their traditional winter exercise.

“I was caught by surprise when I saw this mud, it’s different from the last year,” mentioned Aida Dedic, a skier who had travelled to Bjelasnica from the Netherlands. “It’s probably because of these climate changes.”

Bjelasnica is thought for being one of Europe’s cheapest ski destinations.

Other European ski destinations, equivalent to Italy, have additionally seen complete mountains snowless and ski centres deserted as rising temperatures threaten the snowboarding business worldwide.

After a heat December, skiers on the mountains surrounding the Bosnian capital Sarajevo loved just a few weeks of colder climate and a few snow. But in February got here the soften.

“There is no snow, unfortunately,” mentioned Denis from Croatia. “We have made reservations earlier but did not want to give up because the children were looking forward to this.”

Sarajevo, which hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 1984, has been celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the video games this month. But the Women’s Ski Super G European Cup, which ought to have been held final week on the two,067-metre Mount Bjelasnica, was canceled due to lack of snow.

Even because the cannons that pump the pistes with synthetic snow lay idle on a current sunny day, devoted skiers ploughed on by way of melting snow, surrounded by mud.

“We came here last year and the season was a hundred times better,” mentioned Armin Dedic from the Netherlands. “It’s much warmer now … it’s much less snow but still we can ski, it’s just a different quality.”

Last month a well-liked ski resort in central Italy remained empty, with companies and residents blaming local weather change for spring-like temperatures which have left complete mountains snowless.

Ski-lifts are switched off and snow cannon lie deserted on the grass of Mount Terminillo, which soars 2,217 metres (7,274 toes) excessive within the Apennines and is often a favorite destination of skiers from Rome.

This 12 months the outlets and bars are practically all closed, with nobody coming to hire gear or purchase a sizzling drink on the way in which to the slopes.

“A crucial detail is missing for a ski facility: snow,” complained Vincenzo Regnini, president of the corporate that runs the native transport and ski-lift services.