Tsaghkadzor ski resort

Tsaghkadzor ski resort
Tsaghkadzor ski resort
Location	Tsaghkadzor, Armenia
Nearest major city	Yerevan, Armenia 55 km (34 mi)
Coordinates	40°32′04″N 44°41′30″E / 40.53444°N 44.69167°E
Vertical	854 m (2,802 ft)
Top elevation	2,820 m (9,252 ft)
Base elevation	1,966 m (6,450 ft)
Trails	16 total
Longest run	5.8 km (3.6 mi)
Lift system	5 total; 1 detachable quads; 4 double chair
Website	WinterArmenia.com

Tsaghkadzor Ski Resort, is a sports and tourists facilities located just above the Armenian town of Tsaghkadzor of Kotayk Province, approximately 60 km north east of the capital Yerevan and the Zvartnots International Airport. It was opened in 1986 adjacent to the Tsaghkadzor Olympic Sports Complex.

Tsaghkadzor facts and history

The town of Tsaghkadzor is located at 1,750 m above sea level on the southeast slope of mount Teghenis. During the Soviet times, the lifts and other sporting facilities were built to prepare Soviet athletes for the 1988 Winter Olympics. The town was further developed into a ski resort and later fully modernized with the old lifts being replaced. In addition to the ski resort, the town is also known for the Kecharis Monastery.

The lifts

All lifts are manufactured and operated by Leitner Group. The current structure replaced existing soviet era lifts, mostly following their path. There were initially three consecutive lifts stretching from the foot of the mountain (1,969 m above sea level) up till the mountain peak (2,819 m), with the first and second lifts ending at 2,234 m and 2,465 m above sea level respectively. In 2006, a fourth lift was added, stretching from the end of the first stage towards an opposite hilltop, thus adding two trails, both leading down to the foot of the slopes.^[1]

The first stage of the lifts is a four-seater and all the others are double seater chairlifts equipped with magic carpet boarding systems.