Time to put on your snowshoes

The most widely practiced sport in the area is skiing, but it is increasingly common to become hooked on snowshoeing excursions. They are an easy way to walk around the mountains, enjoying the luxury of nature’s silence.

In the Catalan Pyrenees virtually all ski resorts organise snowshoeing outings, even at night-time such as those available in La Molina and Vallter 2000, which offers a comprehensive mountain experience that includes resting in an igloo and ending with a nice cup of hot chocolate.

In Port Ainé and Espot Esquí they organise guided excursions around the Alt Pirineu Natural Park; in Tavascan you will find some that start in the refuge of La Pleta del Prat, and Baqueira Beret offers snowshoeing routes around the Pla de Beret plain. One of the most attractive ones goes from Orri to Lac de Bacivèr. It departs from the Orri car park in the Pla de Beret and involves around four hours of walking on snow with a gradient of 272 metres.

There are also courses on offer for learning to walk on snow and, if you wish to take part in a competition, night-time contests and snowshoeing orientation courses are also held.

 

Walking on snow had never been so easy

While the origins of this footwear goes back to a time before Christ, when they were used for hunting or moving around in winter, in the 21st century they have been modernised. Today’s snowshoes are fitted with mobile fixings that allow you to freely move your feet for climbing slopes and block them for descending. Using them does not require a great deal of technique and the activity can be adapted to different levels of skill. Snowshoes are comfortable and easy to use; you just need to take a few steps to become accustomed… it’s like walking on snow.

To do an excursion on snowshoes you need to equip yourself with comfortable, well-insulated clothing, sunglasses and ski poles.

You can look forward to a great day out in the snow. Not wearing snowshoes yet?

 

Caminar per la neu mai havia estat tan fàcil

Encara que l’origen d’aquest calçat se situa en els temps abans de Crist, quan s’utilitzaven per caçar o desplaçar-se a l’hivern, al segle XXI s’han modernitzat. Les raquetes actuals han incorporat fixacions mòbils que permeten moure el peu amb llibertat a les pujades i bloquejar-lo a les baixades. Fer-les servir no requereix gaire tècnica i és una activitat que es pot adaptar a diferents nivells. Les raquetes són còmodes i fàcils d’utilitzar, només necessites fer unes passes per acostumar-t’hi… és com caminar sobre la neu.

Per realitzar una excursió amb raquetes cal equipar-se amb roba còmoda i aïllant, ulleres de sol i bastons d’esquí.

T’espera una gran jornada de neu. Encara no t’has calçat les raquetes?

SNOWSHOEING OUTING

Gran Pallars - Port Ainé

In het gewest Pallars Sobirà, onder het waakzame oog van de berg Orri, ligt het skigebied Port Ainé te midden van uitzonderlijk natuurschoon, dat een ideale omlijsting is om van de wintersport te genieten. 

More info

Vallter 2000

Het gezellige familieskigebied Vallter 2000 kijkt uit over de Middellandse Zee en combineert afwisselende afdalingen met interessante tochten. 

More info

Baqueira Beret

Baqueira Beret is het grootste skigebied van Spanje. 

More info

La Molina

Het oudste skigebied van Catalonië en Spanje ontstond een eeuw geleden met de aanleg van de eerste skilift in La Molina. 

More info

Gran Pallars - Espot

Het in de onmiddellijke nabijheid van het Nationale Park Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici gelegen skigebied Espot Esquí wordt omgeven door dichte bossen en biedt skiërs een rustige sfeer zonder massa’s.

More info