PAMPOROVO AD in Bulgaria with snow from SUFAG

After the final state of construction this will be the biggest automatic installation in Bulgaria.

Pamporovo is a ski-region with a long tradition of more than 40 years. This ski-region is interesting with its various ski slopes and the modern establishment and on the other hand with its mild, constant mountain climate, which is influenced very strongly by the Mediterranean. Pamporova AD is at a distance of 14 km from the Greek border and 50 km from the Black Sea.

Fully automatic snowmaking installation from SUFAG

A fully automatic snowmaking installation from SUFAG has been ensuring the availability of snow since the 2004/05 season. The first step of construction which has been realized by now is, at the same time, also the beginning of snowmaking in Pamporovo.

Snowmaking is carried out with five SUFAG snowmakers of the type S-Compact on tripod with carrying device. The snowmaking installation comprehends two submerged feed pumps, three high pressure pumps (214 m3/h), the electric powered control, 2.130 m of cast iron pipes, 2070 m of cables as well as 28 tapping stations, cables and hoses.


SUFAG S-Compact in the midst of nearly 2 m of natural snow

The data transmission to the PC central is made via cable. A SUFAG GSM/SMS alarm has also been installed.

The snowmaking installation is supplied with the necessary water by a natural pond at 1742 m of altitude with a surface of 314.000 m2 water, which is filled exclusively by natural inflow.


Passing of the cast iron pipes

The planning and the realization of the whole snowmaking installation have been done by SUFAG as general contractor.

The installation was put into operation in December 2004 according to plan. Due to the fully automatic system, the maximum capacity of the snowmakers could be utilized during the whole season of 2004/05. Mr. Zahari Shopov, director of Pamporovo AD feels happy about the reliable work of the SUFAG snowmakers S-Compact as well as the snowmaking installation on the whole.


from left to right: Karl Zanier/manufacturing SUFAG, Anders Rydelius/Executive SUFAG, Mario Passeri/Responsible for the project Pamporovo – SUFAG, Zahari Shopov/Director Pamporovo AD, Rumen Dimitrov/SUFAG-Representative Bulgaria, Konstantin Parvanov/Responsible for snowmaking in Pamporovo

Most of the time snow is made at marginal temperatures, whereby in November the temperatures are normally between – 1° C and – 7° C. Here the fine-nozzled system of the SUFAG snowmakers proves its value, which guarantees economic snowmaking at marginal temperatures with excellent snow quality.


SUFAG S-Compact in use at night

Start of the season traditionally on December 8

The new SUFAG snowmaking installation ensures the yearly start of the winter season on December 8. On the 8th and 9th of December the students in Bulgaria have holidays and come skiing traditionally for these two days. Normally the season lasts until April 20.

The ski-region ranges from 1060 m sea level up to 2100 m. In this region about 1.5 to 2 m of natural snow fall every year. At the mountain station there is the well-known television tower „Snejanka“ (Snow white) and the highest point of the mountain also carries this name.


View of „Snejanka“, the television tower and the highest point of the mountain, which carries the same name

With the whole spectrum of eight slopes from green to black the ski-region of Pamporovo is a fantastic place for all skiers, from the beginner to the experienced skier.  The beginners are optimally attended in Pamporovo at one of the biggest ski schools of Bulgaria. At the same time it is also one of the best ski schools of Europe, where 115 highly qualified skiing instructors are employed, all of them speaking at least two foreign languages.

Five chair lifts (3 of them from Doppelmayr), four T-bar lifts and five baby lifts carry the guests, having 31 km of slopes at their disposal at the moment. The preparation of the slopes is carried out with the use of five Kässbohrer-groomers, two of them being 300 PBs and one being a jack machine.


Jack machine from Kässbohrer in use

The enterprise Pamporovo AD consists of 2 big hotels, the most known is the 4-Star-Hotel PERELIC with 450 beds and the 5-Star-Hotel ORLOVEC which was built last year with 220 beds.

Every Saturday 2500 guests from the EC come to the ski-region, most of them from England and Ireland. Pamporovo has contracts with some of the biggest travel agencies and possesses the proud number of 11,000 beds. The mountain station is to the right of the town STOIKITE which is 5 km away.

The guests have at their disposal 2 ski centers with ski depots, wherefrom they go to the middle station and then to the mountain station. 2000 sets of ski outfits and equipment, snow-boards and sledges are available at these two resorts on 3 levels with 11 depots, where one can store his own equipment at the same time.

Animated middle station as a meeting point

The middle station plays an important role. Because of the 40 resident hotels and diverse restaurants around the middle station many people come together there. The purchase of apartments is in great demand actually, especially for Irish people.

However the ski-region Pamporovo is very important the whole year over. Unlike many ski-regions in Austria, Germany, Italy or Switzerland, the summer season is very interesting, three lifts operate from the 2nd half of May until the end of September and numerous guests make use of them. There is a very attractive and popular area for hiking.

Plans for the future

Besides the next constructional step of the snowmaking installation, a cable car or a chair lift for 6 persons as well as a new slope are also currently planned. During the last season 125 million carriages with all chair lifts were made. A SKIDATA Handsfree System provides comfortable access.

With the final constructional step of the snowmaking installation there will be in use in Pamporovo 17 SUFAG snowmakers of the type S-Compact. The pumping station (P2) will then have a delivery rate of 321 m3/h from 1746 m 190 m high. 5.8 km of pipes and cables as well as 75 tapping stations also make part of the infrastructure.