Brief description of the ski complex "Gazprom" ("Laura")
Mining tourist centre Gazprom is a year-round resort located in the village. Krasnaya Polyana and s. Esto-Sadok of the Adler district of the city of Sochi.
The Mountain Tourist Center "Gazprom" includes:
- Hotel complexes:
- Ski and Biathlon Complex "Laura"
- Social and Cultural Center "Galaxy"
- Complex of cable cars and ski slopes
- Service facilities for guests - restaurants and cafes, swimming pools, sports grounds, medical centers and other facilities.
Opening hours: ticket offices work from 9 am to 6 pm without a break. The trails are open from 09:00 to 18:00 during summer, weekdays, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, during high season, holidays the slopes are open until 23:00, when darkness falls, the lighting of the slopes is switched on.
The resort is open all year round: in the winter season as a world-class ski center, in the summer season as a health resort(SPA center, sports training base for athletes, tourism and recreation center, including for children), a center for business (corporate events, forums, congresses) and entertainment (concerts, festivals, sporting events) events.
The ski infrastructure of the resort is a complex of cable cars and world-class ski slopes.
Route schemes
Click on the diagram to open it in a larger size:
Pistes and lifts WINTER:
The total length of trails for snowboarding and alpine skiing, with difficulty from "green" to "black", is 23 km.
7 trails are illuminated for evening skiing.
The artificial snowmaking system allows, if necessary, to significantly increase the amount of snow.
Slopes and lifts SUMMER:
Sightseeing tours on the cable cars of the GTZ Gazprom will become an unforgettable journey, in which the whole panorama of Krasnaya Polyana opens up from a bird's eye view to the guests of the resort. During the ascent, the picturesque landscapes of the Aibginsky ridge open, views of the top of the Chugush mountain - the highest point of the Republic of Adygea and the famous sports facilities.
Trails and lifts
Lifts:
Today ski slopes serve 14 cable cars of three types: closed gondola type, open chairlifts and drag-type cable cars. Their total length is 21 km.
The real gem and pride of the resort is the 3S cable car is the world's longest circular ropeway. The record-breaking road moves on three ropes - hence the name 3S. 41 cabins, each of which is designed to carry 30 people, are supported by only five supports, the height of one of them is 78 meters, which has no analogues in Europe. Designed for the most extreme operating conditions
Trails:
Mountain tourist center "Gazprom" includes 23 tracks:
15 tracks on the Psekhako plateau and 8 tracks on Pikhtovaya Polyana:
- Trails for beginners:
- B, C, D, E- 7 tracks ( green and blue) are ideal for beginners. These are, without exaggeration, the best trails for training in Krasnaya Polyana. Most of them are equipped with lighting and are available for guests at night.
- Trails for experienced skiers:
- F- 8 tracks ( black) slopes for the most experienced skiers.
- Trails for the whole family:
- G, H, I- 8 tracks ( green, blue, red), which are suitable for riding with the whole family. The widest (up to 120 m) and the longest (up to 1900 m) tracks are located here.
The pistes are of good quality, there are slopes for beginners and experienced skiers (black). If you are a beginner skier or snowdordist, then "Laura" will suit you, there are also gentle slopes for beginners on Gornaya Karusel. Experienced and freeride enthusiasts can get bored on Laura.
Technical characteristics of Gazprom's routes
Click to open tables in full window.
Infrastructure
The infrastructure facilities of the Mountain Tourist Center are located in the valley of the Achipse River and on the Psekhako plateau at altitudes from 540 to 1600 meters above sea level.
The total area of the resort is 373 hectares. The total simultaneous capacity of all hotels in the resort is about 2000 people.
Infrastructure: at the lower station "Laura": shops, cafes, ticket offices, toilets, indoor multilevel parking, equipment rental and instructor service, first-aid post.
At the Psekhako site: screen-bars (cafes), toilets.
Power points:
- restaurants and cafes on the territory of the Grand Hotel Polyana: Fresh Air, Vienna, Labyrinth, Continental, Grillage
- on the mountain: screen bars, restaurant Polyana, Fairy Tale
- at the lower station: Gornaya League sports bar
Training
It so happened that since the age of fifteen I have been riding alpine skiing... When he lived in Siberia, he rode in Krasnoyarsk and Baikal, and after moving to Moscow - in the Caucasus and the Alps. Last winter, I somehow didn't manage to get to the ski resort, and therefore this year the desire was stronger than ever. Unfortunately, being in the status of temporarily unemployed, it is very difficult to get a Schengen visa and rush to the Alps, and I had to solve a difficult issue with the choice of a ski destination within Russia or visa-free countries.
At first there was an idea to go to Turkey or even Montenegro, where I was. But with the increased euro exchange rate, the trip was not very cheap, and there was no guarantee of snow in March. So I had to choose from "our" places. There were several criteria for choosing a direction:
- visa-free entry;
- the presence of simple slopes for teaching snowboarding;
- normal infrastructure and service;
- mild climate;
- beautiful nature.
The second requirement deleted the slopes of the Elbrus region from the list and Central Asia... Due to poor infrastructure, I had to abandon the trip to Dombai and Khibiny. In the Urals, it's not super beautiful for you. So Krasnaya Polyana was perfect for us. Fast and inexpensive road, green educational trails at Gazprom, comfortable lifts and decent mini-hotels. And the notorious high prices... Well, we just had no choice =)
In early February, we bought two Aeroflot tickets Moscow-Sochi-Moscow for only 8,800 rubles and began to gradually prepare for the trip. To my delight, my friend Max lent me a board and boots (we have the same foot size and height with him!) And I definitely decided to finally get on a snowboard. I wanted to see for myself what is better. In addition, I was confident that the board definitely gives a head start to skis in the backcountry theme. The board is lighter in weight and moving around in Bordeaux boots is incomparably easier and more comfortable than in ski plastic shackles. In general, down with skiing hegemony !!!
UPDATE from 25/09/2015! In order to understand the current prices for skiing in Krasnaya Polyana and answer the eternal question "Europe or Krasnaya Polyana?" I advise you to read this material, which, in my opinion, provides an adequate comparison of prices for the 2015/2016 season, the pros and cons of rest in the Alps or in the Caucasus.
An experienced skier who already has good skating clothes, a mask and a helmet will need very few specific Bordeaux accessories that will protect you from injury and speed up the learning process. Due to the peculiarities of riding on the board, you fall on your hands, on your knees, or on the "fifth point". Therefore, you will need:
- wrist protection;
- knee pads;
- shorts that protect the tailbone.
In addition to the board and boots, Max also lent me wrist protectors from the well-known Padonkovo firm Dakine. Instead of hard plastic knee pads, I used my old soft and elastic neoprene pads. Thus, I only had to buy protective shorts (the simplest ones for 1,500 rubles in the legendary Extreme store) and good XL size Level Gortex gloves. It was an unexpected waste of money, as it turned out that a hand with a wrist guard wearing a wrist guard did not fit into my usual mittens.
When I was carrying a cover with a board and boots home, I felt the first advantage of a snowboard against alpine skis - the board is specifically lighter and about 10-15 cm shorter than the skis. This is a significant advantage during transportation! So, the preparations are over. Time to go!
Sochi - Krasnaya Polyana
Actually, flight number 869 "Moscow-Sochi" of Aeroflot airline departs from Moscow at 9:15 am, but on that day it took off at the beginning of the tenth. Because of this, we flew to Sochi in the first hour of the day and found the lockers located at the station square closed for lunch, which happens to them from 13:00 to 14:00. Because of this, our trip in the Adler-Lazarevskoye train was burdened with two snowboard covers. You probably wondered why we are going with boards to Lazarevskoye ??
The fact is that we decided to make our old dream come true - to swim with dolphins. We were unable to arrange an individual visit with the dolphinarium located in Adler, but the Lazarevskoye Dolphinarium has such a service.
Traveling by bus from Adler to Lazarevskoye is long and tiring, a taxi is expensive, and a comfortable train with soft seats is just right. The train leaves from the Adler railway station at 14:13 and arrives at Lazarevskoye at 16:10. The ticket costs 150 rubles. Exactly on schedule, we arrived at Lazarevskoye, walked about 10 minutes and ended up in the dolphinarium. Half an hour of swimming with the dolphins Klep and Plush passed unnoticed and gave an unforgettable experience. Dolphins are very funny, each with its own character. In general, I advise everyone. This is never forgotten!
We also returned to Adler by train. The time was already late, and Krasnaya Polyana could only be reached by taxi. The market price of the car for today is about 1200 rubles. The ride takes about 30-40 minutes.
For the first time I was in Krasnaya Polyana in 2002. Then in 2005. And finally, the autumn before last, in 2007. The village is changing a lot. Previously, it was an ordinary village, where, on the way to the cable car, tourists were brought to the tasting of honey and mead. Now in Polyana there are several dozen small private hotels and several premium hotels. I think that by 2014 it will be an exemplary mountain village. I would very much like Dombay to be seized by such a fever as well!
Initially, on the recommendation of friends, we planned to stay at Villa Deja Vu, where we booked a standard double room at the price of 3300 per night. But when we arrived, it turned out that the electricity was cut off that evening, and there was no light in the hotel. Our taxi driver quickly got his bearings and offered to see several other "nice places". In one of them, in a private mini-hotel "Tukan" we stayed. Having bargained (after all, now is not the peak of the season!) With the owner Andrey from the initial 2800 rubles to “2200 plus a free pool”, we decided to stay.
At first, we were a little annoyed by the fact that the cable car is quite far from the hotel, located in the very center of the village of Krasnaya Polyana (5 km, taxi drivers charge 250 rubles per car), but it turned out that in Krasnaya Polyana the practice is widespread wherever you live , in the morning and in the evening the owners of the hotel will take you to the ski lifts for free! So, regarding the remoteness of the hotel from the cable car, you don't have to bother.
Looking ahead, I will say that we liked living at the Tukan Hotel. The owner Andrey is a hospitable and intelligent person, the rooms of the second (newer) building are 2-3 * long and overlook the mountains, there is silence around, there is a good bathhouse (1,500 rubles for 1.5 hours) and a 4 * 10 meter pool, they cook there simple and home-style, the price is very humane (a Kiev cutlet with a side dish costs 200 rubles), and the grocery store is only 5 minutes away on foot. All in all, I can recommend this place as a mid-budget place. Why average? Because you can find both cheaper (a room in the "private sector" for 500-700 rubles per person), and many times more expensive (4 * hotels and the like).
Riding on Gazprom
Today, there are three skating rinks in Krasnaya Polyana - Alpika, the Gazprom ski complex and the Gornaya Karusel complex. I quote brief characteristics slopes functioning for the period "winter 2008/2009":
- Alpika - skiing heights from 540 to 2238 m, the length of the tracks is about 15 km, only one cable car (4 lines) with throughput in the "bottleneck" on the third stage there are only 720 people / hour;
- Gazprom - 6 cable cars (including a closed trailer), with a total capacity of 6500 people / hour, 16 routes with a total length of about 12 km, skiing height from 1435 to 900 m;
- Mountain Karusel - 1 cable car with a capacity of 2000 people / hour, skiing altitude from 1450 to 960 m, the length of the tracks is about 5 km.
A full overview of the slopes of Krasnaya Polyana can be found on the website ski.ru. But in my opinion, the first stage of Gornaya Karusel, which is currently in operation, is interesting only at the peak of the season, when the queues for Alpika will be long. Alpica runs are interesting in two ways. Firstly, this is the upper (fourth) stage, where the snow lies until May, and if you have sufficient off-piste skiing skills, you can ride off-piste. The second "feature" of Alpika is again off-piste skiing, but already in the forest. They say (I haven't tried it myself) that this is a very cool thing, but you need to be lucky with the snowfall!
As for us, during our week in Krasnaya Polyana we never made it to Alpika. The fact is that because of the abnormally early spring, there was no snow on the first and second stages, riding in the "troika" is no better than on Gazprom, and the "four" because of the dense cloudiness and avalanche danger was almost all the time closed. So I'd rather tell you about why I liked riding at Gazprom:
- there are two training tracks. Track "C" is completely flat, track "E" on its steepest stretch is already close to "blue";
- the range of tracks from "green" to "black" allows people with different levels of training to ride;
- to the beginning of all trails, at a height of 1400 meters, you are lifted by a closed trailer (gondola) that protects you from the rain;
- excellent infrastructure. There is everything you need. Cafes, ski and snowboard rental, electronic information stand with information about open slopes, operating lifts, avalanche danger, and air temperature.
The first day we rode only on the training slopes "C" and "E", equipped with drag lifts. As a result, by the end of the first day of skiing, I was confidently standing on the board, I could turn tolerably well and not fall on these simple tracks. In principle, we were ready to use the services of instructors (here they cost around 3000 - 4000 rubles for 2 hours of classes), but watching the movie "Simple Movements" downloaded from the Internet turned out to be completely sufficient. Here are the words of Sveta, who had never been in big mountains, and skated only on the slopes near Moscow:
“Yesterday it was +24 and we were walking around Adler in T-shirts. Today we are Polyana, it is raining lightly, and we are going for a drive. We were taken to the mountain by wonderful cabins. I left the booth and this is what I saw: there were mountains and clouds around, Christmas trees and no rain (the first three hours)! Very beautiful! Fresh air (except for snowmobiles =)! There is a lot of snow and it seems to be real =). There are a lot of trails and lifts, everyone rides where he needs to, and not all on the same slope, as in Moscow. As a result, there is no crush on the lift or on the slopes. This is the first time I climbed on the yoke !!! I went the first time! In general, the keywords are LOT and BEAUTIFUL! "
By the third day of skiing, I was already quite confident (without stopping and falling) on the blue tracks (most of all we liked the "D" track). The whole point is that to enter the turn, you need to bend forward with force, down the slope in order to load the toe or heel of your front foot. It really goes against reflexes. Leaning forward and downward, where little people flash by, is scary. On the contrary, one wants to reflexively lean back. Now I understand the meaning of the snowboard joke that "if a person has a front and a hind leg, then this is a border!"
Unfortunately, due to the abnormally warm spring, the red and black "F" slopes were closed, so I personally cannot tell you about them reliably. But I heard from many people who skate well that it is very interesting there!
As an avid skier, I can say that I really liked the snowboard. This is something completely different! Quite different movements. The body works differently; completely different muscles are involved in the work. In a way, it's really more fun. It is a pity that I didn’t manage to try freeriding (I still need to learn more). In short, after skating on the board, I definitely ceased to be an "irreconcilable" skier. I found both the pros and cons of this active method winter holiday... In my opinion, the main advantages of snowboarding compared to skiing are:
- The comfort of snow boots;
- The lightness of the whole set "board + crepes + boots";
- Riding the board does not kill the knees.
However, snowboarding is not perfect. The skier will not like snowboarding very much:
- the absence of sticks when driving to flat areas;
- the need to constantly sit on the snow to fasten the bindings before descending;
- less confident driving on hard and icy slopes;
- it is inconvenient to ride a yoke (if suddenly they come across).
Of course, almost all the pluses are solvable. Some people carry telescopic poles in their backpacks, use step-in mounts, and do not use drag lifts at all =) In general, to each his own. But I will definitely ride the board! It is even likely that I will buy myself burgundy boots and will carry them along with my ski boots to the resorts, and according to the mood and condition of the slopes I will rent or various new interesting models of skis or snowboards. That's more interesting!
Now about Krasnaya Polyana itself. I would say that the main advantages of skiing in Krasnaya Polyana are:
- fast and inexpensive road from Moscow,
- no visa required,
- the highest level of service in the "big mountains" in the CIS.
Perhaps I could recommend skiing in Krasnaya Polyana to people who want to learn how to ski well as quickly as possible. Still, the opportunity to study with a Russian-speaking instructor is worth a lot, no matter how well you know English. And the cost of such a "educational" trip to the Alps, whatever one may say, will be much more expensive. And in our case (when it was impossible to get Schengen) there is simply no alternative to Krasnaya Polyana.
If you are a good skier or boarder, then Krasnaya Polyana is of interest only as an opportunity to go freeride. But snow, as you know, is a capricious thing! Therefore, I would advise you to do the following: buy several plane tickets (for example, in one-week increments, such as February 1, February 7, February 15), and then just keep an eye on the weather. If a lot of snow fell by February 1 - fly, it didn't fall - return the first ticket and wait for the snow to continue. At least this way you will definitely get into the snow and get a guaranteed buzz. For example, Aeroflot accepts tickets for refund with a deduction of only some 30-40 rubles service fee.
But of course, this place is not ideal, like any other. Now, due to the ongoing Olympic construction, the aesthetics of relaxation are greatly affected, and of course it cannot be compared with grooming. alpine resorts... Unlike Europe, where you can “rush to Vienna” or “go shopping in Milan” or even just explore nearby small towns with interest, there is practically nothing to do in Krasnaya Polyana on days off from skiing. I was unpleasantly surprised by the fact that there is no single ski pass for three cable cars. Each company sells a ski pass valid only on their cable car. This is of course the "last century" = (
My advice for those who are going to ride in Krasnaya Polyana:
- The best time to travel is after new year holidays and until mid-March. Ideally, I think, go in the first half of February. Then there are not many people, and most likely there will be enough snow for skiing and at the same time it will not start melting yet;
- Booking hotels online is a mistake and a waste of money. Today, there are enough hotels in Polyana to easily find the best accommodation for yourself and get a discount in personal communication with the hotel management;
- For learning to ride, the Gazprom tracks are ideal, for the advanced level - Alpika.
As for me, despite the disadvantages of Krasnaya Polyana, I will definitely return here immediately after the Olympics, when all the construction waste will be removed, and the total length of tracks after the opening of the Rosa Khutor complex will increase to at least 50 km.
Prices
A week's trip to Krasnaya Polyana cost us 22 thousand rubles per person. Here are the main items of expenditure:
- flight Moscow-Sochi-Moscow by Aeroflot - 4400 rubles per person;
- taxi from Adler airport to Krasnaya Polyana - 1000 rubles per car;
- private mini-hotel "Tukan" - 2200 rubles per day for a standard double room with breakfast;
- a ski pass for one day of skiing on Gazprom - from 1000 rubles on a weekday to 1500 rubles on a holiday;
- lunch on the mountain (soup, sausages, tea) - 800 rubles for two;
- dinner at the Tukan hotel (soup, main course or salad, tea) - 500 rubles for two;
- sauna, 1.5 hours with a broom - 1600 rubles;
- rental of a set "snowboard + boots" - 1000 rubles per day;
- taxi in the village - 250 rubles per car;
- prices for food in a supermarket in Krasnaya Polyana - Moscow;
- swimming with dolphins - 2500 rubles per person for half an hour;
- see the full list of expenses.
Script: unfortunately, there are no photos of skating directly. This is a separate topic, and there was no time to tinker with it. I wanted to ride more =)
Status open tracks can be viewed in the widget in the upper right corner of the site, in the telegram channel gazprom_resort, or in the story of our instagram account @gazprom_resort.
Two ski areas - "Laura" and "Alpika"
The ski pass of the Gazprom resort is valid for 2 ski areas at once! These are 35 tracks of all difficulty levels: green, blue, red and black. For evening skiing, 12 illuminated trails with a total length of 12 km are open - a real romance in the mountains!Skiing on Laura, Alpike or both slopes - it's up to you! Changing slopes using a ski pass is quite simple: the ski areas at the Gazprom resort are connected by lifts. From the lower station of the cable cars "Alpika" (located next to the railway station "Rosa Khutor") you can climb both to the "Laura" (on the cable car A3, type of lift "3S"), and to the "Alpika" (cable cars K1 -K5).
Ride on Laura
Laura- these are cozy trails of all levels, running among the fir forest on the Psekhako ridge. Laura is ideal for teaching beginners:
- track width up to 66 meters - comfortable and safe
- near the mountain shelters "Psekhako" and "Pikhtovaya Polyana" there are children's educational slopes of the school "Morozko"
- qualified instructor services
There are two ways to get to the slope:
- from the lower station of the cable cars "Laura"(next to the stop public transport"Ski complex" Gazprom ") A / A1 cable cars go up the slope.
- from the lower station of the cable cars "Alpika"(next to the Rosa Khutor railway station) the A3 cable car rises up the slope.
Alpic skiing
Alpica- a slope with an extreme atmosphere on the Aibga ridge. Avid riders can show character and hone their skills on the steep black and red trails. It will not be cramped and boring: there is room for maneuver on the wide slopes of the slope with a height difference of 1154 meters!You can get to the slope from bottom station cable carsroads "Alpika"(next to the railway station "Rosa Khutor") on the lifts K1 - K5.
Mountain resort Gazprom is located at Krasnaya Polyana. At first glance, it turns out a little confusing. There is Krasnaya Polyana - locality not far from Sochi. And right there they talk about several resorts: Rosa Khutor, Gorki Gorod and Gazprom. Krasnaya Polyana has become a collective concept. Of course, these resorts are not built in one place and have separate territories. And around national park — Caucasian Biosphere Reserve.
GTZ Gazprom is located on the slopes mountain range Psekhako, 3 km to Krasnaya Polyana. The nearest village is Esto-Sadok. Three rivers - Laura, Achipse and Mzymta - form the natural boundaries of the ridge. The Psekhako ridge itself has a height of 1600 meters.
Ski resort Gazprom- the oldest resort in Krasnaya Polyana (opened in 2008) and is beautiful place for both winter and summer vacation the whole family. 
Sometimes this small mountain tourist complex is called "Laura". Probably by the name of the Laura River, which flows nearby.
Resort infrastructure
The lower level of the resort is at a height 540 m from sea level. Highest point - 1436 m... This resort is considered to be relatively flat, due to the fact that the elevation difference is only about 900 meters... During the skiing season from December to mid-March, snow thickness ranges from 0.5 to 2 m... The longest ski run in the resort - 2390 m... The temperature doesn't drop below -10 degrees... Many sunny days. The width of the tracks reaches 40-50 meters.
The Mountain Tourist Center "Gazprom" includes:
- Hotel complexes "Grand Hotel Polyana" 5 * and "Polyana 1389 Hotel and Spa" 4 *
- Ski and Biathlon Complex "Laura"
- Complex of cable cars and ski slopes
- Service facilities for guests - restaurants and cafes, sports grounds, swimming pools, medical centers and other facilities.
Also read on the website about the resort
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Gazprom resort year-round. In the "high" winter season it works as a world-class ski center, in the "low" season - as a health resort (SPA center, sports training base for athletes, a center for tourism and recreation, including for children), a business center ( corporate events, forums, congresses) and entertainment (festivals, concerts, sporting events) events. 
Trails and lifts
23 well-groomed and modern in technical equipment tracks, laid in the most beautiful places, have been equipped. Their total length is about 20 kilometers. There is lighting that allows you to ride in the evening after sunset.
There are 14 different types of ski lifts at the Gazprom resort: open-chair, drag lifts, closed gondola lifts.
The most notable is the 3S-type gondola high-speed cable car with circular traffic (the longest in the world). It is equipped with 50 cabins for up to 30 people each. 
Along the routes, there are warm rooms where you can change clothes, leave things in a storage room, rent ski equipment or get the help of qualified instructors.
The Gazprom resort proposes to carry out an interesting ascent by cable cars along several excursion routes... Tourists especially like the route “ Panorama of Krasnaya Polyana»With several stops.
The first observation deck
called "Mountain Shelter" Psekhako ", located at an altitude of 1430 meters. From here you can admire an impressive view of the picturesque Aibginsky ridge and the snow-covered peak of the Chugush mountain. 
Further stop at an altitude of 1470 meters. You can visit the largest ski and biathlon complex "Laura", which hosted the Olympic competitions. 
Mountains and glaciers are visible from here national park surrounding the sports arenas of the complex. In summer, a sports and entertainment center is opened here for vacationers.
AND highest point
, which can be reached by cable car, is located at an altitude of 1660 meters - "Pikhtovy Mountain Shelter". 
Track classification
Trails for beginners:
B, C, D, E - 7 runs (green and blue) ideal for beginners. These are, without exaggeration, the best trails for training in Krasnaya Polyana. Most of them are equipped with lighting and are available for guests at night.
Trails for experienced skiers:
F - 8 slopes (black) slopes for the most experienced skiers.
Trails for the whole family:
G, H, I - 8 tracks (green, blue, red) suitable for the whole family. The widest (up to 120 m) and the longest (up to 1900 m) tracks are located here.
The tracks are designed so that you don't accidentally hit the black track with the green one. If you are new to skiing or snowboarding, then choose the C and E drag lifts. For intermediate and advanced levels, the B and D lifts are suitable. If you are already an experienced snowboarder or skier, then the F lift is for you.
On the ski resort Gazprom no trails for extreme skiing and trails for children.
In the lobby of the station on the Psekhako plateau, electronic information boards are installed, which displays information about the state of the tracks and the operating mode of the lifts.
Ticket offices are open from 9-00 to 16-00.
Check the cost of ski passes on the official website. Gazprom resort website http://polyanaski.ru. The daily prices are now quoted starting at RUB 1,600 for an adult and RUB 950 for a child. Seasonal subscription, respectively, 32,000 rubles / 16,000 rubles.
Where to stay
The hotels Grand Hotel Polyana, Polyana 1389 Hotel and Spa, Crystal Hotel are located directly on the site of the Gazprom resort.
In the village of Esto-Sadok, there are other options in more budget hotels, or in the private sector from local residents.
What to do besides skiing
Social and Cultural Center "Galaxy" 
There is almost everything here to spend memorable leisure: Ice Palace, water park, swimming pools, bowling, billiards, restaurants, three cinemas, kids club, the center “Cosmodrome, boutiques and much, much more. This is the main entertainment destination for vacationers at the resort.
Horse rides
Horseback riding routes are designed for riding in the summer and pass through picturesque places: fir forests, alpine meadows, along mountain rivers... On horseback, you can get to places such as the Semiozerie valley, the Kogot waterfall, the Medvezhye Vorota pass. 
Alpine karting
Karting tracks are located on the Psekhako plateau in the most beautiful places overlooking the snowy Mountain peaks... Works both in summer and winter. The cars are made according to German technology and do not roll over. Safety is monitored by instructors. 
Mountain bike park
In summer, you can enjoy extreme skiing on the bike trails. Difficulty levels are different. The total length of the tracks is 5 km, you will pass it in 30 minutes. Some slides require considerable preparation, and some are suitable for beginners.
Caucasian National Reserve
In summer, you can go hiking with an experienced instructor. Visit the picturesque mountain lakes, Engelman's Glade, Aishkhi Pass. Is it possible to walk on your own - check with the office of the national park. 
The place is protected by the state, you have to pay a special fee to enter.
Walking
Summer is long here, from early April to October. You can come to the Gazprom resort on Krasnaya Polyana just to walk in the mountains, ride the cable cars. Hikes with tents for several days are also organized right there.
How to get there
The same “Lastochka” will bring you from the Adler train station or from Sochi to the Krasnaya Polyana station. 
Not far from the station you need to take cable car 3S, which will take you to the Psekhako ridge, where the Gazprom Laura resort is located.
There are also bus routes or take a taxi. By the way, there is an inexpensive taxi in Adler, it used to be called Red, now I don't know how.
At the end of the New Year holidays, Gazprom finally opened the long-awaited red G slopes for skiing, the total length of which is about 6.5 km, and an hour after their opening we were already on the slope, ready to test them personally. Under the cut detailed description this ski area, and my impressions.
I must say right away that these are really RED tracks. And they are wide enough for the most comfortable ride. It is very good to carve velveteen here in the morning. And at the same time, then there is no need to drive a couple of kilometers to the cable car along narrow serpentine sections, as on Rosa Khutor or Gornaya Karusel.
These routes begin from the Pikhtovy shelter at an altitude of 1600 meters, which can be reached either from Gazprom on cable car A2, or from the railway station on cable car A3 (with 30-seat cabins), it will take approximately the same time (a ski pass is also one). If the weather is good, then we strongly recommend taking a ride on the A3 cable car - from it to the Aibga ridge and the rest located on it ski resorts Krasnaya Polyana.
Cable car G
Characteristics of the tracks:
| Track | Length, m | Average width, m | Difference in height, m |
| G1 | 1900 | 53 | 530. |
| G2 | 703 | 59 | 195. |
| G3 | 1650 | 66 | 450. |
| G4 | 1900 | 55 | 610. |
| G5 | 156 | 55 | 40. |
There is no lighting and artificial snowmaking on these routes yet.
Gazprom Route Map
At the top of cable car G (by the way, this is one of the two chairlifts at Gazprom, which are equipped with wind and snow caps), there are 200 meters that can be driven under the cable car (well, this is more likely the case, a paddling pool for freeriders, since the slope is small), then on the technological route you go to the G2 highway (below the technologist there was too little snow under the cable car, now the situation may have changed). Gazprom, we beg you, turn your face to freeride - you see how people like it!
Check out the dodger.
From time to time, you can catch your breath a little by snatching along the powder from the edge of the track. But in general, there is little space from the edges of the highway, everything is covered with safety nets, and the forest is mostly too dense to travel on it.
Uffff…. Finally, the end of the track is coming soon. I must say, this season I first sweated, going down the track.
But the slope of the tracks G1-G3 and G5 is a little weird - a narrow turn on a rather steep section. You may not fit in at speed, and if you drop the speed, you will not reach the end of the rollout, which is also not good. But on the right, behind the net, there is a quite comfortable wide roll-out of the G4 track.
Roll out to the cable car
In the future, from here there will be a transit to the lower station of the cable car F.
Summary: forget about Gazprom for Beginners Only, sharpen the edges - you really need them, and try to ride here. If you love piste skiing, then fun is guaranteed.
Also read about simpler trails starting from the Pikhtovy shelter:.
Already returning back, we noticed new ski and snowboard racks with locks near the entrance to the Pikhtovy shelter. It is activated free of charge by any work ski pass, very convenient. But so far there are only two such racks in the entire resort.
Everything you need for skiing can be purchased at the largest equipment hypermarket:
