Ski track in the Bitsevsky forest
The ski slope in the Bitsevsky forest is located in close proximity to the Moscow Ring Road, as well as. In our opinion, the Romashkovskaya track is in many respects better and more interesting than the Bitsevskaya track, with one exception - the ski track in the Bitsevsky forest can boast of the best infrastructure that we have seen before.
How to get there?
By car. To enter the parking lot, you will need to exit from the outside of the Moscow Ring Road at kilometer 37, immediately after the pedestrian crossing, before reaching the “Bitsa” recreation area stop. Exit GPS coordinates: 55.5874N 37.5452E
If you have passed this turn, then drive to the next one. True, there you will have to go “under the brick” at your own peril and risk. The traffic here is one-way. At kilometer 37 we enter, at kilometer 36 we leave.
By public transport. From the Yasenevo metro station, take buses No. 165 or No. 202 to the “Bitsa Recreation Area” stop.
Parking. Parking in the Bitsevsky forest is very large and free. And it even looks guarded; at least there are booths and a barrier at the entrance. The only negative is that the snow on it doesn’t seem to be cleared. We advise you to calculate your capabilities if your car has velcro tires.
Infrastructure
When it comes to creating comfortable conditions for cross-country skiing enthusiasts, the track in Bitsa probably has no competitors. There are a lot of buildings for various purposes here that belong to the Alfa-Bitsa sports club.
Right at the starting field they sell the equipment skiers need, lubricants, ointments and even clothes.
Nearby there is a small cafe with kebabs and hot drinks. You can have a snack without taking off your skis.
A little further away there is a rental point and a service center. Renting a set (skis, boots and poles) will cost an adult from 300 rubles for the first hour and 100 rubles for each next. For children 100 and 50 rubles respectively. A locker and changing rooms are provided free of charge to store your belongings. The rental is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm.
Professional ski lubrication at a ski service will cost from 1000 rubles. On weekends the service operates from half past eight in the morning until late in the evening.
Locker rooms are open from morning to 10 pm. In the evening, you will have to pay 50 rubles for locker room services.
I would like to note the presence of gazebos, next to which there are barbecues. After a good ski run, you can have a nice winter picnic.
They didn’t forget to create a sports complex and a children’s playground. While one adult is skating, another can entertain the children on the playground.
Starting clearing
The starting point for the ski trip starts from a large clearing. In fact, this is not a clearing at all, but the frozen surface of the Upper Znamensky Pond on the Bitsa River. Therefore, the starting clearing is located in a lowland, and here you can have a hearty ride down the hills.
Route
We tested a five-kilometer section of the Bitsevskaya ski slope. The route is quite winding and runs along the side of a hill. The ascents and descents are gentle, in our opinion, this section is ideal for those who are already bored of riding on the plains, but are still a little scared to climb steep hills.
In addition to the smallest one of five kilometers in Bitsa, there are several longer routes. Judging by the scheme, they are just as confusing. The maximum length of the distance is 24 kilometers.
The authorities have plans to create a large multi-sports park on the territory of the Bitsevsky Forest, which will appeal to fans of cross-country, cross-country skiing, biathlon, trail running and other sports. But, as usual, part of the territory will have to be sacrificed; they plan to give it away for development.
But let's get back to the present. It is very crowded here, due to the proximity of the route to Moscow. Thanks to the presence of fairly gentle slopes, young athletes learn to slide down hills here.
The track has ski tracks for both classic and skating. The routes are laid by Buran and sometimes by snowcat. In Bitsa we met a lot of athletes, in tight suits and professional skis, boots and the like, but there is also a place for amateurs. Nobody bothers anyone.
All types of trees typical for the Moscow region grow in the Bitsevsky forest. Some spruce trees in the forest are over 100 years old. In Soviet times, the Bitsevsky forest park belonged to the southwestern forest protection zone of Moscow. At that time, each district of the capital had its own “sponsored” recreation areas. Bitsa was considered a recreation area for the Moskvoretsky and Sovetsky district councils.
As we have already noted, the route is winding, the climbs end with a turn and a descent. Unfortunately, there are no markings on the ski track in Bitsa. Therefore, in order not to get confused, we recommend that you be careful. And there are a lot of people skiing here, you can always ask about the way back.
Every year in Bitsa an evening ski race is held in memory of Vasily Smolyanov. A mandatory condition for participation is the presence of a headlamp. If the light stops shining, the participant must leave the track.
Vasily Smolyanov was the creator and manufacturer of the Vasko headlamp. Organizer and judge of many skiing, cycling and orienteering competitions. In 2012, Vasily was hit and killed while riding a bicycle.
Sometimes the ski track leaves the forest and enters clearings and edges overgrown with hogweed. It’s not as cozy here as in the forest, the wind blows, smoke and steam from Moscow chimneys are visible.
And Moscow itself is visible quite well, if not for the high-rise buildings in the residential areas, the whole city would be clearly visible from here. After all, the route passes through the Teplostan Upland. Here, a few kilometers away, in Uzkoy, is the highest point of our capital - 255 meters. The ski track in the Bitsevsky forest passes through Mount Vysokaya (235 meters above sea level).
But the most beauty, of course, is in the forest. Young fir trees covered with snow stand guarded by tall ash and linden trees. They are gaining strength, several years will pass and the spruces will already tower above other trees. And then a hurricane will come and knock them down too, to make way for the young shoots. The main thing is that a person does not destroy or interfere.
So our walk has come to an end. We returned to the starting point again, to the pond on the Bitsa River. The reservoir is formed by a five-meter dam; even in winter, the water on the dam does not always freeze, forming a small waterfall.
Bitsa River. It originates from the springs of the Teplostan Upland in Moscow, crosses the Moscow Ring Road and flows into Pakhra. The length of the river is 24 kilometers. The origin of the name Bitsa is unclear. One version believes that from the Russian word “bitsy” - a place of fight, murder, massacre. According to another version, this word has roots in the Baltic languages and means “bee”.