 Poster: A snowHead
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I've booked a 4-day ski trip in Sierra Nevada for the half-term break.
Has anyone been in the last year or so and have any recommendations, whether for lunch on the slopes (child-friendly), or ski tips (blues and maybe some of the gentler reds) ?
Are ski goggles necessary ? We're flying and I want to reduce luggage to the minimum so I'm wondering whether we can get away with sunglasses?
Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Great, thanks. I'm looking forward to it even more! I'd love to hear back if you make it there soon 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Sorry, other Q re sunglasses - entirely depends on the weather. The resort is quite high so it can get murky on a dodgy day and above the treeline. Check the webcams on the website
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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The blue to the base can get very hard-packed/icy and crowded in the afternoons so I would be tempted to get the bubble back down unless you relish a challenge!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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So, got up there today for first days skiing for two years and one month (not quite counting actually slightly less than none month...)
Considering the drought that Andalucia is under the pistes were absolutely amazing. The snow making must have been working overtime - a sort of Austria feeling on the west facing side - white occasionally slightly brown ribbons surrounded by mountainside in all its glory. Yes, things did get slightly slushy early pm but it was 17C when I sat down for my menu del dia and large beer at 330pm at the base station.
So, a few ramblings.
Thursday - it seemed quite busy with a lot of children out, a few ski instructors doing the french trick of passing them on to each chair to look after but never more than ten in a snake.
A few queues in the morning - no doubt exacerbated by the youngsters and lifts slowing down or stopping to get them on or off. I did pop down to the base station for a pint at 1230 (yes, the first of the day but only one other followed with spanish lunch time as I had a one hour 40 drive back to base).
Going back up c 1245 no queues were noticeable so mainly the ski schools methinks. Quite a lot of parents with kids as well.
How long it stays open if the temperatures stay high but there is a lovely run away from it all going right off the top lift which brings you down to a six seat chair called the Parador (only 6 seat) I think which serves an almost empty car park. Apart from the lovely run - no punters either - I had my six seater in stately isolation.
Also, there is a little used chair, slightly out of the way, from the base station taking you off to the right edge of the resort. By then taking the next chair up there is a terrrain park and some very nice and rather lesser used blues. Also by the second chair is a self service cafe type place which advertises Domino's pizzas 
Sorry emoji called for.
On inspection there are actually a couple of other eating places on the mountain but there are so many within metres of the end of the pistes with such a range and really reasonable prices - why look further. Apart from the noontime beer I skied all day but bailed at about 330pm with the legs completely bushed. The home run was not icy but marginally slushy in places given the temperature and not at all busy.
I did not eat gourmet but had the typical menu del dia at place called Rincon de Maria, sort of thirty yards walk from the end of the piste on the left hand side. Loads of outdoor tables and the sun stayed on them until about 345-50pm. E16.50 for a menu and pint - excellent lentecas - bean stew but actually this was a bean and potato stew with plenty of chorizo floating in it, followed by carne al tomate (pork in a slightly paprika sauce with chips. The price included pudd or coffee but too late in the day for coffee and there was so much earlier I couldnt eat another thing.
Having promised to write a report, it is actually so important to do it whilst the day is fresh in your mind with a little glass of red wine in one's hand.
Oh, and I forgot to mention:
the almond blosson is still out in places and there were some spectacular patches driving up
the underground car park is massive, full of hawkers so lock up everything, and is now number plate recognition so you have to remember the number of your hire car when you go to the machine to pay to exit
there are loads of ski hire shops and ski schools
there is a petrol station on the way down about 10kms from resort and another one just before you get to Granada
the ski ticket purchase arrangements seem rather shambolic - they are rebuilding the vending area (well you would do it in the ski season wouldn't you). You used to be able to buy at self service machines but I am not sure if you can any more (but you can pick up prebooked ones) so you do have to queue at some portacabin windows for someone to serve you from behind massive covid screens
All in all though an absolutely fabulous day - can see myself walking very slowly tomorrow and looking my 65  age
Masks - a lot of half mask going on but in the gondolas mostly in the top gondola statiopn - pretty optionable.
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We were looking at going at the beginning of the April holidays as it is open till the end of April.......but with the current temps and views of the webcams it looking like a much shorter season so we'll not book anything at this stage so we can be flexible and maybe go to VT instead.
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Be careful if its sunny, I've been there in March and seen people absolutely lobstered by the high UV .
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Dan wrote: |
| We were looking at going at the beginning of the April holidays as it is open till the end of April.......but with the current temps and views of the webcams it looking like a much shorter season so we'll not book anything at this stage so we can be flexible and maybe go to VT instead. |
A lot could happen between now and then. Suspect if its scheduled to stay open there'll be snow cannons keeping it open. Its quite high so presume it gets cold in Winter.
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I got back after a lovely few days. Many slopes were closed but there was enough open to help us regain confidence after over 2 years without setting skis on slopes.
We had private lessons with the Swedish Ski School - very well organised and they even arranged the ski passes (after many wasted hours trying to use the sierra nevada online site before departure).
As countryman said, it was pretty fabulous
Apparently they usually get snow in March which allows them to stay open at Easter
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Another tip - I didn't fancy mountain driving so we got the bus from Granada - 45 minutes from the Palacio de Congresos on Tocino autocares (stayed in a hotel nearby to get the 8am bus on day 1).
You need to book though as it was full of fellow skiers.
We also got the bus from Malaga to Granada - which goes straight from the airport but we stayed a night in Malaga to soak up the Mediterranean vibes 
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