Gwen and Ana's Trip to Siberia

One skier, one snowboarder – one amazing girl's trip!

Gwen and Ana from France were in Siberia for a girls trip in November and December. Lucky for us, they checked out the snowboarding conditions and reported back! 

How did you choose your destination Siberia?
The idea was born in Summer 2018 when Ana was travelling through Russia and Siberia for 2 months. She absolutely fell in love with the culture, the vibes and the landscapes, especially with the place, Lake Baikal. Looking at the other side of the lake, she got the idea that those mountains cloud be skiable. She called me and said "Gwen we need to come back here for skiing" and after doing some research, I found a magic valley and my answer was “YES”.

What makes Siberia special?
Siberia is something indescribable, you really have to experience it and feel it yourself. This part of Russia around Lake Baikal has nothing to do with the occidental part of the country, it's totally different from Moscow. The people there are not so cold as we got to know them. They are always ready to help. Kind is a weak word to describe people over there. But most of them took us for crazy girls, travelling alone with backpacks and ski bags just to reach the inland sea.

The landscapes were amazing: Long roads, endless steppes, listening to the music of the wind through the prayer ribbons. The smell of the fireplaces and the silence impressed us. Sometimes it felt like time stopped.

How was the snow and riding powder in Siberia?
The locals explained to us that the snow is always very fresh because the lake makes a special climate. During our trip, we met a few people who ski around the globe and everyone told us that the snow is comparable with Japanese powder - but please keep it as our little secret! 

Your best day was….
When we finally got to our secret valley after a long trip, negotiation and adventures. Special thanks to the locals there who let us use a Hut for free during our journey.

Your next destination is….
If we had to choose a new destination, I would actually choose the same place. My dream was to ski with a sea view - and around Baikal, you can make some powder turns while looking at the deepest lake in the world.

3 tips going to Siberia...
1) take a train, that is probably the best local Russian experience you can have
2) take some patience in your bags
3) travel with your best buddy and a dictionary