It was already predicted in mid-January and was confirmed in early April. Baqueira-Beret has closed the driest and hottest season in its history with a record number of skiers never achieved since the Aranese resort opened its doors in 1964.
This very positive balance is the face of a business, that of snow, which this campaign has suffered on a general level like never before. The cross must be sought in most of the rest of the resorts in the Catalan and Aragonese Pyrenees, which have paid dearly the bill for the adverse climate.
The six public destinations managed by the Generalitat have lost, according to the latest definitive data provided yesterday, more than 150,000 skiers compared to the figures for the 22/23 season. The stations of Aragón, around 300,000.
So the good results of Baqueira-Beret with these harsh conditions for skiing are an exceptional fact. But it has an explanation: the few snowfalls that fell this winter were more generous on the Aranese slope and the temperatures were also lower, which allowed snow to be made.
To which we must add the arrival of skiers, clients from other resorts, who this season have chosen Baqueira-Beret for their getaways as these slopes present better conditions than the other resorts.
The Val d'Aran resort reported yesterday that this 2023-2024 campaign they have surpassed one million skiers. 1,055,180 days of skiing have been sold. Last year's season, the second best in the history of the resort, saw 990,000 skiers register. The record, so far, was reached in the 2021-2022 season with 1,033,453 days of skiing sold.
The secret? “Investments in snow production and the improvement of facilities in recent years have been fundamental in the quantity and quality of slopes available to skiers and snowboarders from the beginning of the season in a dry winter with higher than normal temperatures,” states the station.
The resort admits the paradox of breaking this historical record for skiers "in a season that will not be remembered for great thicknesses but for a changing snow quality with the fluctuating temperatures."
In the face of this climatic adversity, Baqueira emphasizes, "the number of sunny or partially cloudy days recorded has been key, totaling 96 days with good weather." And remember the snowfall: 25 with the station in operation and a total of 36 days since October .
The busiest day on the slopes of this historic season was "December 30 with 18,000 skiers and the daily average throughout the winter has been close to 8,000."
The Station opened its season on November 25 and until its closure, this April 7, it has recorded 135 days of operation in the Baqueira and Baciver sectors and 125 in Beret and Bonaigua.
Another exceptional fact about this campaign is that the station has not had to close any day due to adverse weather, "although it has had to close some lifts or specific areas on specific days, so visitors have been able to enjoy a high percentage of the breadth of the 2,273 hectares of its skiable area".
