San Isidro

The San Isidro ski resort is situated in the Cantabrian Mountains, in the northern part of the province of León. Its facilities are located within the municipalities of Puebla de Lillo and Valdelugueros, which correspond to the Alto Porma and Alto Curueño valleys. The resort, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024, lies on the slopes of the San Isidro Pass, a mountain pass (1,520 m) linking the provinces of León and Asturias.

San Isidro offers 27.4 kilometres of downhill ski runs and 3.5 km of cross-country skiing. This family-friendly ski resort is constantly evolving, leading the rankings of the most popular snow destinations in the Cantabrian Mountains with 132 days of operation and seasonal revenue approaching 4 million euros.
We’ll provide more details about the slopes later, but we can tell you now that San Isidro is divided into four distinct sectors – Cebolledo, Requejines, Riopinos and Salencias – which are organised not only geographically but also according to a very specific operational logic: to distribute visitor flows, adapt to weather conditions and offer different experiences depending on the aspect and altitude.

This layout allows for something unusual in medium-sized resorts: redistributing skiers according to conditions, optimising wind-sheltered areas and extending the quality of the snow into spring. As San Isidro’s director, Olga Álvarez Soto, explains in an interview published in I Love Ski:

“San Isidro may not be an Alpine resort, but we can certainly be a very well-run resort within our own model.”

San Isidro is a station managed directly by the León Provincial Council, a model that clearly shapes its operation and sets it apart significantly from the large ski resorts operated by private groups. In this case, the logic governing decision-making is not limited to criteria of immediate economic profitability, but rather responds to a broader vision linked to the role the station plays within the region.

Its activities are designed to serve as a tool for economic revitalisation in mountain areas, helping to sustain economic activity in the Upper Porma and Upper Curueño valleys, to retain the population in rural areas, and to develop a tourism sector that extends beyond the winter season. At the same time, San Isidro fulfils an important social role by making skiing accessible to a wide range of users, particularly in the north-west of the peninsula, where there are not many local alternatives.

This approach translates into specific decisions that define the resort’s identity. Keeping ski pass prices relatively low reflects a commitment to accessibility, whilst the strong involvement in school programmes – which in some seasons have attracted over 7,000 participants – reinforces its role as a gateway to skiing for new generations. Added to this is the importance of local employment, with a structure which, although lean, contributes directly to the local economy.

However, this very model also introduces a number of structural constraints that limit its development. Dependence on administrative procedures means that any investment, improvement or technical intervention must adhere to longer and less flexible timelines than in the private sector. Added to this is a certain rigidity in the ability to respond to operational contingencies, as well as a direct dependence on public budgets, which may limit the pace of infrastructure modernisation.

It is largely in this balance between public service and operational efficiency that San Isidro’s uniqueness lies: a station that does not seek to replicate models from elsewhere, but rather to optimise its function within a very specific local ecosystem.

The San Isidro ski resort

The history of San Isidro began in the 1960s, when the León regional government decided to invest in the ski industry to revitalise the area. In the late 1970s, the San Isidro resort opened its first ski lift in the Salencias area, which was nothing more than a T-bar lift powered by a petrol engine and equipped with just two clamps. The 1980s marked a true golden age for the resort, as a large number of new facilities were opened in San Isidro throughout that decade.

At the start of the decade, the first ski lift was installed at Riopinos, the existing one at Cebolledo was extended, and plans were made to extend the one at Requejines. Thanks to these new lifts, the resort covered the entire current ski area and began to promote the sport of skiing in the local area, with reduced rates and special events such as Skiers’ Day in San Isidro and Leitariegos.

The ski slopes at San Isidro

Today, the Spanish ski resort boasts 27.4 kilometres of skiable slopes, of which 6 are green (0.7 km), 8 are blue (9.05 km), 13 are red (13.11 km) and 4 are black (4.54 km). This distribution reflects a clear predominance of red and blue runs, making San Isidro a particularly attractive resort for intermediate skiers, rather than for complete beginners or extreme experts.
In addition, you’ll find complementary areas such as a cross-country skiing zone with two circuits (3 km), a 100-metre-long snow park, and a ski route that is stunning when there is sufficient snow, stretching over 3.5 km.

To provide access to these slopes, the San Isidro ski resort has a total of 15 ski lifts, comprising 4 chairlifts, 7 T-bar lifts and 4 conveyor belts. This infrastructure is commensurate with the size of the ski area, although there is scope for modernisation in certain key areas. They are spread across four sectors that are perfectly interconnected:

• Requejines is the highest-altitude resort, situated at an elevation of between 1,800 and 2,100 metres. This area features four ski lifts, a conveyor belt, two T-bar lifts and a four-seater chairlift.
• Salencias, which is the first area of the resort you come across upon arrival. This area is situated at an altitude of 1,500 metres, in the lower part of San Isidro. It has 4 ski lifts and a total of 9 slopes.

• Cebolledo could be described as the heart of the resort. This area currently has 5 ski lifts, 1 T-bar, 2 conveyor belts, a two-seater chairlift and a detachable chairlift.
• Riopinos features three ski lifts, a conveyor belt, a T-bar lift and a two-seater chairlift, as well as a superb black run (Los Cazadores) suitable only for advanced skiers.

The slopes range from beginner to expert level, with 5 green runs, 9 blue runs, 13 red runs and 4 black runs, making a total of 31 runs, as well as a marked cross-country circuit.

As we have mentioned, San Isidro has an area known as Riopinos, which is one of the most beautiful and sheltered parts of the ski area, 68 kilometres from León.

Unfortunately, the road leading to the station is sometimes not cleared by snowploughs, leaving the access route through this valley cut off. In order to bring about a change in this situation, a campaign was launched to draw the authorities’ attention to the issue: Riopinos exists. This campaign has produced a map showing how to reach the valley, which you will find below.

Activities at the ski resort

If you’re looking for other winter activities besides skiing and snowboarding, the San Isidro resort organises various excursions on snowshoes. For example, a fun excursion to the iconic Lago Ausente, an easy route with little elevation gain, suitable for those wishing to discover new ways to enjoy the snow and the mountains.

Webcams at the San Isidro ski resort

If you’d like to see the current conditions at the ski resort and its natural surroundings, you’ll find the San Isidro webcam below, showing real-time footage.

Salencias

 

Unforgettable experiences in San Isidro

The ski resort is situated in an area where you can enjoy many natural wonders. For example, in the heart of the León mountains, you can visit the Valpoquero Caves. The mountain, standing over 1,300 metres high, opens up a vast entrance through which you can discover hidden and incredible underground wonders.

The caves cover a distance of 1 kilometre, featuring paths, bridges and stairways that allow visitors to admire nature’s magnificent work of art. Furthermore, you can see stalactites, stalagmites, flowstones and columns of varying hues throughout the seven chambers open to the public. All in all, San Isidro is a great option for enjoying nature – don’t miss it.

San Isidro mountain resort in summer

The San Isidro ski resort, located within the Montaña de Riaño y Mampodre Regional Park, is already gearing up for the summer season with a host of fun and sporting activities in the open air, such as water sports on the Porma reservoir, river rafting, horse riding, mountain biking (mountain bike races such as the Alto Porma race in Puebla de Lillo), paragliding or rock climbing.

During weekends and public holidays in August, the Cebolledo four-seater chairlift remains open so you can easily reach higher ground, enjoy the magnificent views and hike along the ridges of these beautiful mountains.

It is also worth noting that San Isidro has two hiking trails.

• The first of these is the Isoba Trail, which is 6 kilometres long. The route starts in Puebla de Lillo and leads up to the top of the Silván river valley, where it is well worth stopping to take in the wonderful views from this point along the route. From there, the trail continues on to the old talc mines.
• The other route offered by San Isidro is the Cervantes Route. This route can be completed either on foot or by bike. The trail starts and ends in Puebla de Lillo. The route is much longer than the Isoba route, covering 13.1 kilometres.

There are plenty of traditions and cultural events to keep you entertained in San Isidro during the summer. For example, the “Huellas de Paraíso” cycle tour takes place at the end of August, offering a short route (21 km with 821 m of elevation gain) and a long route (43 km with 1,600 m of elevation gain). Also, in early September, you can enjoy the Cristo Fair, a day packed with activities, fun and emotional moments, featuring ribbon races and performances by artists.

Finally, it is worth highlighting the rich culture and tradition of the Curueño Valley when it comes to angling. If you’d like to try your hand at fishing in the unrivalled natural setting of the Curueño’s source, Valdelugueros and Tolibia – an area designated as the Argüellos Biosphere Reserve – this is an unbeatable setting for dry fly and spoon fishing. With patience and experience, you might just catch a wild trout… visit San Isidro in summer.

Hotels in San Isidro

Hostal Pico Agujas **

Hostal Pico Agujas is located in the San Isidro Winter Resort, in León, right next to the slopes and close to the Salencias ski runs. It also offers traditional cuisine and cosy rooms. The restaurant specialises in meat dishes and offers a daily set menu. The café serves snacks and drinks throughout the day and becomes a lively bar in the evenings. It offers free ski storage and public outdoor parking, as well as its own ski and snowboard hire service.

Hostal Ruta del Porma **

A two-star guesthouse located 14 kilometres from San Isidro. It also offers well-appointed and very cosy rooms. In addition, it offers a range of communal facilities, including a café-restaurant, spacious lounges, a dining room, a café, a restaurant, a terrace and a car park. Its location within the village is excellent, in a quiet area with a park, a pharmacy, a pub, shops, ski and snowboard hire shops and a petrol station all nearby.

Susarón Country House

Located 14 kilometres from San Isidro station, this is a typical house from the León mountains, over three hundred years old, recently restored with the utmost attention to detail whilst ensuring it offers all the necessary comforts. Antique pieces, such as benches, tables, trunks, chests, cupboards and wardrobes, have been carefully restored so that you can enjoy a peaceful and cosy stay.

Skiing in San Isidro: the resort’s highlights

• A great place to learn to ski or enjoy a family skiing holiday.
• Beginners’ slopes accessible from the lower part of the resort.
• Accommodation right by the slopes or very close by, such as in Puebla de Lillo. It is a charming village near the Sa Isidro ski resort, ideal for enjoying good food and a lively atmosphere in its various bars and restaurants. Furthermore, the accommodation options stand out for being affordable, such as Casa Rural Susarón or Hotel Ruta del Porma.
• The Bar El Rebeco café was awarded the ‘Q’ mark for tourism quality by the Spanish Institute for Tourism Quality in the 2022–2023 season.

• Snowshoe excursion to Lago Ausente, at San Isidro Ski Resort, ideal for those aged 14 and over. It is an easy route with little elevation gain and takes approximately 3 hours. It takes place at weekends throughout the season, starting at 10 am from the car park in the Cebolledo sector.
• Bus routes available to reach San Isidro from León. The Viajes Leontur bus connects León with the San Isidro Winter and Mountain Resort during the ski season for €16 per person (2024–2025 prices). It departs at 7.30 am from Plaza de Guzmán el Bueno and returns at 6.30 pm. The bus stops in Salencias to pick up hire equipment, and those who do not need it will travel directly to Cebolledo.
• A wealth of cultural attractions in the vicinity of the station. For example, the area’s historical and cultural heritage is reflected in various remains that can still be admired, including: stately homes with coats of arms, a network of bridges spanning the Roman, medieval and modern periods along the Roman Road of La Vegarada, traditional mills—notably that of Lugueros—the Manor House of the Lady of Arintero and the Palaeontological Museum of Llamazares.