SIERRA NEVADA: 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Let's talk about Sierra Nevada. Better yet, let's talk about Monte del Sol, a name given to it by the Mozarabs. When this region was in the hands of the Romans, they called it Mons Slorius, and hence the final name of its conquerors. Sierra Nevada occupied and occupies a large area of ​​Granada, and enters part of Almería. Not only is it a land of legends of Tartessians, Visigoths and Romans, but it was also a route for silk transport and a refuge for Moors until they were expelled in the 16th century.

But really, the story of how Sierra Nevada became home to one of the most important ski resorts in Spain begins in the 18th century, when it was baptized with that name. At the end of the 19th century, the writer from Granada Ángel Ganivet shared with the world his idea of ​​turning Sierra Nevada into the “Finland of Granada” and thus, in 1912 the Sierra Nevada Association was formed. Some time later, in the 1920s, the great milestone occurred that would accelerate this illusion of the then-deceased writer: the construction of the road whose itinerary is the one that exists today to go up to the station. It would only be a matter of time before someone took the reins of the matter and turned those mountains into a real tourist focus.

Luckily for those of us who love Andalusia and, of course, skiing, a company was in charge of taking advantage of the area and gradually turning it into what it is today. That company is Cetursa and, headed by the Junta de Andalucía, it promoted the practice of skiing on a large scale in 1966 with the construction of the first chairlift that received the name of Parador and with the first hotel in the area. Three years later the Borreguiles gondola lift would open.

The events responsible for Sierra Nevada being considered one of the best ski resorts in the world in the 90s were, in addition to the growing tourism, the celebration of great national and international competitions.

2.SIERRA NEVADA TRACK PLANS

Whether you are going to set foot in Sierra Nevada for the first time or not, we want to show you a map of the slopes and areas of Sierra Nevada where you can see first-hand why it is one of the ski resorts par excellence in Spain .

These are some of the main track areas of the station:

VANE AREA

The Veleta area presents the largest descent on the slope of the Sierra Nevada station, as well as the largest continuous skiable slope. It possesses, as is logical, one of the most beautiful views of the region.

LAGUNA DE LAS YEGUAS

This area has a reservoir that supplies the cannons of the Sierra Nevada station. It receives water from several springs, and several tracks pass through it, which are accessed by the Laguna chairlift.

SHEEP

The Borreguiles area is probably the busiest since two gondolas arrive: Al Aandalus and Borreguiles. In it we can find a great variety of slopes for beginners and family skiing, since it is a place with easy descents, perfect to start falling in love with skiing (in case you haven't done it yet).

TRACK OF THE SEA

Winking at the Andalusian coast and the sea, there is an area in the Sierra Nevada that recreates an ocean... in the most tender way! One of the chairlifts has different figures of marine animals distributed on all the poles. A seahorse, a fish, a prawn... and along the drop zone, there are also elements such as a whale-shaped tunnel through which you can ski.

RUBBERS

This is the area closest to the Parador chairlift and has blue and red slopes. The drawback is that they are usually closed at the beginning of the season due to the lack of snow, and near the end, they become dangerous because the rise in temperatures makes the snow in this area very wet.

LOMA DÍLAR

This area is one of the most fun in the Sierra Nevada. Here we will find the only black slopes in the resort, but it has spaces for all levels. In addition, there is also something here that makes Sierra Nevada even more peculiar: a giant radio telescope.

3. NIGHT SKI

We have already talked on more than one occasion about night skiing. In Spain, this modality can be practiced in some stations, and Sierra Nevada is one of them. Taking into account the map of the areas that we have shown you previously, you should know that there are two slopes that are prepared for night skiing: Maribel and El Río.

To practice night skiing, you need to purchase a ski pass different from the one used for daytime skiing, but it is undoubtedly something worthwhile and constitutes a great tourist attraction. As it is something exceptional and involves an added effort to the logistics of the station, it cannot be practiced every day. That is why Sierra Nevada has its night ski slopes on Thursdays and Saturdays from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

4.WHAT ARE THE ALTITUDE LEVELS OF THE GRANADINA STATION?

Sierra Nevada one of the highest mountain systems in Europe, and that is thanks to the incredible mountains that make it up. There are more than 20 of its peaks that exceed 3.000 meters high, highlighting the famous Mulhacén with 3.482 meters. These are the heights of the station:

• Mulhacen: 3.482 meters.
• Wind vane: 3398 meters.
• Alcazaba: 3.366 meters.
• Sheep: 2.645 meters.
• Pradollano: 2.100 meters.
• Laguna de las Yeguas: 2.100 meters.
• Dílar Hill: 2.100 meters.
• San Juan Valley: 2.100 meters.

5.THIS IS APRES SKI IN SIERRA NEVADA

Many of the Spanish ski resorts are famous, not only for the quality of their slopes, but also for their apreski. This is the case of Baqueira Beret, which we have already discussed in previous articles on this blog, but also of Sierra Nevada. It's still a great way to extend the day and make the most of the fun, homey atmosphere of the seasons. After all, the profile of the skier is usually someone who is adventurous and eager to enjoy themselves, and a terrace and good music will always be a good option.

In Sierra Nevada, the bar located in the Pradollano square called El Cartujano is particularly famous, for its family atmosphere and its famous Andalusian crumbs. However, the first cubata is usually taken in Soho, to later go to places like La Jaima, Tatamka or El Hipódromo . If, on the other hand, you are looking for something much more exclusive, the Lodge will be the perfect option for both lunch and a drink afterwards.

6. WHEN DOES THE SKI SEASON START IN SIERRA NEVADA?

Since each ski resort has different weather and snow conditions, the start dates of the ski seasons vary from one to the other. In the case of Sierra Nevada, the start date of the 21/22 ski season has been November 27 and it always revolves around that day. The closing date, on the other hand, is scheduled for April 24.

7.HOW TO GET THE PASS?

Today there are several options to buy the ski pass at this station. Whether you are thinking of a season ticket or a ski pass for a certain number of days, the Sierra Nevada website allows you to purchase it online. Once at the station, there are machines where it will be worth registering your QR code to get hold of it physically, or to recharge it.

On the other hand, you can also get it at the station itself, but we recommend that you go with time (and patience) because Sierra Nevada is not particularly empty. Do not forget that it is one of the most important in Spain! You will find two ticket offices, one in Pradollano, in the Plaza de Andalucía; and another in the area of ​​Virgen de las Nieves, next to the Los Peñones car park, which is only open on weekends. We recommend, of course, check the schedules on the website, as they may vary depending on the season.

The visitor pass for going up and down by cable car can also be purchased at the station's ATMs.

8. WHERE TO SLEEP IN SIERRA NEVADA?

Sierra Nevada and its surroundings offer a wide variety of lodging options. Whether you choose a high-performance hotel, such as The Lodge or the Meliá, or if you opt for something simpler, among which is El Guerra, all of them will make you feel at home thanks to the kindness of its people, well known.

Yes, it is true that, due to the great influx of traffic that forms on the road going up to the station, we give you two pieces of advice: either get up very early if you are staying outside the station, or that you stay inside the station itself. This option may cost more, but the comfort that not having to take the car gives you is worth it. In any case, in the event that you stay outside the station, don't worry! Although we emphasize again that it is important that you get up early if you do not want to run out of parking space, the cost of which is approximately 20 euros a day.

9. THERE IS A GIANT RADIO TELESCOPE ON ONE OF THE PEAKS OF SIERRA NEVADA

As you hear it: Sierra Nevada has a giant telescope, specifically in the area of ​​Loma Dílar, at 2.850 meters of altitude. It is the IRAM Pico Veleta Observatory, and its function is none other than to study the Milky Way through the waves that reach it. Also, you can visit.

10. WHAT IMPORTANT EVENTS ARE HELD AT THE GRANADINA STATION?

Sierra Nevada is a resort that offers you a large number of events that will lead you to enjoy winter and skiing in the most entertaining way. For those who love professional skiing, Sierra Nevada offers a lot of championships and trophies. Only in the month of March you already have ten competitions where you can participate or see the best enjoying the slopes of Granada. In addition, not only adults will be able to experience the adrenaline of a ski competition, but children will also be the stars. The XVIII María José Rienda Trophy and the Audio Quattro Cup – Carolina Ruiz Challenge 2022 are the two competitions in which the youngest will be able to debut as skiers. Both are held in the Prado de las Monjas de Sierra Nevada.

On the other hand, it seems that little by little music and snow are becoming more fashionable and Sierra Nevada was not going to be left behind. At the beginning of April the Sun and Snow Festival takes place in Pradollano. A three-day event in the Sierra Nevada peaks will offer you an electronic music experience that will leave you speechless with artists like Ame Live, Mano Le Tough or Who Made Who. What are you waiting for to enjoy the amazing views of Sierra Nevada!

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

• WHERE IS SIERRA NEVADA?

Sierra Nevada belongs to the Betic Cordilleras between the provinces of Granada and Almería. As a curiosity, it is the highest mountainous massif in all of Western Europe after the Alps.

• WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE SIERRA NEVADA PASS?

The Sierra Nevada ski pass covers the cost of extending the hotel, medical expenses, reproducing the injured or sick, reinstatement of classes, civil liability and the refund of the ski pass.

• HOW MANY YEARS HAS THE SIERRA NEVADA STATION BEEN OPEN?

The first chairlift installed in Sierra Nevada dates back to 1966, but the Sierra Nevada association was created in 1912

• HOW MANY PEOPLE GO TO SIERRA NEVADA DURING THE WINTER SEASON?

People passing through the Sierra Nevada throughout the winter season are estimated to number around 790.520

• WHERE CAN I EAT IN SIERRA NEVADA?

The restaurants with the highest score where you can eat in Sierra Nevada are Ci Vediamo Restaurant, Titoluigi and Little Morgan Restaurant.

• HOW MANY SKIABLE KILOMETERS DOES SIERRA NEVADA HAVE?

Sierra Nevada has 106 skiable kilometers and 126 slopes, 20 green, 42 blue, 55 red and 7 black.

• WHERE TO PARK IN SIERRA NEVADA?

Sierra Nevada has more than 3.900 public paid spaces distributed in the different car parks of the station. In addition, you can access a parking space through its website and that you already have it reserved.

• WHAT IS THE HOURS OF THE STATION?

The Sierra Nevada resort is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except on Thursdays and Saturdays when two slopes are open for night skiing from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

• WHAT OTHER ACTIVITIES DOES SIERRA NEVADA OFFER?

Other activities offered by Sierra Nevada are Snowmotion in Sierra Nevada, an English Ski School, hiking, getting to know the towns of the region or trying its gastronomy.

• WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GO SKIING IN SIERRA NEVADA?

The best time to go skiing in Sierra Nevada is in the months of February and March because that is when you will find the thickest snow on the slopes as well as the best weather conditions.