Telegram users are outraged by the introduction of new fees for visiting Sochi ski resorts.

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As of May 1, access to ski resorts in Sochi's Sochi National Park zone has become a paid service. A single pass costs 250 rubles and is valid for one visit only. The introduction of another fee has outraged commenters on the Telegram messenger.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," a single ski pass has been introduced at the Sochi ski resorts since the beginning of the year, covering all ski areas at Rosa Khutor, Gazprom Polyana, and Krasnaya Polyana.

Visiting the Sochi National Park areas within the ski resorts has been subject to a fee since May 1st. The price is 250 rubles per person. The new rules apply to the areas of Krasnaya Polyana, Rosa Khutor, and Gazprom Polyana, 93.ru reported on May 3rd.

Admission to these areas is separate and is not included in the price of ski passes or walking tickets. Passes are checked at the upper cable car stations; failure to provide a document carries a fine of three to four thousand rubles.

A purchased pass is valid for one visit only and only covers recreational and economic zones. To visit popular natural sites like the 33 Waterfalls or the Volkonskoye Gorge, you will need to purchase separate tickets – 300 rubles for each route.

The news about the introduction of a new entrance fee to the national park has garnered 258 comments on the "ChP Sochi" Telegram channel, mostly critical. "Entrance fee to the forest on top of the lift fee + a fine [...]. Where's the logic? Where's the park map with the zones we're paying for? Until it's there, this isn't nature conservation, it's extortion," wrote Andrey "the quiet hunter." His comment has garnered over 200 likes.

Commentators are asking why the fee is being charged and where the money is going. "They're doing everything they can to get normal people to leave Russia," opines Sun. "Now you'll get mad, jinx it, and they'll make air in Sochi paid for. Like, there are no factories, newspapers, or steamships," Alenka quips. "And what are the national parks raising money for?" Alex asks. "Soon, to leave your house in Sochi, you'll have to pay a QR," predicts Dmitry Anisimov. "Soon they'll hang a meter on our noses for every breath," Kristina writes to Kristina.

"These thieves extort money from every waterfall, every stream, every canyon. But they've done nothing for people's safety since 2010. The paths in Agurskiye and Samshitovaya are in disrepair, and [...]. Why isn't the local prosecutor's office dealing with these beggars?" asks Sergey Kop. "Now they'll wait for the beaver to grab it, and then, in a year or two, they'll lock him up, and the property, 'hard-earned,' will go to the state," Alenka replies.

Fees for visiting natural sites should have some purpose, like cleaning up the area, commentators believe. "The same goes for the 33rd waterfall. Since when is there an entrance fee? To see the waterfall? To see what nature has done? Why do you have to pay for that? I don't want to drive a UAZ with who knows who, pay for a tour, for food, and then also for entrance to a natural area to see not 33 waterfalls, but 33 streams. They're ripping off everything they can," slipkorn complains. I'd understand if the trails were maintained... Everywhere where the national park's booth stands, there are utterly destroyed trails, broken boards, railings, fallen trees, dead wood, and a complete mess... And they ask volunteers to clean up the trash. What does the national park charge money for?" Olga wonders.

"If the land on which the ski resort and trail are built were removed from the national park, with cadastral records, then on what basis is the entrance fee being charged? Either the resort was built illegally on national park land, or charging tourists fees is illegal—make up your mind. There's a cadastral record, a property passport, and national park boundaries. How big does this latest story of national park extortion have to get for officials to respond?" Mikhail asks.

Some users suggested creating and signing petitions, but this idea didn't generate much interest. "Petitions? Hmm... I remember the times when petitions collected 100k+ signatures and all that. "They wiped their asses with petitions, it doesn't work," Alexey regrets.

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