P ushing my skis forward in tracks carved deep into the snow and a swirling wind and thick fog, I finally reach a vast plateau where Alb Berisha, our guide, greets me with a high-five. “Welcome to Kosovo,” he says, beaming. I put on more layers to fight the chill, and nibble on a pita (a Balkan cream cheese-stuffed pastry) left over from breakfast, before swinging my arms around to keep warm.
Hold on ...
Weren’t we in Albania a moment ago? It’s tricky to know exactly which country you are in when you’re high up in the Accursed Mountains. Also known as the Albanian Alps, this rugged mountain range extends from northern Albania to western Kosovo and north-eastern Montenegro. I’m on a ski touring trip to explore the area, which sees just 200 to 300 visitors in winter.
This region doesn’t have the lifts and other infrastructure of a major ski resort, just a couple of cat skiing (a form of backcountry skiing) operations, and even they don’t venture where we tourers are going. We’ve come for the untracked snow and the chance to cross three countries in a day, surrounded by a glistening white wilderness with just a few secluded hamlets. It demands good off-piste skiing skills and a good level of fitness for the ascents, but it promises an adventure far from the crowded slopes of Europe’s usual ski destinations.
Over the week, I cover between four and eight miles a day with ascents of around 800 metres, and stay in guesthouses that are opening their doors in winte.