The slopes of El Río and Meribel are lit up again every Saturday since this past weekend. The Sierra Nevada resort has inaugurated its night ski season taking advantage of the start of the Christmas holidays.
Among the advantages of skiing at night, is the absence of the typical crowds of the daytime. Without queues at the ski lifts and even many times with a more pleasant temperature for skiing than the central hours of the day, this activity is one of the most popular among the offers of the Sierra Nevada winter resort.
Another unique opportunity to ski at night is to be able to enjoy unique views thanks to the illumination of the track itself and the Pradollano urbanization, or even observe how cars circulate on the access road.
Finally, the opportunity to ski on freshly trodden slopes , under the stars and moonlight, if that night comes out in its splendor.
Night skiing in Sierra Nevada. The slopes of El Rio and La Meribel, one next to each other.
The lighting starts up every Saturday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. In total there are 5.8 kilometers of illuminated tracks, divided between El Rio, 3.3 kilometers in length, and Meribel, which runs parallel for about 2.5 kilometers. The nocturnal zone is divided between the Borreguiles area (2,700 m) and Pradollano (2,100 m), with a drop of 600 meters.
27 years of night skiing in Sierra Nevada
In December 1994 Sierra Nevada launched the night skiing offer for the first time on the El Rio slope . It was the first to do it in Spain, sheltered from what had already been done in other resorts in the Alps and in the United States.
It was in the North American country where night skiing was invented. In 1936, and with gas lamps, one of the slopes of Bousquets Ski Area (Massachusets) was lit thanks to a sponsorship agreement with General Electric, using mercury vapor lamps.
Six years ago, in 2015, Sierra Nevada added the lighting of the Meribel slope , adding since then, the 5.8 kilometers of night skiing that can be enjoyed every Saturday, for 25.50 euros for adults, and € 16.50 for ski pass up to 15 years. Seniors from 60 to 69 years old pay 20.50 euros. Outside of those ranges, it is free.
As the sun sets, night skiing begins in Sierra Nevada
