SpotCheck | Tetnuldi

The Tetnuldi ski resort lies dormant in the farthest valley of Svaneti and after hours of travelling over bumpy mountain roads. Less than five lifts and a manageable number of kilometres of pistes. Only opened in 2016 and equipped with state-of-the-art lifts.

Last year, anyone who follows the Freeride World Tour will have noticed the somewhat unusual tour stop. Tetnuldi hosted the FWT for the first time with the Gerogia Pro Event and impressed us. The riders were thrilled with the playful terrain and many fans are calling for the tour stop to be more than just a one-off.

We travelled to Tetnuldi a few weeks before the event and took a closer look at the freeride potential.

Tetnuldi is not a typical ski resort. You have to look for the ski circus and après-ski and there are only a few huts at the valley station, almost all of which were closed during our stay. Despite the modern lifts and perfectly groomed pistes, there is little sign of crowds here. This is partly due to the fact that Georgians start the day in a rather leisurely fashion. The ski resort doesn't open the chairs until around 10 am. At the same time, pans are still being carried across the piste to prepare a breakfast omelette in the only open café.

Once you are fortified and not too hungover from the Georgian brandy, you can finally head out into the snow. The terrain looks fantastic and the weather is favourable. So get up there, get down there and a few runs later you have a pretty good overview of the area.

It should be noted that even in good snow conditions, many landings and jumps reveal hidden stones. I pretty much shot through my skis on the last day.

If the equipment remains intact, you should definitely also explore the surrounding mountains with short counter ascents. Most of the obvious options can be seen very well below Mount Tetnuldis (4858 m). There is everything here: from gentle ridges and racy gullies to steep wall descents in the ice flanks in late spring. The high altitude of the area ensures a long season with good conditions.

Alternatives to the lower-lying side valleys are also possible from the ski resort, but it is advisable to arrange a pick-up in advance, as otherwise it will be difficult to get back. A quick look at a satellite image won't hurt either, as the birch forests are extremely dense and there are few treeskiing options. The few forest tracks that do exist often lead through small canyons and, depending on the snow conditions, can be a tedious affair. However, if visibility is poor or the risk of avalanches is too high, you can head to Hatsvali not far from Mestia. 

In good weather, freeriding in Tetnuldi is a first-class affair. Thanks to the manageable size of the area, you can collect a wealth of runs in just a few days. As the area is not over-developed with lifts, you can still find untracked terrain and hidden variations even after a few days.

All in all, a stay of a few days is very worthwhile. At some point, however, you will have ridden everything here and will be able to look into the endless backcountry. Mountains such as the Ushba or Shchara challenge you to get to know the even lonelier and more rewarding side of the Swaneti mountains.