🇲🇰 North Macedonia: A Balkan Backcountry Ski Secret

If you’re always chasing #thenextline—off the beaten path and far from the crowds—then it’s time to turn your gaze to North Macedonia: a backcountry ski-tour ​hidden gem of the Balkans.

Ski-touring here remains largely undocumented. There are no shiny guidebooks, no widely shared route maps—just pristine powder and terrain begging to be explored. But maybe that’s part of the charm.

That’s why we spoke to Metodi Chilimanov, a UIMLA‑local certified guide who leads the Ski Touring Trip Between Kosovo and Macedonia for Mapo Tapo, and here is what you need to know to ski in North Macedonia. 👇🏼👀

#1 How it all started

“You’re just stuck at the base and you’re looking up at these beautifully powdered slopes above you and the lift is never working” Metodi reminisces.

Ski touring in this Balkan region developed out of a deep frustration with the lack of development in ski resorts. The fall of communism left North Macedonia with nothing but old infrastructure from the 80s that was perpetually broken.

So they just kept pushing to the higher peak, without lifts, and that’s how ski touring in North Macedonia was born.

#2 Main ski areas

Sharr Mountains: its ridgeline extends for approximately 80km between Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Albania. The highest peak is Titov Vrv (2748m). The central hub for skiing is Popova Shapka, a 1-hour drive from Skopje.

Mavrovo National Park: home to the highest peak of both North Macedonia and Albania, Mount Korab (2764m). You can reach the heart of the park, Mavrovo, with a 2-hour drive from Skopje.

Pelister National Park is the perfect place if you are looking for an authentic local Macedonian experience during your ski holiday: local food, immersive culture, and Ohrid, a UNESCO site not to miss.

#3 Backcountry skiing

North Macedonia is a wild, off-the-beaten-track destination. Few skiers venture here, and while most peaks have been summited in summer, only a handful see winter ascents—and even fewer have ever been skied.

“The possibility for finding and skiing a new line is still very much there," Metodi says.

Cat-skiing. Sure, everyone’s heard of heli-skiing—but how many of you have chased powder with a snowcat?

In the Balkans, where lift infrastructure is limited, ski operators turned to snowcats: fuel-efficient machines that carry skiers deep into untouched terrain without the need for resorts or chairlifts.

During the COVID years, these snowcats sparked a new way of exploring. Guides like Metodi began setting up temporary expedition camps at the foot of vast mountain ranges.

“We would make our own camps at the base of these huge mountains, where the snow was perfect and the slopes were all ours,” Metodi recalls. Read more here.

You can ski across different countries. You can cross Kosovo and Albania when skiing in the Sharr Mountains and Mavrovo National Park. And it’s not only about the face you skin up or ski down, it’s a cultural journey.

“Everything in the Balkans differs,” explains Metodi. “It has a local twist in Kosovo, a local twist in Albania, and its own versions in North Macedonia.” The locals are particularly warm and welcoming to skiers. Read more here.

🏔️ Surfing the web

Some of our favorite content we found on the internet this week…

👀 Job board

A job alert for outdoor lovers—because your dream company might just be hiring:

❤ Oh no, this newsletter just ended

What now?