Ski Resorts
Cataluña: Girona province Ski Resorts
By m.p. - Nov 15, 2007 - 5:28 PM
email this article |
There are four ski resorts in Girona province (Gerona in castellano), with the oldest of them, La Molina, boasting a history which goes back to the early twentieth century, in 1908, when the first skiers were seen on the slopes of the Vall de Núria: the men kitted out as arctic explorers, and the women, in long skirts.
It became more well-known with the first train service in 1922, and then the first ski hotel, which opened in 1925. La Molina was also the first resort in Spain to install a ski lift, in 1943.
The facilities here have been continually updated over the decades, and now offer 53 kilometres of runs, with a system of 390 snow cannons providing artificial snow to 24 kms of the total area. There are 45 pistes in total (11 green, 13 blue, 15 red and 6 black), served by a system of 16 ski lifts, plus three permanent competition stadiums including cross-country, a snowshoe area, quads circuit, speed run, snowboard, and jumps.
Eighty percent of the slopes in Masella, just four kilometres away, run through spectacular forests, looking down onto the Cerdanya Valley, the sunniest valley of the Pyrenees, and with five months, the longest skiing season in the Pryenees.
There are 54 marked pistes here (6 green, 20 blue, 21 red and 7 black), with a system of 380 snow cannons providing artificial snow to 30 kms of runs, all served by 13 ski lifts.
The total skiable area is 65 kms.
Masella is one of the most accessible resorts in the area, and is around a two hours’ drive from the main cities in Cataluña. While independent from La Molina, Masella has joined together with its neighbour to form the Alp 2500 resort, offering a twin-centre pass with a total skiing area of more than 100 kms.
The Vallter 2000 resort is the most easterly of the Spanish Pryenees, lying in the Vall de Camprodon in Setcases. There are 13 runs at this medium-sized resort (2 green, 3 blue, 6 red and 2 black), with a total area of 17.8 kms, and a system of 70 snow cannons providing 7.5 kms of artificial snow. Equipped with eight ski lifts.
Situated in a glacial cirque at a height of 2,000 metres, Vallter looks down onto the Ter Valley, with breathtaking views down to the blue waters of the Mediterranean.
It is popular as a family resort, and is easily accessible for a day’s skiing from Barcelona and Gerona.
The Vall de Núria, in Queralbs, is a small resort specifically geared towards families. It is equipped with 10 runs (3 green, 3 blue, 2 red and 2 black) served by 4 ski lifts, and a system of 47 snow cannons providing six of its slopes with 4.4 kms of artificial snow.
The curiosity here is that the road ends at Queralbs, with the only access to the resort from there a rack (or cog) railway which runs through breathtaking scenery from Ribes de Freser. It has been running since 1931 and is known as the ‘Cremallera de Núria’ – the Zip.
MORE RELATED ARTICLES :
• Three skiers die in an avalanche at the Formigal ski resort - Jan 4, 2008 - 2:21 PM
• Sierra Nevada ski season starts on December 1 - Nov 25, 2007 - 12:45 PM
• Lleida and Barcelona : Cataluña Ski Resorts - Nov 15, 2007 - 5:33 PM
• Aragón – Pyrenees Ski Resorts - Nov 15, 2007 - 5:24 PM
• Aragón – Sistema Ibérico Ski Resorts - Nov 15, 2007 - 5:15 PM