Mountain Layout — Skiing

Here is a larger, more detailed map.

To be honest, it would be hard to get lost on this mountain unless faced with white-out conditions. The skiing range is not that extensive, but it is wide open and the runs are long and gentle. This is a true cruisers’ delight. The resort boasts an above-treeline vertical of 3,757 feet.

The first lifts take all skiers to the main hub, Borreguiles, about 1,500 feet above the main village. Borreguiles is surrounded by beginner terrain and great teaching slopes.

High-speed quad chairs serve every major section of the mountain, limiting lift lines. In total, 22 lifts open this mellow mountain to skiers. Intermediates can have fun in every fold of the resort, beginners have plenty of space and only experts will find the resort limited.

At Borreguiles, the mid-station of the cablecar rising from the town, the restaurant, café and the main ski school are grouped together. The restaurant has been expanded to handle the midday crowds. The beginner area surrounds this mid-mountain station and the ski school.

If you take the Veleta lift and ski back down toward Borreguiles, you cruise through an intermediate bowl. This route takes skiers past the World Cup race course and the snowboard park. A far traverse to the right will swing you along a ridge that offers some fancy off-piste runs into the Valle de San Juan. But don’t drop too far. You’ll have to get back over the ridge to descend some wide-open faces back to Borreguiles or right back into the main village. Choose your line. If you can see it, you can ski it.

The more spectacular trails are reached by a traverse a little to your right toward 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 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.


Mountain rating
As always, experts can find the tough stuff anywhere. Sierra Nevada has some good challenges in the far bowls and is delightful for strong skiers in the ungroomed areas. Intermediates will be ecstatic. For the most part, this is a mellow beginning and intermediate paradise when sticking to groomed trails. If you enjoy long gentle cruising carving big giant-slalom turns, you will think you are in heaven. You’ll quickly discover that the object here is pure enjoyment, so relax and enjoy the sun.

High season in Spain occurs at early December, Christmas/New Year, mid February and Easter. Middle season is mid January, early and late February and March (except for Easter week). Low season is most of April. In addition, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays draw premium rates.