Soldeu: piste guide - Telegraph Fast lifts Fine access but... Most of Grandvalira's key lifts are high-speed chairs or gondolas, but there are a lot of slow lifts too. Queues Some bottlenecks The lift system generally copes. There can be morning queues for the gondola, but the next-door chair offers a choice. Up the mountain, the chairlifts in both directions out of Grau Roig are the main bottleneck; the quad at Cubil and access to Tosa Espiolets are also "awful," says a February visitor. You may find crowds on some blue slopes (including lots of school classes snaking along) - the reds and blacks are much quieter. Terrain parks Now there are two The main park - Snowpark El Tartar - above Riba Escorxada has a good reputation, but a 2012 reporter was disappointed: "The parks were not as good as normal because of lack of snow." A park-only day pass is available. Features normally include a triple line of kickers, huge gap jump, jib and giant airbag. There's a great selection of rails, including a big rainbow rail and wave-box and two wall rides. For beginners there are three small jumps, a 5m medium jump and a couple of fun boxes. A half-pipe is built when conditions permit. A draglift serves the park, and a fast quad nearby takes you slightly higher up. The new Sunset Park Peretol, above Bordes d'Envalira, opened in 2011 and caters for all levels. It is floodlit in the evenings, with music. For experts Hope for good snow off-piste It's a limited area for experts - on-piste, at least. The Avet black run down to Soldeu deserves its grading, but most of the other blacks would be no more than reds (or even blues) in many resorts. The blacks on Tosa dels Espiolets are indistinguishable from the neighbouring (and more direct) red and blue, for example. And don't go looking for moguls - the grooming is too thorough. But there is plenty of off-piste potential, notably in the bowl above Riba Escorxada - with off-piste routes served by a draglift that was new for last season - in the Espiolets and Solanelles areas -we've had a great time there in fresh powder - and above El Forn - with more off-piste routes. And the off-piste remains untouched for days because most visitors are beginners and early intermediates. There's no explanation on the piste map of whether off-piste routes/freeride areas are avalanche controlled, marked or patrolled. For intermediates Lots to explore There is plenty to amuse intermediates. The area east of Espiolets is splendid for building confidence, and those already confident will be able to explore the whole mountain. Riba Escorxada is a fine section for mixed-ability groups. The Canillo/El Forn sector has an easy, little-used blue run along the ridge with excellent views all the way to Pal and Arinsal and an easy black in the valley. Many of the blues and reds have short steeper sections, preceded by a "slow" sign and netting in the middle of the piste to slow you down. For beginners Good, but not ideal In some respects this is an excellent place to start, particularly because of the school. But it's not ideal: you have to go up the mountain to the nursery slopes, which is not only inconvenient but also expensive. There is no special beginner pass here (unlike other base villages in the area). If you buy a ski pack through your tour operator, you may not care, of course. Soldeu's Espiolets nursery area is vast, and there's a smaller area at Riba Escorxada, above El Tarter - each with a moving carpet. They are relatively snow-sure, and there are numerous easy pistes to move on to (though the crowds can be off-putting). The runs to resort level can be quite challenging because of crowds and snow conditions. Near-beginners are often better off riding a lift down. Snowboarding Pick of the Pyrenees Soldeu has become the home of snowboarding in the Pyrenees. This is a perfect place for beginners to learn on wide, gentle slopes that are served mainly by chairs, not drags. Just be wary of the plentiful flat spots. For the more advanced, Soldeu offers some good off-piste and the best terrain parks in the Pyrenees. Backcountry enthusiasts should also visit Arcalis, which has the steepest terrain and heli-boarding, and Pal, for the tree boarding. Loaded is a snowboard shop run by pro rider Tyler Chorlton. For cross-country Head for Grau Roig The nearest loops are at Grau Roig (see the Pas de la Casa section), reachable by bus.