Catskiing in Ukraine. Interview with Mikhajlo Zhuravel and Andriy Nenko

Catskiing allows riders easy access to truly unique locations inaccessible from the upper elevator stations.

But how did it all begin? Why did Dragobrat become the mecca of Ukrainian freeride and backcountry skiing? We asked Mikhailo Zhuravlyov - his family was one of the first to start the business on Dragobrat - and Andriy Nenko, the head of freeride school and guide of the company Golden Ride, about how the ski movement on Dragobrat developed.

— Mikhailo, how long has your family been working at Dragobrat, how did it all begin?

It all started with my grandfather, Alexander Zhuravlev, who is a great enthusiast in skiing. For a long time he worked as a coach in Yasinyan ski school. Even before Dragobrat appeared as a resort they were holding training camps there, taking portable elevators there, and the snow was there till June.

To make you understand, it was the 70-80s of the last century.

My grandfather built his house on Dragobrat in 1997, when I was 7 years old, and since then I have been there every winter from the beginning to the end of the snow.

- I know that you were involved in skiing? Tell us, how did you go from "toothpicks" to snowboarding and even splitboarding?

- I went skiing in 1996, at that time I had no choice: either you're on skis or you're on skis)))

Since all of my father's side of the family are professional skiers, and my grandfather and grandmother are coaches, my grandson should train. But since childhood I was not interested in achievements, for which you get a diploma, but just to ski - it was a thrill, I still love the feeling in the body while riding.

I would go skiing in the morning and come back when the elevators were already turned off, I was always pulled beyond the piste, where not everyone could pass. And then in 2002 I saw a snowboarder on Dragobrat, from that moment everything was different. It had a big impact on my life. For me snowboarding is not about adrenaline or extreme - it's a process, a ritual. If I can ski, I ski and it's not the quantity but the quality that matters, that's how I came to split. I like the nature, I like silence, I like to walk and to choose a slope for a long time, splitboard is perfect for that.

- Splitboard. Does it have a future in Ukraine?

- Of course there is, and this future has already begun, it just requires certain conditions that do not suit everyone. First - your physical condition, second - the possibility to buy the necessary equipment, it is not cheap, so we have almost no rentals where people could try and decide if they need it or not. There is also a third, fourth and fifth, but I'm not going to talk about that:)

- Freeride on Dragobrat - how do you see its development in the next 5 years?

- Freeride at Dragobrat... I see two directions: rathrak and ski touring. 70% of the people will use on the rathrak, 30% will ski touring. People become interested in avalanche safety, and it's good, because there are those who can conduct lectures and teach how to work in the mountains, so there is a desire. And it is better to have it, do not underestimate the "Little Carpathians".

- In your opinion, why is Dragobrat so attractive?

- It is difficult for me to give an objective opinion, because I live here. From the observations of visitors, I see that they like the place, the nature. It is very diverse here. The snow here is natural, I won't even compare it to the snow from the cannons.

- If in one second you could change something on Dragobrat - it would be?

- Wastewater treatment systems, clean streams without sewage, organized removal of recyclables, environmental inspection. This, it seems to me, is the basis, until we start taking care of nature, Dragobrat will get worse. Infrastructure, the road, a single skipass - all this is also needed, but only after we learn to behave ECOLOGICAL and ECOLOGICAL business.

- What is your snow dream, where would it be fun to ride?

- My snow dream is the high mountains: the Alps, the Caucasus, the Himalayas, North America. I want to ride somewhere there, but apparently not enough, because I've never been anywhere.)

- What's your advice to the beginner freeriders?

- Improve your technique, study the mountains, learn the causes and consequences of accidents due to negligence. Don't let ambition take over, be honest with yourself. Take care of your health, because there's no freeride without it))

Now let's move on to questions for Andrey Nenko

- Andrey, hello! Tell me, how and where did snowboarding start for you?

- My journey began completely unconventionally: in 2008 with the purchase of my first snowboarding kit. It was a basic all-mountain model, standard bindings and boots. It's interesting that before I learned how to roll I started to jump and do freestyle tricks already in my first season. My progress was very fast because before that I did a lot of taekwondo and my body was in great shape. Apparently, even then it became clear that just skating on the tracks - it's not for me.

- How did it happen that of all the ski resorts in the world and in Ukraine you ended up at Dragobrat?

- Dragobrat is a truly unique place, and I have the impression that it called me. After more than ten years of working with clients in this place, I understand that Dragobrat does not leave anyone indifferent! You (or rather he) either do not accept it, or fall in love for life. My case is exactly the second - Dragobrat and I have mutual love.

On my first day at Draga there was an impenetrable fog - total milk, and it was quite unclear where you were and where to go. But on the second day the magic happened - from the same milk, climbing to the rope towers of Kuryatny, we went above the clouds in the bright sun, and only the snow-covered peaks were sticking above the clouds. Anyone who has ever been in the mountains above the clouds will understand me - it's an amazing sight when you feel like you are getting closer to God.

- You were at the origins of the birth of freeride on Dragobrat as a phenomenon. Tell us how that was?

- Shortly after I began riding on Dragobrat, I moved to live in the Carpathians in the town of Kosiv. Even then there were popular bus tours to Bukovel/Dragobrat, and we started our own company. Dragobrat attracted by its off-piste skiing opportunities. In those years on Dragobrat there were only freeride trips to Gendarme and Bliznitsa. Some already rode quite serious spots - the slopes Bliznitsy and so-called "Herring" or "Church" (technically difficult slopes with an angle of inclination over 45 degrees). Already at that time, or with GC Dragobrat, or from the top station elevator Carpathian Seagull and Gendarme began to go ratrak (at that time it was more like a kind of snow-taxi and the service cost 50 UAH / person for a single lift). The most common question after disembarking from the tram was something like: ok, where to go?

In fact, we abandoned the widespread alcotresh in our tours and took exactly the freeride niche. Even then the first sorties in the sidecountry (backcountry) at Zastozhye started.

I remember how Taras Kovbasnyuk's old snowcat made the first descents to the back side of Stog. We had already started the group from a pusher after the descent, when his battery had died. But the start of the ketkskiing had been made.

Even back then I understood that the most interesting slopes and the best snow were out there a little further away, and that in order to roll it out, riders needed to constantly grow, learn technique and other components of freeride. Because freeride is not about skis, it's about mountains. And it's definitely not about the destination, it's about the way.

For me the seasons I spent in the big mountains of the Caucasus, working with Wild Guru company, were a serious level-up, a change in my mindset and approach to the ski business. The guides there worked to international mountain standards of quality, which opened my eyes to a completely different approach to freeride and to the treatment of clients and their safety. During the two seasons I gained experience in all the possible ski spots around Gudauri and the Greater Caucasus, including many pioneering rides in interesting and sometimes risky locations. The cherry on the cake of that period was ski-alp expedition to Tian-Shan and unrolling of Tuyuk-Su glacier.

- Ketski. Why on Dragobrat?

- Generally, Ketski is a very cool offer for freeride with a fairly low entry threshold for the rider. Here you do not need a lot of work to get to the start of the route on foot (bootpacking), or on a skitur - you are driven. During the day the client can roll out of 6-8 slopes of varying degrees of complexity - from wide fields of virgin to steep and steep couloirs, powder pillows and drops. Catskiing is much more financially affordable service than its flying counterpart - Heliskiing. Firstly, it is much cheaper, and secondly, much easier risk management. Heliskiing is possible under really ideal weather conditions, when a rattack with experienced guides can safely take off into variable cloud cover.

Taking riders to the spot with a snowcat is a very popular kind of freeride around the world.

Why Dragobrat? Svidovetsky ridge, where the GC Dragobrat is located, is a really convenient place for skiing and super diverse for skiing. Large scales of the alpine and forest area allow you to ski both in good visibility and find the right locations in the signature "Dragobrat herringbone" during limited visibility.

- Is Dragobrat popular abroad? And if so, what is exactly about it that attracts riders?

- Due to the development of skiing and freeride at Dragobrat, as well as its rugged beauty and a kind of "wildness", we often meet Europeans (or fondly "europuli") among our clients. The resort itself, though located at relatively low altitudes - 1300-1881m - but has all the high mountain characteristics. It covers three zones: forest, subalpine and alpine, has the appropriate relief and a huge area outside the ski infrastructure, suitable for backcountry skiing.

If you compare the cost of catski in Ukraine and, let's say, in the U.S. / Canada, the price difference is enormous. In addition, according to our friends and clients from abroad, we have relatively inexpensive, but delicious food and fun treats.

I think that the development of such freeride directions as catski and ski tour is absolutely correct and a cool step to popularize Dragobrat among riders from other countries. It's a step into the future!

- What, in your opinion, Ukraine lacks to become a powerful freeride spot for foreigners?

- First of all, we lack a well-developed ski infrastructure. If we talk about Dragobrat, it is adequate access to the resort, a single ski pass, proper disposal of hotel waste, cooperation and collaboration of businesses with each other. The second, not less important factor is competent approach (by the world quality standards) of those, who render freeride services.

Among the main tasks of Golden Ride freeride school and Ketsky Safari is just development of the freeride service by such high standards. Freeride should be safe!

If we talk about how freeride direction is built in Europe, there are professional guides with appropriate education and qualification work with clients, have the appropriate pay for their labor - that is, the client knows what he pays for, freeride routes within a certain region are clearly spelled out, avalanche services and forecasts work.

Unfortunately, in Ukraine people are just getting used to thinking in terms of 5-10 years and more, for that it is necessary to cooperate, open up and develop. Many people rather think how to make a quick score today and not to worry about tomorrow. But it is not promising, you should think ahead.

- What are your plans for the season?

- This season together with Mihail Zhuravlevy family and personally with Kuluar company, which is the leader on the tourist travel market in Ukraine, we launch service of Ketka safari on snowcats, and we also plan to try absolutely new product - Ketka backcountry. In addition, we will continue to conduct freeride schools for skiers and snowboarders, will develop the ski touring on the Svidovets Ridge and in Ukraine in general. This is exactly the advanced European ski trends, which we are catching up with years of delay.

- What freeride dreams do you have?

- As a guide I dream about strong and interesting clients with whom I can develop and for whom I can open up new horizons in freeride skiing.

As a rider, I dream and plan serious expeditions to Alaska, the Himalayas and exotic mountain systems.

- What is your advice to a beginner freerider?

- I advise you to approach the question of freeride responsibly and seriously. Make sure you do your physical exercises and improve your technique, don't learn from your friends, because they often unconsciously do you a disservice by teaching you the wrong technique. It is better to study with an instructor who teaches the international method. Because mistakes in technique on the track are not too noticeable, but when you go to the natural snow, they immediately come out sideways. Learning from wrong to right is much harder than learning from scratch.

Don't neglect your safety, go to freeride school - there you'll learn everything in detail - at the end you'll save your time, money and protect yourself from unnecessary mistakes. And be careful who you choose to ride with - either really reliable teammates or certified qualified guides!