Near the province of Trabzon’s border in northeastern Turkey’s Gümüşhane, in the Pontic Mountains, lies a mountain pass known as the Zigana Pass. The pass is located on the route D.885 E97, 2,032 m (6,667 ft) above sea level, 60 km (37 mi) from Gümüşhane and 120 km (75 mi) from Trabzon on the Black Sea coast. It snows on the pass for five months out of the year.
At a height of 1,795 m (5,889 ft) above sea level, the Zigana Tunnel beneath the pass is 1,702 m (5,584 ft) long, 11 m (36 ft) wide, and has a maximum height of 8 m. (26 ft). One of the longest tunnels in the nation is this one.
Zigana, the village’s namesake, is a well-known ski resort and is situated 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) southwest of the tunnel. Access to the nearby Lake Limni can be made on foot through a 3 kilometre (2 mi) trail or by car via Kalkanl village on a 19 km (12 mi) road that is partially unpaved.
One of the most significant routes connecting the Eastern Black Sea to Eastern Anatolia throughout history, the Zigana Mountain Pass on the borders of the Torul district of Gümüşhane, was dressed in her white wedding gown with the snowfall.
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At an elevation of 1,800 metres on the Gümüşhane-Trabzon highway, the Zigana Mountain Pass on the Historical Silk Road was turned white by the snowfall that began yesterday throughout the province and persisted until this morning.
Rainfall caused the area’s pine trees to don their white bridal gowns, and the Highways crews worked until the early hours of the morning to address transportation-related issues. Residents who arrived in the area following the rain captured these moments on their mobile phones, revealing endless panoramas in the region where the deep valleys meet the fog.
A local merchant named Feride Araz claimed that the snow-covered trees in the area were likewise dressed for winter.
Stating that Zigana is a very beautiful geography, Araz stated,
“The most beautiful view of winter is here. Snow, rain, sun are experienced together in 4 seasons here. All sides become pendant from the cold. People come, travel, do their shopping and return. It rained again 15 days ago, and it was two. After that, there is now continuous rainfall. Here there is 1-2 meters of snow. We also have a ski resort up the road. The trees also put on their winter clothes. They are ready for winter and we are ready.”