Spain
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Region: Central System
The ski resort La Pinilla is located in the Sierra de Ayllón, in the Sistema Central. It belongs to the municipality of Riaza, in the province of Segovia. Placed in the province of Segovia, just over an hour from Madrid, it has good communications with both the center and the northeast of the Peninsula, being very close to the Madrid-Irún highway.
History of ski resort La Pinilla
It was inaugurated in 1968. La Pinilla, owned by Riaza but located in the neighboring village of Cerezo de Arriba, has three assets that have kept it alive. The first, the desire of Riaza (little more than 2.000 inhabitants) to conserve it. The second, the proximity with Madrid (one hour by car), which makes as soon as there is snow, whatever happens, the resort is full. And third, a magical mountain: it is a small resort but with enormous personality, a learning set and then a labyrinth of shovels and trails with a lot of charm and a wide variety in such a short scenario: forest, red shovels, blackish red, blue with surprise…
La Pinilla has tradition, history, great enthusiats and, to many, a place of worship for skiing. Without a doubt, it is the most fun that can be skied in and around Madrid. It has professional workers who have been managing snow for 40 years. In 1975 it hosted a competition of the European Ski Cup.
Resort Location
A resort with spectacular panoramic views of the northern plateau that can be seen on sunny days from its highest point, set at more than 2.200 meters (El Mirador).
The center is located in the massif of Sierra de Ayllón, nestled in the Central System. Within the municipality of Cerezo de Arriba (Segovia) and 8 km. from the village of Riaza, the town hall to which it belongs. Its proximity to Madrid, Segovia, Burgos and Valladolid, make it a magnificent alternative for skiers in the center area of the Peninsula. A cozy, familiar, fun resort.
It also offers visitors the chance to enjoy the exquisite cuisine of Riaza. Just five minutes from the station or its surroundings, such as the medieval villages of Maderuelo, Sepúlveda, Pedraza and Ayllón itself or even, a little bit more apart, the historic town of Burgo de Osma. Singular routes such as the route through the Red and Black villages, or natural spaces with special beauty such as the Hayedo de la Pedrosa or the sickles of the Riaza and Duratón rivers.
The best areas of ski resort La Pinilla
Area 1500- La Cabaña (1500m-1600m): In this place is the urban center of the resort. We can find all kinds of services: hotel, hostel, restaurants, bars, lockers, shops, rentals, ski schools. In this area there is the ski lift and slope La Cabaña, a green trail equipped with artificial snow machines that covers many of the side of the mountain.
Great Dish Area (1500m-1800m): At the 1800 level, the intermediate base of the station is located, where there is a cafeteria and different ski schools. Here lays the beginners area of the resort, with 2 magic carpets and 1 ski lift giving access to 3 green tracks.
Zona Testero (1700m-1920m): It is a family area with easy and simple slopes. The snow-park is also located in this area, which is one of the three existing in the center of the peninsula.
Pinillas Zone (1800m-2150m): It is “the wall” of the station where the hardest trails of the resort take place; tracks with wide amplitude and length.
Mirador Zone (1800m-2050m): It has trails of considerable difficulty on the slopes of the Pico del Lobo, being the area that most snow usually keeps.
It has tracks of very variable level, with off-tracks only recommended to experts, from the area of Pico del Lobo descending through the mountain ridge and reaching the base of the resort, crossing an dense forest. The snow conditions of this resort were irregular, until artificial snow systems were installed in big part of its domain, ensuring the opening of its slopes during the season.
It has the usual services for this kind of centers, public services, two bars, a cafeteria, a restaurant, information office, lockers, rentals, a hotel, a hostel, three ski and snowboard schools … but you can also take excursions to interest aresas, such as the most southern beech forest in Europe, or the 15th-century Contreras Palace, located in Ayllón.
Sustainable development of the ski area
The Ski and Mountain resort La Pinilla-Valle de Riaza, in collaboration with Caja Segovia, has been developing in the Northeast of Segovia an attractive calendar of sporting and cultural events, which in addition to helping to reaffirm snow and adventure tourism, become in the reference of the best sports disciplines that combine action and risk. La Pinilla trully is a natural scenario. The strategic geographical location make the Northeast of Segovia and the Sierra de Ayllón the ideal destination for this type of competitions and events. Thus, there are many companies and brands that are committed to an adventure and nature sports image that complement their products.
La Pinilla offers, in addition to its location, a set of facilities and highly qualified personnel that are the ideal complement to every needs for the of events of high impact and spectacularity to take place.
In addition, due to the summer break caused by the rise of temperatures in spring and summer, La Pinilla adapts part of its slopes. For cycling disciplines, such as descent or enduro, becoming during those hot months in a Bikepark, with tracks for all levels.
It is a small ski resort, although it has several lifters and slopes for skiing; we find hotels, residence and restaurants, with many parking lots, at the base of the slopes. Recently an area has been enabled for people to enjoy nature, with zip lines, etc.…
