Sierra Nevada announces news and improvements for the 2013/14 ski season

The Sierra Nevada ski resort has started the season on a high by opening its doors on Saturday 23rd November, a week earlier than planned.

Visitors to the resort for the 2013/14 season will be able to enjoy a number of new developments and improvements, including a new family area, modernised ski lifts, better quality artificial snow, sports events and a new freestyle park - all at last year's rates. 

The new family area in Borreguiles has a marine theme and is now known as the 'Sea Slope'. There are a number of new 'magic' ski carpets including one that allows youngsters to access the 200-metre-long “El Bosque” slope. On the descent, forest animals and mountains guide the way to igloo camps where children can play in the snow. One of the new mechanical carpets, called the Carihuela, is 40 metres long and can hold up to 1,080 people per hour, taking just over one minute to reach the top.  

The Monachil restaurant now has a children’s club with faster food service for children, small furniture, a play area (which adults are only allowed access to if they have children), a teenage area and an area for school groups who can relax together and have a rest after a full day of skiing. 

The Veleta II lift, which gives visitors access to the family parks, has also undergone an intense service. The lift takes up to 750 people per hour and is the longest mechanical lift in the resort, giving access to the beginner’s area, as well as taking experts to the Zayas ski lift in the Veleta area.

The resort has introduced a new system to reduce ice on the lifts and installed three new snow guns for the area of Loma de Dilar, which will service both the snow park and the Prado de las Monjas slope.

The resort also has a new freestyle park, home to the largest jump and obstacle course in Europe, along with a new “Kids park” with smaller slopes and access for parents. The other new park is called the Progression Park, which features elements such as an inflatable mattress for skiers and snowboarders to practice tricks with four levels of progression, from beginner to professional standard.

Finally, new turnstiles have been installed in the main areas including Al Andalus and Borreguiles, Jara and Virgen de las Nieves to permit quicker access, taking numbers up from 500 to 700 people per hour.