We grabbed lunch on the go and ate in the bus (wrapped meat sandwiches) on our way up the 'White Mountain" Ecriyes Mountain outside Kayseri. The mountain is about 11,000 ft, but gets good snow throughout the winter. Much of the snowmelt runs into an aquifer that provides water to the city. The mountain is an old volcano (last erupted 1 million years ago). The mountain is currently in the first year of a three year massive economic development plan to expand a small existing ski resort. An Austrian company came in with $300 to develop a world class resort. $100 million has already been spent on widening the road up the mountain and it is very nice! When the master plan is complete the resort will employee 5,000 people and have 200 miles of lift capacity.
We were originally supposed to ride a chairlift up to the top of the mountain for a good view, but the weather conspired against us. It was overcast and chilly, and most of the group only packed for the hot sunny weather we are expecting in Ephesus, so only a few even had jackets. We opted to sit in the lodge and look up at the slope as the guide talked to us.
Overlook back toward Kayseri in the valley
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