- Mount Hermon ski resort
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Coordinates: 33°18′29″N 35°46′21″E / 33.30806°N 35.7725°E
Entrance to the lower ski lift.
The Mount Hermon ski resort is situated on the south-eastern slopes of Mount Hermon, a few kilometers off the Israeli-Syrian ceasefire line, in the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights. The site is surrounded by the Hermon nature reserve. While the nature reserve is open year-round, the ski resort is open only at the peak of winter (usually January-March), when enough snow is accumulated on its ground.[1]
Contents
Overview
The ski lift.Since 1981, the Golan Heights have been governed under Golan Heights Law, and during this period the resort has expanded considerably. The resort includes a wide range of ski trails for novice, intermediate, and expert levels. It also offers additional winter family activities such as sledding and Nordic skiing. The resort is unusual in not having been built by a town, and there is still no town at the resort, so those who operate the Hermon Ski area live in the nearby Israeli settlement and Moshav of Neve Ativ and the town of Majdal Shams. The ski resort has a ski school, ski patrol, and several restaurants located at either the bottom or peak of the area. The base of the resort is at 1640 meters, and it peaks at 2073 meters.[2] The resort has 7 red pistes, 3 blue pistes, 2 black pistes and one green piste. The resort also has several facilities for summer visitors. As the highest point in Israeli controlled areas overlooking Syria and Lebanon it is also in a very strategically important position for the IDF. In peak season more than 12000 people can be on the mountain each day. The resort also recently added a Snowpark.
The resort provides an important source of income to residents of both Neve Ativ and Majdal Shams.
History
The first lift was installed in 1971, largely with assistance from the Jewish Agency for Israel. The next considerable expansion came in 1981 when the region fell under Golan Heights law, which allowed for easier expansion.
Specifics
- Top peak: 2,073 metres (6,801 ft)
- Number of pistes: 14
- Length of pistes: 45km
- Number of lifts: 5
See also
- ^ "Mount Hermon Ski Resort opens a month earlier than usual after this week's heavy snow", Omer Rabin's reports on "Globes", 15 December 2010
- ^ Snow Forecast: Mount Hermon
External links
Categories:- Ski areas and resorts in Israeli-occupied territories
- Visitor attractions in Israeli-occupied territories
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