Bulgaria’s Pamporovo mountain resort is to offer free skiing just ahead of Easter, a joint initiative by the resort and Smolyan municipality, Bulgarian National Television said on March 26 2012.
 
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the major denomination in the country, this year observes Easter from April 13 to 16.
 
Bulgarian National Television said that in spite of the warmer spring weather, Pamporovo continued to offer "perfect" conditions for skiing and hiking. This past winter’s record snowfall of more than two metres would allow the season to continue until mid-April, the report said.
 
Pamporovo AD managing director Marian Belyakov said that the resort continued to have great snow coverage and, for now, it was likely to be "no problem" to keep all ski runs open until April 15.
 
It was possible that after April 15, some of the runs would be left open, but that decision would be taken later, Belyakov said.
 
The report said that as the season headed towards its close, all hotels were offering promotional packages and the prices of ski lift cards had decreased.
 
Until the end of the season, a day card would cost 41 leva (about 20 euro) and a half-day card 31 leva.
 
On two days close to Easter, use of all lifts and facilities would be free. Belyakov said that on April 9 and 12, skiing at the resort would be free of charge.
 
The report said that skiing in warmer weather "has its specifics" meaning that it is better to ski earlier in the morning while temperatures are lower because as the day warms, the snow softens.
 
The Mountain Rescue Service advised skiers to be careful in the afternoon and said that this time of day could be used for hiking.