Skiing in Israel....HUH?....and with assualt rifles???

[Alaskan Rover]

Central Israel is about the same latitude as Jacksonville, Florida. I think where this ski area is is closer to the latitude of Savanna, GA. I didn't really think the mountains in Israel had enough altitude to sustain proper snowfalls! In my mind I always picture arid, fairly warm desertlands interspersed with fig farms. But no....they have proper snow and legitimate ski area(s). Wild. Can't imagine a very long season, though. Maybe Jan through February???

Check out the "ski patrollers" at 01:12. About the only time I've ever seen assualt rifles slung over shoulders of skiers at a ski resort !! ONLY in the Middle East !!!



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[DeathVan]

Snowboarders = Palestinians

[stuckathuntermtn]

Golan Heights had a ski area. I guess it's high enough. You realize CO is not very far north, right? Or NM? Yet it snows balls.

[AK47bp]

Snowboarders = Palestinians

I'm starting to smell an Alta reference somewhere in here

[Soups]

Well duh. Pretty sure that's where "heart carving" originated.

[Gripen]

Lebanon has ski resorts and gets some pretty large snowfalls.... they had a massive storm last winter that literally buried a few resorts. Morocco is on pretty much the same latitude and gets regular snow, as does the mountains outside of Grenada, Spain.

And the reason for the guns is that half of Mt Hermon is in Syria. The UN have a buffer zone on the summit, and there is a rather sizable Israeli OP there as well.

[Alaskan Rover]

Golan Heights had a ski area. I guess it's high enough. You realize CO is not very far north, right? Or NM? Yet it snows balls.

Yes, of course....there is even skiing in Mexico (at least there was when we lived there for a couple years). And I realize the nights get very cold in the Middle East.

It just puts a weird image in my mind....as most of Israel that we see pictures of, Tel Aviv, Jeruselem, etc, you just don't equate with skiing. I mean, sure....I could see mountainous areas with natural snow....but the incidence of actual fairly large ski areas is sorta wild for me.

But those assualt rifles sort bring to the forefront that indeed it IS the middle east.

One thing you can easily see in the vid is that they sure don't seem to get a lot of ski time in over there.....as most of the skiers/boarders are of beginner to low intermediate level. I didn't see any expert level skiers or boarders in the WHOLE video. Didn't notice much snowmaking equipment either....so I don't think it's a very long season there. I mean, we're not talking mountains of the height in New Mexico.

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[I've seen black diamonds!]

Ski Masada!



The Romans literally created this terrain:



Check out that rail! SICK!

[Banh Mi]

look at 1:40 lmao dude gets bucked off the ski lift like a mustang

[Alaskan Rover]

look at 1:40 lmao dude gets bucked off the ski lift like a mustang

I had to look a bunch of times, but it sorta seems that snowboarder that got bucked off was booted into both bindings....still not sure.

And notice that downhill disembark on the lift. Oh wait....just looked again. It's a mid-station I guess. Didn't see the cables continuing first time. But considering most of the skiers and boarders are beginners, that's a can be a hairy disembark.


Things be different over there!

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EDIT: Looked one more time. He's only one foot booted in, so normal, But trying to disembark a chair while slide-slip stance.....LOL = faceplant for sure. One way to learn. And that mid-station...damn.....goes downhill again before it goes back up, I guess. Funky terrain, I guess. Lots of lifts in Europe are liken that as well.

[pfluffenmeister]

perfect resort for wannabee gangsta' david lesh?

[BrianH]

[...]

In my mind I always picture arid, fairly warm desertlands interspersed with fig farms. But no....

[...]

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Just more proof that the world is so much bigger then our minds! Yay!

[vdRONdripper]

Oy Vay, what big guns they have.

[splat]

Look at a map. Look at who their neighbors are. Go figure.
I believe you can see about three or four Arab countries from Hermon.
And if you drop in on some parts of the mountain, I've heard there's mines to contend with.

[xtrmjoe]

There is even skiing in Hawaii, the volcano tops out at almost 14k and you can drive right up to the top. No resorts or chairlifts but quite the expierence on the largest mountain on earth if you count below sea level as well.

[old goat]

Bad skiing, bad go pro, bad disco--what could be better? Don't duck ropes--mines. Don't give a lot of lip to patrol.

[P_McPoser]

There are even glaciers here in equator land.

[avitas]

So snowboarders like to sit down in the middle of the trail pretty much everywhere in the world....

good to know.

Other than that, looks like it could be a fun place. Curious if some of that gnarlier looking terrain is part of the mined areas you guys were discussing.

[skideeppow]

I got three days on Har Hermon back in the early 90's. There was huge snow (it had snowed in Jerusalem as well that year). That is not a ski pattroller that is a soldier in his snow camo gear.
Also, only officers carry the ar15 (which that is). Most regular troops are issued the israeli made Galile or Gallilon.

[boltonoutlaw]

Check out the "ski patrollers" at 01:12. About the only time I've ever seen assualt rifles slung over shoulders of skiers at a ski resort !! ONLY in the Middle East !!!

I'll take your word for it - could not watch video, the music was alarming.
I met guys from Beirut who boasted of good skiing in Lebanon, but admitted it was fickle. This was at Gulmarg (same latitude as Los Angeles and Carolina Beach), where skiing without assault rifles means you must have stayed in your room all day.