Ski in Soldeu el Tarter

Skiing in Soldeu el Tarter

Soldeu el Tarter (Grandvalira), Andorra (1710m to 2560m)

Typically lively, high value, friendly Andorran resort with a larger than average ski area. The biggest investor in skiing in the Pyrenees during the 1990s, the resort added a new 8 seater gondola for the 1996/97 season and new hotels. A skiing link with Pas de la Casa and Grau Roig was completed in 1997/98 and has been subsequently improved. The two areas finally issued a joint lift ticket - Grandvalira - for the first time for the 2003-4 season. Investment for 2000 included three new six-seater chairs, immediately placing the resort in the world top five for numbers of this type of lift at the time. Soldeu is a modern, dynamic resort with picturesque scenery surrounding and the only ski area with ISO 9000 quality award status, a lot of competitions are organised each season and there are some first rate mogul/bumps slopes. The second base at El Tarter is more traditional.

Soldeu el Tarter

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Soldeu el Tarter Ski Facts

Soldeu el Tarter Ski Facts

		Expert Skiers
		Intermediate Skiers
		Beginners
		Snowboarding
		Snow
		Apres-ski
	23	Black Runs
	37	Red Runs
	32	Blue Runs
	18	Green Runs
92km		Downhill Pistes
29		Ski Lifts
850m		Max Vertical
2560m		Highest Lift
1750m		Resort Altitude
1710m		Lowest Piste

Soldeu el Tarter

The Andorran ski resort of Soldeu el Tarter is part of the Grandvalira Ski Area with access to 286 individual pistes. In addition to the skiing in Soldeu el Tarter itself (92km of pisted ski runs), the appropriate ski Lift Pass will allow you to ski or snowboard in the other Grandvalira ski resorts of Canillo, Encamp and Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig.

The ski resort itself is above 1500m, so skiing or boarding back to the resort is usually possible. With pistes above 2500 metres, skiing and snowboarding is assured throughout the season.

Snowmaking :- Soldeu el Tarter is able to augment natural snow, on 90km of ski runs, with 1097 Snow Cannons.

Ski Lift Capacity :- The 29 Ski Lifts of Soldeu el Tarter are able to uplift 45,000 skiers / snowboarders per hour.

Skiing in Soldeu el Tarter

The ski area is accessed by parallel chair and gondola lifts from the two bases at Soldeu and El Tarter, giving at least four choices to get up to the above-treeline terrain first thing in the morning, minimising queues. There are two large ski areas specifically designed for beginners at Els Espiolet in Soldeu and Riba Escorada in El Tarter and more than 160 multi-lingual teachers ready to give advice. Beginners will soon progress on to the gentle slopes of Solana del Forn above the resort. Intermediates will enjoy Soldeu's skiing the most, with predominantly easy and intermediate trails to enjoy.

The lift link to Pas de la Casa and Grau Roig opens up 200km (125 miles) of terrain best suited to intermediates. Expert skiers have eight trails to choose from and a drag lift serving the off piste terrain of Pic d'Encampadana. Here you will find a snowcat operation, unique to the Pyrenées, bringing off-piste powder to those who want it. It may be unique to the world in that the service is offered free of charge to lift pass holders without supplement. The resort announced a huge investment in new lifts and other infrastructure improvements for the millennium season. Soldeu built three new six-seater chairs all located to service the large snowfields above the treeline directly above Soldeu and neighbouring village of El Tarter. The lifts accessed 8 newly created trails (5 blues and three reds) adding 11km (6.5 miles) of terrain. A new quad, Les Solanelles also accessed some of these new trails and creates and also improves the link over to Pas de la Casa and Grau Roig.

An eight seater gondola links a third base village, Canillo, into the system, running from a base at 1500m up to 2100m where a new complex, El Forn, is being developed to include nursery school, ski school and restaurant. A quad then takes you further up to 2465m. A beginners area is also serviced by a short slow quad - North American style. The area also features a new drag lift and two new runs (blue and red). Soldeu's ski school manages heli-skiing excursions, snowcat and off-piste ski lessons if you need them and can also offer telemark and snowboarding tuition.

Snowboarding in Soldeu el Tarter

A natural choice for 'boarders, including from an après ski perspective, Grandvalira has great free riding terrain with natural jumps above the treeline and then great fun descents down through the trees. The access to the slopes by chair and gondola is also very 'boarder friendly and the resort's positive attitude to the sport on and off the slopes has been rewarded in hosting several top international events in recent seasons.

There's a half pipe and boarder cross and an additional natural half-pipe. For first timers the separate beginners areas and specialist ski school offer an ideal combination to get you 'boarding.

Pas de la Casa/Grau Roig's snowpark and half pipe Coma III in the Grau Roig area in the main meeting place for boarders and this is also where the new high speed 6-seater has been installed. Andorra is a country which has been welcoming snowboarders since the sport began to take off in the 80s. Consequently, many of the major surf and boarder cross competitions are held here.

Soldeu el Tarter Aprés Ski

Soldeu El Tarter's three bases are usually lively from lift closure in to the small hours and its fortunate that the free ski bus runs to 1am. It's particularly busy in the holiday periods. The duty free priced drinks, cheaper than pretty well anywhere else are a major contributing factor to the fun, international young feel of this resort.

The most popular haunts tend to follow an Anglo-American theme with names like the Aspen Bar, Pussycat and Fat Alberts. The El Duc discotheque is one of five helping to keep the action going through the night, with the Piccadilly Bar especially lively with a different theme every night of the week.

With 30 bars in Pas de la Casa holiday makers are spoilt for choice. Something for everyone depending on whether you want to relax over a quiet meal by a log fire or join the non-stop party scene. The Milwaukee bar, Billboard, West End, Pas 83 all have a lively atmosphere with music and dancing. The Underground Bar seems to be one of the most popular but all the bars have very reasonable prices. Most bars have Happy Hours starting as soon as the lifts close.

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Soldeu el Tarter in brief

Soldeu el Tarter Ski Resort is:-
Good for Expert Skiers.
Very good for Intermediate Skiers.
Very good for Beginners.
Very good for Snowboarding.

Soldeu el Tarter Snow Forecast

Soldeu el Tarter Piste Map

Map of Soldeu el Tarter