Sarıkamış Cıbıltepe
Crystal powder through eastern Turkey's pine forests
Sarıkamış Cıbıltepe, high in Turkey's far-eastern Kars province, is famous for its exceptionally dry, crystalline powder and skiing among tall Scots pine forests. Cold, remote and steeped in history, it offers some of the best natural snow in the country.
- 2,152 m Base
- 2,631 m Top lift
- 479 m Vertical
- 3 Lifts
Best known for
Après & vibe
Après is quiet and authentically Turkish, based in the town of Sarıkamış with its simple hotels, tea houses and local food rather than a resort bar scene.
The resort
Cıbıltepe rises above the historic town of Sarıkamış on the high, continental plateau of eastern Anatolia, and its calling card is snow quality: the dry, feather-light crystalline powder that locals call kristal kar. The mountain is cloaked in mature Scots pine forest, giving rare tree skiing and sheltered, atmospheric runs uncommon in Turkey. It is remote and quiet, a place of intense cold and long, dependable winters rather than crowds and glamour. The town itself carries the weight of history, notably the tragic First World War Battle of Sarıkamış. It suits skiers who prize snow and character over lift-served scale, and who do not mind a long journey to reach the far east of the country.
Snow & weather
Live conditions from the mountain, plus the average snow you can expect month by month.
- Feels like
- —
- Conditions
- —
- Wind
- —
- Fresh snow (3-day)
- —
Live data © Open-Meteo.com
Extremely reliable: high altitude and a bitterly cold, dry continental climate produce light, crystalline powder and a long, dependable season.
Average monthly snowfall
Snowfall climatology unavailable.
Terrain & aspect
- Novice
- Easy
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Slopes mostly face NE — 96% on snow-holding, poleward-facing slopes.
Aspect derived from run bearings · OpenSkiStats / © OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Skiing & terrain
Some gentler slopes exist, though the cold and remoteness suit committed learners.
Pleasant pistes weaving through pine forest are the highlight.
Steeper lines and off-piste tree runs reward stronger skiers after fresh snow.
Deep-powder forest skiing offers genuine reward for the experienced, with the usual back-country caveats.
Kristal kar powder
Sarıkamış is renowned across Turkey for its dry crystalline snow, among the finest natural powder anywhere in the country.
Skiing the Scots pine forest
Runs threading between tall pines give sheltered, storm-proof tree skiing that is a rarity in Turkish resorts.
On the map
Legend
Run difficulty
- Novice
- Easy
- Intermediate
- Advanced / Expert
- Freeride / Extreme
- Unknown
Run types
- Downhill — groomed
- Downhill — ungroomed
- Downhill — gladed
- Nordic (groomed)
- Ski tour
- ☾Lit (night)
- △Not patrolled
- →One-way
- ❄Snowmaking
Lifts
- Operating
- Operating (private)
- Non-operating
- Lift station
Slope-gradient grading
Downhill / ski tour
- Flat<3°
- Easy3–14°
- Intermediate14–22°
- Advanced / Expert22–45°
- Freeride / Extreme>45°
Nordic
- Easy<6°
- Intermediate6–9°
- Advanced>9°
Aspect (sun exposure)
- N — least sun
- E — morning
- S — most sun
- W — afternoon
Legend after OpenSkiMap
Stay in Sarıkamış Cıbıltepe
The nearby town of Sarıkamış provides hotels and guesthouses close to the lifts, with a genuine eastern-Anatolian small-town feel.
Lifts and pistes from the door — the point of a high, purpose-built resort.
Self-catering residences, the bulk of the beds and the flexible-budget option.
Catered and self-catered chalets for groups wanting the whole place.
From simple to high-end, with pools and spas to thaw out in.
How to get there
Kars (KSY) is the nearest airport, a fairly short drive away, with Erzurum (ERZ) a larger alternative a couple of hours further; both connect via Istanbul or Ankara.
A road transfer of under an hour from Kars, or a longer drive from Erzurum, across the high, snowy Anatolian plateau.
Best time: The cold, dry heart of winter from January into March gives the best of the crystalline powder.
Nearby resorts
Other resorts within reach.
Palandöken Kayak Merkezi
- Vertical
- 1001 m
- Pistes (mapped)
- 16
- Lifts
- 16
Konaklı Kayak Merkezi
- Vertical
- 806 m
- Lifts
- 6
Goderdzi Mountain Resort
- Vertical
- 639 m
- Pistes (mapped)
- 3
- Lifts
- 3
Myler Mountain Resort
- Vertical
- 804 m
- Pistes (mapped)
- 1
- Lifts
- 3
Faces north © ZeevoX / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) Didveli
- Vertical
- 825 m
- Pistes (mapped)
- 8
- Lifts
- 7
Getting to Sarıkamış Cıbıltepe
Book an airport transfer up to the resort, or pick up a car at Erzurum (ERZ) — search and compare without leaving the page.
Ski data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via OpenSkiMap & Skimap.org. Basemap © OpenFreeMap / OpenMapTiles. Editorial: mynext.holiday. Accommodation via Stay22; transfers via Kiwitaxi; car hire via Travelpayouts.