It's all downhill from here...
As the snow starts falling, Madrid's ski resorts get ready to open their doors
The first snowfalls in central mountain areas have been enough to get the ski resorts around Madrid starting up their chairlifts and dusting down their installations. Three offer alpine skiing - Valdesquí, Navacerrada and La Pinilla (in Segovia) - and one, Navafría (also in Segovia), offers Nordic skiing. For the more impatient, the covered slope at the Madrid Snowzone, in the Xanadú shopping mall, is the only one open all year round.
The December 8 holiday is the date most likely to mark the start of the season, say the managers of some of the resorts around Madrid. Following the good end to the 2010 season, the companies that run them have invested 1.5 million euros in improving the installations. Here's the best of what they offer:
Valdesquí. With 22.13 kilometers of slopes, Valdesquí "starts the season with six chairlifts, five skilifts and two magic carpets for beginners," says technical director Agustín Ramírez. "A total of 12 snow machines are available, situated in the lower part, that maintain the green, or easy, slopes." A daily ski pass costs 37 euros for adults.
Navacerrada. It has 10.7 kilometers of skiable slopes, "but the aim is to reach 16.7 kilometers in the future," explains technical director José Luis Urtubi. With ski passes at 32.50 euros for adults, the resort has four chairlifts and two magic carpets for beginners.
La Pinilla (Segovia). La Pinilla features 22 kilometers of skiable slopes, one gondola lift, three chairlifts, seven skilifts and two beginners' magic carpets. An adult daily ski pass is 35 euros.
Navafría (Segovia). Navafría offers 23.5 kilometers of skiable, tree-lined runs where the snow is packed down by machine. A daily ski pass is just 8.50 euros, which goes up to 23.50 euros with equipment rental - a competitive price says Raúl Gordo, one of the resort managers. "I encourage everyone to do long-distance skiing, which is very safe," he says.
Madrid Snowzone. The slopes at this indoor center are 350 meters long. A daily ski pass costs 36 euros for adults and 33 euros for children.
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