Bucovina offers optimum conditions for these winter sports. Areas like: Vatra Dornei, Carlibaba, Campulung Moldovenesc, Gura Humorului, Malini and Sucevita have potential for the development of skiing field, as well for other winter sports. Today, Vatra Dornei concentrates the greatest density of tourists for winter sports. The resort has 2 certified skiing paths, of 800 and 3000 m long, with one chair lift, a ski lift and a baby ski, but also 2 cross-country skiing paths.
Cross-country skiing
It is available on the road that connects the village Gura Haitii to the Old Mining enclosure, but only under certain conditions, depending on the snow thickness, and weather the snow has been removed from the road or not.
Ski touring
Ski touring combines the “technical” pleasures of ski-descending and the freedom of the cross-country skiing. Proper equipment is necessary for ski touring: special bends for ski touring, special boots, “seal skins” for climbing the skis, crampons, the shovel and avalanche transceiver. The ski touring being enough tiring, the skier must be in a physical good shape. Stress is maxim; the descents are made on wild paths, requiring very good knowledge about ski-descending. Because a lap can take place on a horizontal or ascending itinerary, the participants must be physically very well trained.
The main itineraries on the ridge of Giumalau, Calimani, Suhard si Bistritei Mountains offer special possibilities for ski touring. There is also the possibility to run through the classical summer and winter lay-outs.
Most of the touring itineraries in Calimani are difficultly explored during winter because the chill and the snow layer have very high values. Ski touring can be practiced here, but only by rangers, mountain rescuers or other experienced persons, which are well trained and have good physical condition. Skiing on certain places in Calimani on winter time can be done only accompanied by a guide or ranger of the park, who knows very well the areas to visit, the necessary equipments being brought by the participants. Generally, all ridge paths that have different difficulty levels are good for this type of skiing.
Ski paths:
VATRA DORNEI RESORT
- Park 1 Path: 900m long, 150m level difference, 28,5% slope, 85cm snow cover thickness, medium difficulty level, it has a baby ski and 2 ski lifts;
- Park 2 Path: 550m long, 50m level difference, 85cm snow layer, low difficulty level, ski lift services;
- Dealu Negru path: 3000m long, 400m level difference, 80cm snow cover thickness, medium difficulty level; it has a chair lift;
- Veverita Path: 850m long, 250m level difference, it has a ski lift, artificial snow installation and nocturne;
All at once, the chair lift in Vatra Doraei can be used also the rest of the year for a special walk in nature up to almost 1260m altitude. The climbing takes 25 minutes.
CAMPULUNG MOLDOVENESC RESORT
- Runc path: 400m long, 200m level difference, medium difficulty, 800m altitude at departure and 1470 at arrival;
- Rarau path: 300m long, 30m level difference, low difficulty degree, 1500m altitude at departure and 1470 altitude at arrival;
GURA HUMORULUI RESORT
- Soimul Gura Humorului path: 1.478 m long, 283 m level difference, chair lift, nocturne and snow guns;
SUCEVITA RESORT
- Sucevita path: 320 m long, 40m level difference, slight degree of difficulty, 655m altitude at departure and 615m altitude at arrival.
MALINI RESORT
- Malini path: opened since December 2007, is placed in the southern side of the commune, in Valeni village, at the exit towards Stanisoara gate; of medium difficulty level, 800m long, 106 level difference, it has a ski lift installation of 520m long and nocturnal installation.
CARLIBABA RESORT
- Magura 1 path: 1010 m long, 200 m level difference; medium difficulty level; 1210m altitude at departure and 1010m altitude at arrival; one ski lift installation of almost 1,5 kilometres and due to the northern orientation it can be used for skiing until May.
- Magura 2 path: 540 m long, 140 m level difference; medium difficulty level, 1350m altitude at departure and 1210m altitude at arrival.