Warm weather and lack of snow disrupt ski season in Montenegro

The unusually warm and rainy weather has practically ended the main winter season at the state ski resorts on Bjelasica and Durmitor, causing millions in losses and once again highlighting the importance of artificial snowmaking for ski centers, according to Vijesti.

At the state ski resort Kolašin 1600, for the past ten days, visitors have only been offered panoramic cable car rides and restaurant services, as there is no snow on the slopes.

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Similarly, the Durmitor ski resort Savin Kuk had snow on part of the slopes under the eponymous peak, allowing skiing on Saturday, but the situation remains limited.

Since the start of the winter tourist season on December 21, 2024, Kolašin 1600 has only had 15 skiing days. After the rain, a wave of cancellations followed, especially in private accommodation, and ski resorts experienced low visitor numbers.

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In Kolašin and Žabljak, the situation now mirrors the 2023/2024 tourist season, which saw an unprecedented snow shortage, leading to millions of euros in losses and no skiing days.

At the start of the tourist winter, things looked more promising, with hopes of compensating for last year’s losses. In early January, there were 1,250 skiers daily at Kolašin 1600, and Savin Kuk’s slopes were so full that vehicles could not access the area after 11 a.m.

Unfortunately, the festive atmosphere only lasted until mid-January, when strong southern winds disrupted plans.

Now, the management of Kolašin 1600 echoes last year’s concerns, with manager Bojan Medenica stating that “it’s clear we cannot enter the next season without artificial snowmaking.”

“The slopes served by the K8 cable car were operational for only 15 days. The beginner’s conveyor belt operated for 31 days. Now we are closed due to lack of snow. With this number of ski days, I am, of course, not satisfied. Since January 22, the slopes served by the K8 cable car have not been in operation, and the guests can only enjoy the panoramic ride. It is absolutely essential that we all contribute so that the next season does not start the same way. There is no future for the ski center without artificial snowmaking,” Medenica added.

The importance of artificial snowmaking in the face of global warming can be clearly seen by comparing nearby ski resorts like Jahorina and Kopaonik, where skiing is still possible despite the warm weather and lack of natural snow.

The end of the school break and continued rain have emptied private accommodations in Kolašin. According to Zorica Milašinović, the director of the local Tourist Organization (TO), the focus has now shifted to excursion tourism.

She explained that accommodation was fully booked during the school break, but the rain and lack of snow led to a surge of cancellations in private rentals.

There are still weekend visitors, mostly from Montenegro, who stay in Kolašin briefly.

“Longer stays are not possible to talk about now. There is a certain number of tourists from Albania who stay for a few days, regardless of the snow situation. But it’s far from what we expected this season,” Milašinović noted.

She added that without snow, much of the effort to enrich the offerings outside of accommodation is futile. According to her, events cannot replace snow.

Her words were confirmed by private accommodation owners. They no longer talk about expectations, but they emphasize that the authorities must find a solution for the next tourist winter. And the solution, they agree, is artificial snow.