Deeper and Down

In a matter of days, the first storm clouds of the season will settle above Mount Lebanon. As the temperature plummets below zero, with it will come the first flurries of snow to settle on the high lands of the Western Lebanon Mountain Range, marking the start of the ski season – a little later than usual, it has to be said. With a white blanket covering the mountains comes an inevitable stampede from downtown Beirut, for some serious party nights and a little skiing. So who are we to miss out?

 
Mzaar Ski Resort
Elevation: 1,830-2,465m
Lifts: 18
Best suited to: Everyone, especially high-flyers, high-speed merchants

Only an hour’s drive from Beirut is Lebanon’s solitary bona-fide international resort, Mzaar (formerly Faraya Mzaar). With more than 5,000 skiers ascending on the resort for peak weekends, Mzaar is a fashionable choice for the jet set. With 18 high-speed lifts and 80km of skiable terrain, the resort is also frequented by some of Lebanon’s best freeriders – but, let’s be frank, for Beirut’s bright young things, it is just as much about the lure of being seen as it is about skiing. As an exclusive enclave, the resort is a haven for Saudi princes, rich businessmen and pretty girls aplenty.

For those who really want to get out on the slopes, though, you’re in for a treat. What sets this apart from almost any resort in the world is its unique topography: to appreciate it at its inspirational best, take the Mzaar lift to 2,400m and on a clear day the stunning 360-degree vista can reveal several diverse climates. To the north, you can see the Anti Lebanon mountain range and the trees of the Cedars; look to the east for row upon row of snowy peaks snaking out to the deserts of Syria; point west, and the inviting waters of the Mediterranean beckon you to its shoreline. Finally, views to the south are dominated by Mount Hermon and the lush vegetation of the Bekaa Valley.
When you’ve finished appreciating the scenery, the serious skiing starts at La Cabane in the Dome de Warde area. A helter-skelter two-kilometre descent drops you 425m in a matter of minutes. The reward for those brave enough is a revitalising Turkish coffee at La Terrace restaurant.

For those looking for generous powder stashes, the North Face of the Jabal Dib is a top tip. If you’re an adventurous type, from the back of the Panoramic mountain restaurant you can traipse off the backside of the mountain for off-piste thrills. For the true experts, who want an adrenalin rush, the run off the back of Mount Sannine is steep and deep. With a trusted local ski guide head for the small private resort of Faqra. The extra wide bowl is ideal for sweeping GS turns as you wind your way down to the village.
 
Rest: Ignore the global financial crisis by booking in at one of the Lebanon’s premier hotels. The five-star InterContinental Hotel sits at the foot of the slopes. Get into the Alpine spirit by staying at one of their luxurious loft rooms with slanted chalet-style ceiling.

Refuel: L’Igloo Bar. At weekends, this restaurant-cum-bar springs to life as Beirut’s socialites descend on its cosy environs. After some highly recommended local cuisine – the kibbeh is a speciality – washed down by araq, the music gets louder and the behaviour more raucous with beautiful women dancing on the tables to the latest beats.

Relax: Before shaking yourself down for a night of excess at Crystal or L’Igloo, rest your weary limbs at Les Thermes du Mzaar, part of the Hotel InterContinental. If you have aches and pains, take advice from an army of specialists who offer a range of soothing treatments including Balneotherapy and pressotherapy.

www.mzaar2000.com  Tel 00 961 9 340 100


The Cedars Resort
Elevation: 1,950-3,086m
Lifts: 5
Best suited to: Getting away from it all, off-piste thrills
 
Quieter than its illustrious neighbour Mzaar, the Cedars is only two hours by car from Beirut. The resort itself is perched on a natural platform 1,900m high above the Mediterranean in a cavernous bowl scooped from the flanks of peaks that reach up to 3,000m. Named after the towering ancient trees that once spread the length and breadth of Lebanon, the small surviving grove is integral to the Cedars’ identity. It is Lebanon’s oldest ski area, attracting winter sports enthusiasts since the early 1920s, and boasts the country’s first ski lift built by the Lebanese government in 1953. In recent years, three new chairlifts have replaced old T-bars in the Cedars and extend the ski runs. $15 million was invested to upgrade the facilities.

New for this season is a six-person gondola that will run from the parking level at 2,095m to the highest accessible summit of 2,870m, and a 400-person refuge will built at the top of the gondola, complete with telescopes through which you’re promised views of Cyprus on a clear day.

The Cedars has a cult following among local snowboarders for its laid-back vibe and testing off-piste terrain. The best powder is off to the right of the Kornet lift at 2,850m, and taking the run down to the Pic des Dames chairlift in ungroomed snow. The 35-degree pitch is sure to give you grudging respect at the local bars. It’s also a resort that suits beginners, with several gentle T-Bars pulling you up gentle undulating slopes. If you’re a fan of cross-country skiing, you’ll find some of the best “langlauf” in the country – or cross-country skiing, if you don’t know.

The Cedars also has plenty to do off-piste. Head to Bcharreh, the neighbouring village, and you’ll find the birth and resting place of poet, artist and novelist Gibran Khalil Gibran. The Gibran Museum houses his paintings, drawings and personal effects. Also worth visiting are the quaint Maronite churches and monasteries scattered throughout the mystic Qadisha Valley.
 
Rest: Cedrus Hotel, the Cedars. The Cedrus is a large Austrian-style hotel with stone and wood cladding, giving it a distinctly European feel. Located near to the Cedars forest at the heart of the town, the hotel has a traditional, refined air. The bedrooms are large and well appointed. If you have the budget, the opulent Grand Suite offers two bedrooms and a living area. The hotel is geared to large groups who often congregate around the Victorian style Piano bar area with a roaring wood fire. www.cedrushotel.com

Refuel: In the evenings, the renowned Le Pichet des Cedres restaurant serves Lebanese and international cuisine in a spacious setting with a huge open fire dominates the dining room.

Relax: The incredible 10-million-year-old Qadisha Grotto was first discovered in 1903. Here you can investigate 778 metres of cave revealing a staggering collection of stalactites and stalagmites in a vibrant mix of colours. The cave entrance is five kilometres from Bcharreh.



Where else to ski

Laqlouq
Elevation: 1,650-1,920m
Lifts: 9
Best suited to: Families, early to intermediary skiers

If you’re after a quieter time or are new to the slopes, you could do worse than head to the genteel Laqlouq. A favourite with families and cross-country skiers, the resort was named after banker Joseph Sa’ab in the late 1950s when the possibility of establishing a successful ski resorts amid hostile mountains seemed laughable. The skiing will not fulfil the most ambitious of downhillers but the snow reliability is good and there is plenty to do nearby. Après-ski attractions include the caves of Afqa, 15 minutes drive from the resort, and the abyss at Balou’, one of the most remarkable of Lebanon's beauty spots with natural arches and a waterfall. The best hotel in town is the Shangri-La, a handsome sandstone hotel set among the pines.

Faqra,
Elevation: 1,735-1,980m 
Lifts: 4
Best suited to: keeping a low profile – it’s a private club – and a more mature clientele

Zaarour 
Elevation: 1,700m – 2,000m 
Lifts: 7 
Best suited to: Urbanites (it’s a 40 minute sprint from Beirut), beginners

For the full version of this article and a list of the best skiing equipment, see NOX 30