Ski in Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig

Ski Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig - Ski Resort and Snow Summary

Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig (Grandvalira), Andorra (2050m to 2640m)

Pas de la Casa, linked to Grau Roig, is the highest and sunniest ski resort in the Pyrenees with the best snow record. It gained its first drag lift in 1957 and has added a lift virtually every year since, now boasting 8 quad chairs, three of them high speed, and three six-seater chairs and a combined uplift of 46,175. Located by the French border it's a lively resort with the ubiquitous duty free shopping. Because of it's north facing position snow quality and quantity is virtually guaranteed from early December to mid-May, with computer controlled state-of-the-art snow-making providing back-up when required. The resort also boasted an FIS Approved Slalom Stadium.

Sponsored Links	Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig Ski Facts Expert Skiers Intermediate Skiers Beginners Snowboarding Snow Apres-ski    23 Black Runs    37 Red Runs    32 Blue Runs    18 Green Runs 100km Downhill Pistes 12km Cross Country Trails 31 Ski Lifts 590m Max Vertical 2640m Highest Lift 2050m Lowest Piste 2050m Resort Altitude
Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig in brief Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig Ski Resort is:- Good for Expert Skiers. Excellent for Intermediate Skiers. Very good for Beginners. Good for Snowboarding. Opened : 28 November 2009 Closes : 18 April 2010 Opening subject to Snow Conditions.	Full Page Map of Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig

The Andorran ski resort of Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig is part of the Grandvalira Ski Area with access to 286 individual pistes. In addition to the skiing in Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig itself (100km 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 Soldeu el Tarter.

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 :- Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig is able to augment natural snow, on 78km of ski runs, with 1008 Snow Cannons.

Ski Lift Capacity :- The 31 Ski Lifts of Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig are able to uplift 47,435 skiers / snowboarders per hour.

Skiing in Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig

All of Andorra's ski areas are now included on a 'Ski Andorra' Pass' and with all the resorts so easily accessible its possible to stay in or near Andorra la Vella, the capital, and enjoy a different resort every day. Indeed, with the new Funicamp cable car at Encamp in central Andorra, Pas de la Casa's lift system now covers half of the country. Due to their position Pas de la Casa and Grau Roig are virtually guaranteed snow from the beginning of the last week in November until the first week in May. To complement the natural snowfall there is an advanced automatic computer controlled snow making system with 427 cannons covering 111 hectares of the mountain (23km of piste).

Andorra's English speaking ski schools have an excellent reputation, regularly winning awards for being the best in Europe. There are 3 ski schools, one in Pas de la Casa, one in Cortals (an area of Funicamp) and one in Grau Roig with a total of 180 instructors, most of whom speak English. Tuition is available in skiing, snowboarding, telemarking, cross-country, snowblades and snowshoeing. Night skiing is now no longer available.

Improvements to the resort have included the development of a new beginner area, the Piso, at the Funicamp mid-station so beginners can start off very gently with only a short ride up on the Funicamp from Encamp. Pessons which is Grau Roig's beginner area is right beside the car park with 4 beginner lifts and the 'Pas' beginners can start off at Abelletes with 3 beginner tows for practise. A total of 8 green runs making up 25% of the overall skiing area ensures ample area for practise before progressing on to the wide range of blue runs. 55% of the slopes are aimed at intermediates, this is made up of 11 blue runs and 23 reds.

Intermediates will find this is an area they can easily get around and even beginners, with some tuition, shouldn't have too much difficulty. For experts looking for something more difficult there are 13 black runs. The Fis Taupes above the village can be a challenge, depending on the snow conditions and for a black run through the trees theres Granota on the Grau side.

There are 2 slalom stadiums at the Costa Rodona and a smaller one at Grau Roig where the young Andorran teams can regularly be seen training. The Grau area has most of the trees and this is where the 3 cross country circuits are located, following the course of the River Valira these are well planned circuits with a total of 12 km of cross country piste for all abilities. With 8 mountain restaurants theres alway a good refreshment stop nearby and as usual prices are very reasonable. The Refugi dels Llacs del Pessons has views over the nearby lake while the Solanelles has amazing panoramic views.

Snowboarding in Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig

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.

Pas de la Casa / Grau Roig 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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