Rusiń-Ski

Rusiń-Ski in Bukowina Tatrzańska (a few kilometres north-west of the village centre) is a small ski resort with big prospects. The slope was created on the north face of Rusiński Wierch (948 m), the highest hill around Bukowina. The piste is currently 700 metres long but, more importantly, about 150 metres wide, which makes it exceptionally safe and friendly for carving fans. Rusiń-Ski offers ideal conditions for families with children and novices, especially as the beginners' training lift is separate from the main piste. Although the slope is easy by design (blue markings), it also lets advanced skiers have a bit of fun, training freely and practising on their edges. By skiing from one side of the 700-metre piste to the other, you can make it effectively longer and try out different lines. Opened last season, the complex has joined the ranks of Podhale ski resorts worth recommending, adding to the ski offer of the Bukowina Tatrzańska municipality. Including the Rusiń-Ski lifts, the municipality now has more than 50 lifts. Three of them have been running for a year on Rusiński Wierch (topping out below the summit). Skiers have a four-seater chairlift with heated seats (almost 1 km long) and two button lifts (450 m and 200 m long). The slope has snowmaking, floodlights and grooming, and good conditions last from the start of the season until late spring. Skiing is possible every day from 09:00 to 22:00. A stylish regional inn serving highland specialities has opened by the resort. It can host up to 350 people at a time (weddings, receptions, conferences, training sessions and so on). On site there is also a ski service, a rental shop and a shop selling equipment and sportswear. Lessons for beginners and improvers are offered by the PTAK-SKITEAM ski school. Its team consists of qualified instructors, former members of the Polish national alpine ski team. All are certified by the Association of Ski Instructors and Coaches of the Polish Ski Federation and by the Polish Snowboard Association. It is worth remembering that Bukowina is just 17 kilometres from Zakopane. The surrounding hills, Rusiński Wierch in particular, offer a superb panorama of the Tatras. A winter holiday here can combine skiing with spa and wellness in the geothermal pools of Termy Bukowiańskie. Rusiń-Ski already draws many skiers. It should be noted that the municipality supports its development. Plans include expanding the resort and a north-south link between Białka Tatrzańska and Bukowina. According to preliminary plans, a lift system would connect the highest hills along this stretch, namely Kotelnia, Wysoki Wierch, Horników Wierch (Kantówka) and Rusiński Wierch. There is also talk of investment across the whole area and of new Podhale ski resorts. Will this "ski paradise" in Podhale really see the light of day, and if so, when? skionline.pl