The 19th-largest country in the world finally has its first ski resort as Sky Resort opened in Mongolia in late November. Situated on Bogd Khan Uul Mountain, the attraction is 15 minutes outside the capital city of Ulan Bator. The resort provides nine runs served by two chairlifts and four surface lifts with an elevation of 3,000 feet and vertical descent of about 626 feet.
Sky Resort may be smaller than a ski resort in North Carolina, but it's a great start for a country covered mostly by semi-desert plains and the Gobi Desert. It caters to expert skiers with a dedicated racing slope and aids novices with one chairlift designated for beginners. Bogd Khan Uul Mountain only receives an average of about eight inches of snow per years, so the resort will utilize Italian-made snow guns to cover the trails. Fortunately an average temperature of four degrees below zero Fahrenheit, mixed with dry conditions, make for ideal snowmaking. Currently, lift passes cost about $11 and rentals cost about $24.