Macedonia
Feb 1–8, 2027 · 7 days
Feb 1–8, 2027
7 days
Up to 12 participants
Skiing
The challenge
Snow sits deep and clean above Popova Shapka. You clip in, and the whole Shar range opens up in front…
Read the full brief
Snow sits deep and clean above Popova Shapka. You clip in, and the whole Shar range opens up in front of you. No tracks. Just powder and the sound of your own breath.
I am Iris. I grew up in the French Alps. I live two lives each year. Half the year I coach Great Britain's biathlon team. The other half I ski, run and climb in the mountains. In June 2026 I set a new women's record on Mont Blanc, from the church in Chamonix to the 4,807m summit in five hours and two minutes, then flew down by paraglider. I know how to read snow, and I know how to keep a team safe.
Here is what we do. Two days of cat-ski touring in the Shar Mountains, with descents of up to 1,500 metres. We climb Korab, home to North Macedonia's highest peak, with a bootpack to 2,630m. We tour Bistra, then drop into Ohrid, one of Europe's oldest lakes. Some of us go on to the quiet ridges of Jablanica and Galichica, where hardly anyone skis.
Be honest with yourself. This is hard. You will earn your turns with a pack on your back. Some climbs bite. Your legs will feel every metre. That is the point.
At night we sit down together. Warm food, saunas, and stories from the day. Picture the last light on the lake, snow still on your boots, the range gone quiet behind you.
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Day-by-Day
Day 1
We land in Skopje. Then we drive up into the Shar Mountains to Popova Shapka. You'll join a team, check in, then meet for a welcome talk. We check your kit and run through avalanche safety. Your guides hand out gear and walk us through the week. We close with a Macedonian welcome dinner, the mountains waiting outside.
Day 2
Day two, we go cat-ski touring in the Shar Mountains. Snowcats carry us high, so we skip the long climbs. We aim for Tito's Peak, 2,748 metres up. You'll drop 700 to 1,000 metres through untouched powder. We pick the line on the spot. Lunch comes with us. Just you, the snow, and the wide alpine bowls.
Day 3
Day 3 is our second cat-ski day in the Shar Mountains. Snowcats haul us up high, so we skip the long slog. We might ski Tito's Peak at 2,748m, with drops of 700 to 1,000m. We eat lunch out in the snow. Back at the hotel, the sauna waits. Powder still on your mind.
Day 4
Today we leave the Shar Mountains for Korab. It holds North Macedonia's highest peak. You'll join a short bootpack up to the Kepi Bard area at 2,630m. From there, long descents open up. We drop 1,200 to 1,400m through wild, remote terrain. Views stretch the whole way down. Just you, quiet snow, and the mountains that hold it.
Day 5
Day 5 is our last touring day. We ride the Mavrovo chairlift or take the Medenica road, then tour Bistra between 2,000 and 2,200 metres. Rolling peaks, good snow, varied ground. After, we drive to Ohrid, on one of Europe's oldest lakes. You'll see the Church of St. John at Kaneo, still and old above the water.
Day 6
Day six is our secret day. We skip the famous peaks. Instead we chase hidden valleys, quiet ridges, and untouched powder on Jablanica. Our guides read the snow and pick lines near Black Peak and Čumo. Lake Ohrid sits far below the whole time. We ski home, then drive to Ohrid for a lakeside dinner.
Day 7
Day 7 is our last day on skis. We tour into Galichica National Park, climbing up to 1,000m with peaks near 2,250m. From the ridges you'll see both Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa at once. After, we visit the Monastery of St. Naum, then eat an early dinner by the water. Two ancient lakes, one long view.
Day 8
Day 8 is our last morning. We wake, eat breakfast, then check out. From here you'll head home. Ohrid Airport sits just 25 minutes away. Skopje is a longer ride, near three hours. If the timing works, we can walk Ohrid together first. One last look at the old lake, then you go.