SnowStash
ForecastsCompareNews
SnowStash Logo

Live snow, webcams and expert resort guides for the world's mountains - plan your next day on snow.

hello@snowstash.com
Download on the App Store

Destinations

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Europe
  • Japan
  • New Zealand
  • United States

Company

  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Privacy Policy

Explore

  • Compare Resorts
  • News & Updates
  • Snow Forecast
  • Mobile App

© 2026 SnowStash. All rights reserved.

    Spain, Europe

    Baqueira Beret

    Ski Spain's best resort — 165km of Pyrenean terrain, Atlantic snowfall and 36 lifts across four sectors in the Val d'Aran.

    Season 2025 - 2026
    Opens
    12 Dec 2025
    Closes
    21 Apr 2026
    Days open
    130
    Annual snow
    5m
    The Overview
    MF
    Michael Fulton
    Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.

    Baqueira Beret is Spain's best ski resort and the undisputed benchmark for Pyrenean skiing, spreading across four interconnected sectors — Baqueira, Beret, Bonaigua and Baciver — with 165km of marked pistes and 114 runs spanning a vertical drop of 1,110m. Set in Catalonia's Val d'Aran at elevations between 1,500m and 2,610m, the majority of terrain sits above 2,000m, a key factor in the resort's consistently strong snow record across a season that runs from December through to late April. The terrain breakdown is weighted firmly toward intermediate and advanced skiers, with 38% blue, 43% red and 15% black, alongside dedicated beginner slopes and 7km of groomed Nordic trails at the Pla de Beret.

    What sets Baqueira Beret apart from most ski resorts on the Iberian Peninsula is its Atlantic-facing position on the northern side of the Pyrenees — a geographic quirk that draws in moisture-laden storm systems from the Atlantic and Arctic, producing both reliable snowfall and snow depths that frequently exceed those of comparable French and Spanish resorts. The resort celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2024, having grown from a single chairlift in 1964 into a modern mountain operation with 36 lifts and a lift capacity exceeding 61,000 skiers per hour. Baqueira has long been the winter destination of the Spanish royal family, who maintain a private residence in the Val d'Aran — a fact that speaks to both the quality of the skiing and the character of the surrounding valley.

    1110m
    Vertical
    114
    Runs
    165 km
    Piste
    5m
    Annual snow
    The Terrain

    114 runs across 165 km of piste

    Baqueira Beret spreads 114 runs across 165 km of piste of terrain. It leans advanced at 43%, with 5 beginner runs to find your feet and 66 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.

    Terrain split
    114
    runs
    114 runs across 4 grades
    Beginner5 runs · 4%
    Intermediate43 runs · 38%
    Advanced49 runs · 43%
    Expert17 runs · 15%
    Time it right

    When to visit Baqueira Beret

    Baqueira Beret operates from December through to late April, with the 2025/26 season scheduled to close on 21 April. The resort records an average annual snowfall of around 5.2 metres, driven by its unique position on the Atlantic-facing northern slopes of the Pyrenees, which channel weather systems directly onto the mountain from the northwest. The snowiest period typically falls in late January and early February, with February historically delivering the most consistent powder conditions. High-altitude terrain above 2,000m — which accounts for the majority of the ski area — maintains snow quality well into spring, while the north-facing Cara Nord slopes at Baciver and Beret are renowned for preserving cold, dry snow long after lower-elevation areas in the range have softened.

    The resort's southern latitude in Spain means skiers benefit from an average of one extra hour of daylight compared to equivalent-elevation resorts in the Alps, extending productive skiing time on clear days. The Beret sector's broad, sheltered plateau is particularly well suited to spring skiing, offering open blues and reds on terrain that basks in morning sun. Baqueira's season total snowfall for 2025/26 has already reached 489cm by early March, reflecting the kind of deep-winter accumulation the resort is known for in strong years. For those chasing optimal conditions, January through March delivers the most reliable combination of snow depth, temperature and trail coverage.

    Season 2025 - 2026
    12 Dec 2025
    Opens
    21 Apr 2026
    Closes
    130
    Days open
    5 m
    Annual snow
    Getting there

    Getting to Baqueira Beret, and where to stay

    Baqueira Beret sits at the head of the Val d'Aran in the Lleida Pyrenees of Catalonia, positioned uniquely on the northern side of the Pyrenean watershed — geographically oriented toward France rather than the Spanish interior. This orientation places the resort within an Atlantic-influenced climatic zone that is distinct from most Spanish mountain destinations and more comparable to the snowier northern faces of the French Alps. The nearest major international airport is Toulouse-Blagnac in France, approximately two hours by road, making Baqueira one of the more accessible high-quality ski resorts in Spain for travellers arriving from northern Europe. Barcelona El Prat Airport is around three to four hours by car via the C-28 and N-230 routes.

    The Val d'Aran retains a strong cultural identity built around Aranese — a Gascon dialect spoken nowhere else in Spain — along with Catalan and Castilian, giving the valley a character that feels markedly different from other Spanish ski regions. The main resort base at Baqueira 1500 is purpose-built in timber and stone, designed to blend with the valley's traditional architecture rather than replicate the concrete-block aesthetic of many European ski stations. The surrounding valley towns of Vielha, Arties and Salardú are within 15–20 minutes of the lifts and offer a strong selection of accommodation, restaurants and après-ski drawing heavily on Catalan and Aranese culinary traditions. The resort is also home to Spain's only commercial heliski operation, based out of Vielha.

    Where to stay

    Search all stays →

    Hotels and lodges near Baqueira Beret, powered by Stay22.

    Latest News

    From the SnowStash desk

    View all news →
    Maverick Mountain's Only Chairlift Destroyed as Sand Creek Fire Tears Through Montana Ski Area

    Maverick Mountain's Only Chairlift Destroyed as Sand Creek Fire Tears Through Montana Ski Area

    Firefighters saved every base building at Maverick Mountain, Montana, but the resort's sole chairlift didn't survive the Sand Creek Fire. Owners Erik and Kristi Borge say the lift is "most likely" out for the 2026/27 season after flames tore through the mountain on August 8. The wildfire has since grown past 27,700 acres with zero percent containment. It's a gutting result for the tiny, one-lift operation near Dillon - though the lodge, groomers and equipment all made it through untouched.

    15 Aug 2026
    Spain Moves to Ban Smoking at Ski Resorts Under New Tobacco Law

    Spain Moves to Ban Smoking at Ski Resorts Under New Tobacco Law

    Spain's government has approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking across a wide range of outdoor spaces, including sports venues - a category Spanish winter sports media expect to cover ski resorts, potentially extending to slopes and lifts themselves. The rules would also apply to e-cigarettes and vaping devices, even nicotine-free ones. The bill still has to clear the Spanish parliament before any ban, signage, or fines can take effect.

    22 July 2026
    South Tyrol Approves New 16-Person Ciampinoi Gondola in Val Gardena

    South Tyrol Approves New 16-Person Ciampinoi Gondola in Val Gardena

    South Tyrol has approved a full rebuild of the Ciampinoi cable car in Selva di Val Gardena, replacing the current 12-person gondola with a 16-person cabin and a new mountain-station restaurant. Capacity is capped at 3,200 people an hour rather than the 3,600 the operator wanted, and 250,000 euros must go toward compensatory measures. No construction or opening date has been set, though the upgrade is partly aimed at clearing bottlenecks before the 2031 Alpine Ski World Championships.

    22 July 2026
    Resort Spotlight: Hoshino Tomamu - Corporate Japan's Mountain Playground Revisited

    Resort Spotlight: Hoshino Tomamu - Corporate Japan's Mountain Playground Revisited

    Hoshino Tomamu is the ski resort equivalent of a conference hotel that happens to have excellent powder. Built for corporate retreats and package tourists, it offers genuine Hokkaido snow on surprisingly limited terrain - 29 runs spread across 585 vertical metres.

    21 July 2026
    La Thuile's New Cable Car Replaces Two Ageing Chairlifts

    La Thuile's New Cable Car Replaces Two Ageing Chairlifts

    La Thuile is spending 38.7 million US dollars on a new 10-person cable car linking Les Suches to Chaz Dura, replacing the La Combe and Chaz Dura chairlifts after nearly forty years of service. Built by Leitner, the new cable car runs 1,950 metres to a top station at 2,576 metres, carrying up to 3,000 people an hour with a six-minute ride. It also improves the connection to La Rosiere in France via the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass, and is on track to open for the 2026/27 season.

    21 July 2026
    The Remarkables Adds Scarpa Bowl to Its Inbounds Terrain

    The Remarkables Adds Scarpa Bowl to Its Inbounds Terrain

    The Remarkables is adding new inbounds terrain for winter, bringing the Scarpa Bowl - known locally as the Toilet Bowl - into its lift-accessed network after years as backcountry-only ground. The roughly 500 metre run is reached by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, with a shuttle picking skiers up from the road at the bottom. It's a smaller, faster addition than the resort's planned Doolans expansion, though the new terrain hasn't opened yet due to a lack of snow this season.

    21 July 2026
    Ski Portillo Cut Off After Storm Dumps More Than 4.5 Metres of Snow

    Ski Portillo Cut Off After Storm Dumps More Than 4.5 Metres of Snow

    Ski Portillo remains isolated after an extended storm buried the Chilean resort under more than 4.5 metres of snow, with both ground and air access suspended since Tuesday while crews monitor avalanche hazards and worsening weather. Resort officials say further snowfall is expected in the coming days and haven't set a timeline for reopening the mountain road. Once access resumes, the scale of the snowpack could set up a strong season at one of the Southern Hemisphere's most historic ski resorts.

    21 July 2026
    Resort Spotlight: Lotte Arai - Japan's Corporate Ski Anomaly With 22 Metres of Annual Snowfall

    Resort Spotlight: Lotte Arai - Japan's Corporate Ski Anomaly With 22 Metres of Annual Snowfall

    Lotte Arai receives 22 metres of annual snowfall - exceptional even by Japanese standards - but its corporate ownership model and limited terrain create an unusual cost-benefit equation. Here's what the numbers actually mean on the ground.

    19 July 2026

    Trail map & terrain

    Baqueira Beret trail map↓ Download PDF
    Terrain split
    114
    runs
    Beginner4%
    Intermediate38%
    Advanced43%
    Expert15%
    165 km of piste
    Resort Stats
    Elevation
    Base1500m
    Summit2610m
    Annual snowfall
    5m
    Season
    2025 - 2026
    12 Dec 2025 - 21 Apr 2026
    Trail coverage
    114 runs
    165 km

    About Baqueira Beret's trail map

    Explore Baqueira Beret's full trail map with 114 runs across the mountain, colour-coded by difficulty and shown alongside the terrain split. Use it to plan a day that matches your ability, find lift-served pockets of your favourite grade, and see how the resort links together. Download the piste map (PDF) ↗

    More Baqueira Beret intelligence: snow report, lift system, webcams, resort overview.