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Boí Taüll: a snow-sure ski destination for families

Vall de Boi is in the centre of the Pyrenees. It is a narrow valley on the edge of Aigüestortes National Park, an area of soaring peaks. The ski station Boí Taüll is the highest ski resort in the Catalan Pyrenees, with an elevation ranging from 2020 meters to a whopping 2751 meters. This situation guarantees snow throughout the season and not have to be as aware of atmospheric whims. Add to this its north-facing slopes and the low humidity of the area. The result is a good snow that usually characterizes the entire winter season. The average snow depth range from 130cm to 160cm in February.

The Boí Taüll ski resort is quite small, making it easy to negotiate and an excellent choice for families with small children. With an area of 45 ski kilometers and 42 tracks (6 green, 3 blue, 18 red and 15 black), a snowpark and 12 off-piste routes, it is easy to enjoy its slopes. This domain is accessed by 11 lifts (6 chairlifts, 2 ski lifts and 3 conveyor belts). One of the best things about Boi-Taull is that it’s a peaceful resort and completely uncrowded. Perfect for a weekend of quiet skiing or for resting with the family.

Source: lugaresdenieve.com

No doubt that, if more than 70 percent of a station is dedicated to red and black slopes, skiers need some experience. However, in Boí Taüll the geomorphology of the area, in between two valleys, also plays in favor of beginners and novice skiers. All the slopes of Boí come together in the Pla de Vaques, where all the services of the station are located, an advantage for beginners. In addition, the slopes converge at the same point, the Pla de Vaques, where the service buildings are located, a school with more than 90 ski and snowboard instructors, a bar and restaurant ideal for a rest between descents.

The daily ski pass costs €39 in high season and accommodation will set you back about €23 per night. All of this puts Boi Taull firmly on the map as a great option for (Catalan) skiers.

As there’s no accommodation on the mountain, most skiers stay in Boi, Erill la Vall, or Taull, all of which are delightful little towns, or closer to the ski area in Pla de l’Ermita, which is a development of extremely attractive hotels and condominiums, but not a true town.

Boí Taüll is 80km away from Baquiera/Beret, Spain’s most-visited ski resort, which lures the bulk of the snow-seekers.

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Roller coaster weather prevails in the Alps

The northern Alps are in the midst of a wild week of weather. Monday, wind gusts reaching well in excess of 100mph across exposed parts of the Alps. The day started very mild, with rain to 2300m in the north-western Alps before colder air brought the snowline down to around 1300m at night. Tuesday, the wind remained strong, and there was widespread snow fall. Heavy in places like Tignes and Val Thorens.

Wednesday will see some residual showers or flurries across the eastern Austrian Alps, otherwise most other regions will be drier with some sunshine here and there.

Thursday will then see the next storm approach the Alps from the north-west, bringing further snow but also some low level rain for the northern French, Swiss and western Austrian Alps later in the day. Once again the snow will eventually settle down to 1000m, with 10-20cm the norm.

Of course, this is good news for piste-skiers in France, Switzerland and Austria in the run-up to February half-term, which kicks off on Saturday. Off-piste, however, conditions are going to be very variable, thanks to the spells of rain that preceded the current dump, as well as the sometimes storm-force winds that are scouring exposed slopes.

Expect the avalanche risk to be considerable for a time, too. Local avalanche-warning services are reporting layers of poorly-bonded wind-packed snow in the back-country.

The outlook, by the way, is for a big change on Friday. It’s expected that skies will clear, winds drop, and temperatures jump. That sounds lovely, but with the daytime freezing point at 2800m, it does also mean that the fresh snow will start to melt on lower slopes, and then refreeze overnight.

As for snow conditions in the Alps, they generally remain good at altitude, where the wind has not made skiing impossible in places over the last day or two.

However, thanks to the relentlessly mild weather, the situation has become more complicated lower down. This is particularly true below about 1200m in the north-western Alps (e.g. Morzine) where there is little natural snow right now, which is unusual for the middle of February.

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