It will take about eighty hours for the cannons that the Durmitor Tourist Center (TC) intends to purchase to create enough artificial snow to operate the approximately 600-meter-long trail at the foot of the Savin Kuk ski resort and part of the plateau with the children's ski park.
Executive Director of TC "Durmitor" Marinko Purić told "Vijesti" that artificial snow will be applied to up to 20.000 square meters, and the slope will be 25 meters wide.
It has been announced that the "Savin Kuk" ski resort will issue a tender for the procurement of two artificial snowmaking machines in the next month and a half, after receiving 182.000 euros from the Ministry of Tourism for the job.
Snowmaking is planned for the 'Snowboard' slope, as well as part of the central plateau of the ski resort with a children's ski park. The approximate area for snowmaking is between 18.000 and 20.000 square meters...
Purić previously said that they expect to have artificial snow on the aforementioned part of the ski resort as early as December this year, and that they are currently collecting documentation in order to begin implementing the project.
The Savin Kuk ski resort was not even opened last season due to an unprecedented shortage of natural snow. There has been a lack of snow since mid-January this year as well...
The reservoir for artificial snowmaking has already been secured, and water has been brought to the Ski Center from the Blue Lake.
Purić stated that there is 55.000 cubic meters of water in that pool.
"The 'Snowboard' slope is planned to be snowed, as well as part of the central plateau of the ski resort with a children's ski park. The approximate area for snowmaking is between 18.000 and 20.000 square meters. The capacity of an individual cannon depends on its characteristics, as well as external parameters, such as air temperature and humidity, water temperature, wind strength and direction, all of which affect the amount of snow that an individual cannon can produce in current conditions, but in general we can say that the cannons we want at the ski resort have a flow rate of 6 to 40 cubic meters of water per hour, and since the reservoir has a capacity of 55.000 cubic meters, there is significantly more water in it than the amount needed to operate the equipment we want to purchase. The total area of the slope that we want to snow cover is 15.000 square meters. The calculations made show that two cannons are sufficient to snow this slope, in an acceptable time frame. "We would like to emphasize that the 'Snowboard' trail is served by a ski lift, which in some extremely unfavorable conditions for artificial snow production allows for snowmaking of only part of the trail, or its shortening, which again allows the ski resort to operate," he emphasized.
30 centimeters required
"Vijesti" asked Purić whether they would be able to achieve their goal by purchasing cannons, what the power of the machines was, and whether there was enough water in this place for the job.
According to information received by the editorial team from informed sources, the amount of snow per cubic meter can vary drastically, from 100 kilograms when dry to 800 when wet.
Purić explained that safe skiing requires a snow cover of 30 centimeters, but also that a number of parameters affect the amount of snow that the cannons can produce, and that in average conditions they expect it to take about 80 working hours to form a snow base.
He emphasized that there is enough water in the reservoir for snowmaking, and that it is continuously supplied from the Blue Lake.
"Depending on the characteristics of the cannon and weather conditions, the amount of water required to operate an individual cannon in 24 hours can vary from 144 to 960 cubic meters. For snowmaking, we plan to use cannons for the production of artificial snow from one of the world's renowned manufacturers, the latest generation, which are characterized by a large snow production capacity, reduced electricity consumption and cost-effectiveness in maintenance. In general, we can say that in some average conditions, it takes about 80 working hours, with two cannons, to form the desired snow cover."
Late last year, the government adopted information on financing the construction and maintenance of multi-purpose sports and recreational infrastructure at the Savin Kuk ski resort. Although artificial snowmaking has been talked about for many years, this is the first time that the Ministry of Tourism has allocated money for this purpose.
State aid
The department headed by Simonida Kordić told "Vijesti" in early February that the lack of snow in the previous two years did not allow for the winter tourist season, nor for recreation and winter sports. That is why, they claim, it was necessary to launch a project to build a technologically modern system for artificial snowmaking at part of the ski resort on Savin Kuk, especially since there is already an artificial reservoir at that location.
At the end of January, the Ministry of Tourism launched a public call for the first time for the award of incentives for the development of ski resort operations in Montenegro for 2025, with a total value of 300 thousand euros. The aim of these incentives is to return to ski resort owners part of the money they invested in ski resort infrastructure and operation, in order to improve this tourist offer. The maximum amount of money that a ski resort can receive is 80 thousand euros, subject to certain conditions. Ski resorts that are registered with the department and that, among other things, regularly pay their tax obligations are eligible for these subsidies. There are currently seven active ski centers registered, two of which are state-owned - "Savin Kuk" in Žabljak and "Kolašin 1600", one municipal - "Turjak" on Hajla in Rožaje and four private - "Vučje" near Nikšić, "Javorovača" in Žabljak (which has not been in operation for years), "Kolašin 1450" and "Lokve" in Berane.
The subject of the subsidy are justified costs that include investments in new equipment for the purpose of arranging, maintaining and equipping ski resorts in accordance with the standards and minimum technical conditions for arranging, maintaining and equipping ski resorts, and providing services at the ski resort from the Law on Ski Resorts.
The Ministry will accept applications for participation in the program until February 20th, while the deadline for submitting applications for reimbursement of approved activities is March 5th.
Although the government has begun investing in artificial snowmaking, according to the 2015 National Climate Change Strategy, climate change is the biggest obstacle to the development of winter tourism in Montenegro. By developing ski resorts with slopes below 1.800 meters above sea level, the state has ignored the Strategy...
According to the Strategy, snowfall will decrease by 2030 percent by 25, and by 50 percent thereafter. The document proposes moving ski slopes to altitudes above 1.800 meters and investing in artificial snow systems.
The base of the "Savin Kuk" ski resort is located at about 1.500 meters above sea level, and the cable car goes out at more than 2.000 meters above sea level.
UNESCO recommends that the ski resort not expand
According to the Special Purpose Spatial Plan for the Durmitor Area (SPSP), the "Savin Kuk" ski resort encompasses the existing zone and is planned as a destination with a quality offer - primarily for visitors who engage in sports.
The information adopted by the Government states that modernization of infrastructure is also planned - the construction of new terrain, trails and cable cars.
However, this was abandoned in order to comply with the recommendations and conclusions of UNESCO for the World Heritage Site, the Durmitor National Park, after representatives of that institution and the Advisory Mission of the World Heritage Center visited the site in 2018 and 2019.
"It should be noted that the area of Durmitor where the ski resort and other sports infrastructure under construction are located, i.e. the area of the National Park, is 325,19 square kilometers, and the area of the protected zone of the National Park is 595,24 square kilometers," the document states.
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