It's time to strap on your snowshoes!

Winter snowfalls leave a precious landscape in the Catalan Pyrenees, wrapped in a white blanket which transforms them into a scene worth delving into.Winter snowfalls leave a precious landscape in the Catalan Pyrenees, wrapped in a white blanket which transforms them into a scene worth delving into.

The most popular sport in the area is skiing, but snowshoeing is catching on fast. It’s an easy way to traverse the mountains while enjoying the luxury that is the silence of nature.

In the Catalan Pyrenees, nearly all ski resorts organise snowshoeing trips. There are even nighttime hikes, like the ones taken at Vallter 2000 or La Molina, which offer a total mountain experience, with a rest in an igloo and a good cup of hot chocolate at the end.

At Port Ainé they organise guided trips through Alt Pirineu National Park and at Espot Esquí you’ll find the Creu de l’Eixol mountain pass route, which will allow you to enjoy the resort's best views; the Nordic ski resorts put over 100 kilometres of snowshoe routes within your reach, and Baqueira Beret offers snowshoe routes across the Beret Plain. One of the most attractive is the one from Orri to Bacivèr Lake. Depart from the parking lot in Orri, on the Beret Plain, and walk nearly four hours through the snow with a 272-metre elevation change.

There are also classes to help you learn how, and if you want to participate in a competition, night races and snowshoe orienteering events are also held.

Snowshoeing in Val d’Aran

Val d’Aran is home to numerous snowshoeing routes for you to get lost in nature and see some of the loveliest snow-covered landscapes in the Catalan Pyrenees. One of them is the one which goes from the Beret Plain to Montgarri. It’s a 10-kilometre trip which will take you to the old town of Montgarri, now uninhabited. Follow the trail along the left bank of the Noguera Pallaresa River, exclusive for snowshoers and skiers. At the end of the journey you can visit the Romanesque sanctuary of Montgarri.

Another snowshoeing route in Val d’Aran, also simple to do, is the itinerary from Bòrda Montadi to Hotel Banhs de Tredòs. This 7.1-kilometre hike crosses the valley of Aiguamòg to Banhs de Tredòs, the highest spa resort in Europe and the gateway to Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park.

Walking through the snow has never been this easy

Although the origin of this footwear dates back to the time before Christ, when it was used to hunt or travel in winter, in the 21st century it has modernised. Today's snowshoes feature movable bindings which make it possible to move the foot freely on the uphills and block it on the downhills. Using them does not require much technique and it is an activity which can be adapted to different levels. Snowshoes are comfortable and easy to use, you only need to take a few steps to get used to it... it’s like walking on snow.

Before setting off on your snowshoe trip, make sure you have comfortable and insulating clothing, sunglasses and ski poles.

A great day of snow awaits you. You still haven’t strapped on your snowshoes?