Only 70 minutes from The Costa Tropical, 2 hours from the Costa del Sol and high above the ancient city of Granada lies the Ski Village of Sierra Nevada.
A leisurely drive through some of the finest and most beautiful countryside Spain has to offer. Rugged mountain passes, fields of Almond trees - wonderful in January and February when the pink perfumed blossom is at its best. Over fast running rivers, past huge man made lakes - you will be astonished!!
It would be difficult to get lost on this mountain. The skiing range is not that large, but it is very open, and the runs are long and gentle. This is a true cruisers’ delight. The resort enjoys an above treeline height of some 3,757 feet.
The first lifts stops at the main hub, Borreguiles which is 1,500 feet above the village of Sierra Nevada. Borreguiles is surrounded by Nursery slopes.
The resort has just undergone a major series of improvements that has added new lifts and other amenities in recent times. High-speed chair lifts serve all of the main sections of the mountain, limiting lift lines. In total, 19 lifts open the mountain to skiers. Intermediates can have fun in all areas of the resort whilst beginners have plenty of space and only expert skiers will find the resort slightly limited.
At Borreguiles, the first-stop of the cable car rising from the village, the restaurant, café and the main ski school are grouped together. The restaurant is spacious and well equipped, able to deal easily with large numbers. The beginner area surrounds this mid mountain station and the ski school. A new triple chair lift will serve the section of the mountain devoted to the World Cup Super G and Slalom race courses.
If you take the Veleta lift and ski back down towards Borreguiles, you cruise through an intermediate bowl. This will take you past the World Cup race course and the snowboard park.
However the more spectacular trails are reached by venturing a little to the right and towards the Olimpica run that slices down the Laguna de Yeguas bowl. Here, 2,300 vertical feet of more challenging intermediate terrain and wide-open snowfields beckon. The visuals are dramatic with the cliffs ringing the bowl and the stunning snow. There are trails packed by snowcats, but the real dream is diving into the ungroomed powder. This is an excellent off-piste itinerary called Tajos de Virgen that provides great views and challenge.
Below Borreguiles, when the snow is good, better skiers can drop down the Loma Dilar section of the resort and find some acceptable steeps or search for short steeps below the Borreguiles midstation.
Not a serious challenge to the expert skier but for the most part a mellow beginner's and intermediate's paradise. If you enjoy cruising, carving big GS turns, you will think you are in heaven. You’ll discover that the object here is pure enjoyment, so relax and enjoy the sun.
High season in Spain occurs at Christmas/New Year, mid February, and Easter. Middle season is late January, early and late February, and March (except for Easter week). Low season is early December and most of January. In addition, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays draw premium rates
