SnowScopeWhere to ski in the Pyrenees this weekend: Masella, Cauterets Cirque du Lys and Aramón Cerler
We combined today's snow depth, the new snow of the last 72 hours and the forecast to pick Masella, Cauterets Cirque du Lys and Aramón Cerler. Of these resorts, Cauterets Cirque du Lys has the most snow on its upper slopes today, about 25 cm; then come Aramón Cerler 18 cm and Masella 16 cm.
Where to go
Masella got 12 cm of new snow in the last 72 hours. Height matters: at Masella, our model gives 4 cm at the top (2,509 m), 0 cm at mid-mountain (2,062 m) and 0 cm at the base (1,615 m). On its last clear day, 2 November, satellites saw no snow at Masella: the snow there may be only on the highest slopes, or it fell after that day.
Cauterets Cirque du Lys got 4 cm of new snow in the last 72 hours. On its last clear day, 31 October, satellites saw no snow at Cauterets Cirque du Lys: the snow there may be only on the highest slopes, or it fell after that day.
Aramón Cerler got 6 cm of new snow in the last 72 hours. On its last clear day, 31 October, satellites saw no snow at Aramón Cerler: the snow there may be only on the highest slopes, or it fell after that day.
| Resort | Snow depth | New snow, 72 h | Coming, next days | Top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masella | 16 cm | 12 cm | 2 cm | 2,509 m |
| Cauterets Cirque du Lys | 25 cm | 4 cm | 3 cm | 2,420 m |
| Aramón Cerler | 18 cm | 6 cm | 5 cm | 2,618 m |
| Estació d'esquí de Port-Ainé | 16 cm | 6 cm | 1 cm | 2,424 m |
Which height to ski
At Masella, the freezing level reaches 2,490 m to 3,040 m on 7 November, above the top of the resort (2,509 m): rain or wet snow is possible on every slope that day.
Look for snow high up and on north-facing slopes: they keep it longest, while south-facing slopes lose it first in the sun.
Safety and avalanche level
Before you ski off-piste or go touring, read the official avalanche bulletin (links below).
The next days
Until 7 November, our forecast gives 2 cm at Masella, 3 cm at Cauterets Cirque du Lys and 5 cm at Aramón Cerler.
Forecasts a few days ahead can change: look at the map again the day before you travel.
Tips for skiers
- Snow on the map does not mean a resort is open: check lifts and opening dates on the resort's website.
- Smaller resorts near the leaders often get the same snow with fewer people: compare them on the map.
- Early-season snow is thin. Stay on open, groomed pistes: rocks and grass can hide just under the surface.
- Look for snow high up and on north-facing slopes: they keep it longest, while south-facing slopes lose it first in the sun.
- Get a powder alert in the SnowScope app to know when Masella gets fresh snow.
About these numbers
Resort snow depths are the deepest snow on the resort's upper slopes from the SnowScope snow model (about 1 km, run of 4 November); they are estimates for an area, not a measurement at one point. Station values are measurements on the date shown. Forecasts can change. Always read the official avalanche bulletin before going off-piste.
Official avalanche bulletins: Météo-France / Meteocat / AEMET
More snow reports
We compared today's snow at 4 resorts in the Pyrenees with the same date in each of the past 46 winters. 1 of them are clearly above normal.
Rasos de Peguera got 17 cm of new snow in the last 72 hours, 17 cm of it in the last 24 hours. It now has about 13 cm on its upper slopes, according …
We combined today's snow depth, the new snow of the last 72 hours and the forecast to pick Masella, Estació d'esquí de Port-Ainé and Cauterets Cirque …