Perched 3,200 meters above sea level, Rize’s Ovit Mountain is defying the calendar as a lingering blanket of snow offers outdoor enthusiasts a rare chance to ski and snowboard well into June.
Despite the arrival of summer, snow depth on parts of the mountain in İkizdere district still reaches up to 1.5 meters following a harsh winter season. Nature sports enthusiasts recently gathered on the slopes to ride snowmobiles and ski across the lingering snowfields.
Speaking during an inspection of the area, İkizdere District Governor Burak Yaylacı said snow typically remains on Ovit Mountain until the end of June. He described the mountain as one of Türkiye’s most suitable locations for winter tourism, noting that visitors can reach the snow-covered terrain after only a 5-kilometer drive from the main road.
Adnan Er, secretary general at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, said the region offers exceptional conditions for skiing. “There is still between one and one-and-a-half meters of snow here. This is a very valuable area where skiing could be practiced actively for six or seven months of the year,” he said, adding that he hopes the region could one day host Olympic-level competitions and train elite winter athletes.
Local sportsman Hasan Hüseyin Şahin emphasized the rarity of skiing in June, noting that while many ski resorts have already transitioned to summer pastures, Ovit’s slopes remain covered in snow. He argued that investment in ski infrastructure could transform the area into a major winter sports center.
Snowmobile safari operator Hamdi Erdoğan also highlighted Ovit Mountain’s natural beauty, inviting domestic and international visitors to experience the region’s landscape, rivers and lush greenery.
Among the visitors was Ali Erdoğan, who traveled from Istanbul expecting a seaside getaway but instead found himself riding a snowmobile across snow-covered slopes. Describing the scenery as “incredible,” he said the area’s wide terrain compares favorably with some of Türkiye’s best-known ski destinations and deserves further development as a dedicated ski resort.
