“Does the snow of Lebanon abandon the rock of the fields, or do we see the waters which come from afar, fresh and running?” (The Book of Jeremiah, 18, 14)
While the winter season began, there are still ten years, around half of November, snow is now expected until January.
More or less seasoned skiers even despaired of seeing snow, Lebanon is reconciled with the white coat this week, which once again adorns the peaks of the mountains of Mount Lebanon.
Officially introduced in the 1930s by French officers of the Army of the Levant, skiing is quite common in Lebanon, the land of the Cedars being one of the few countries where, according to the local cliché, “you can ski in the morning and going to the beach in the afternoon “, which can be easily verified from April. The Land of the Cedars also has 6 ski resorts, the best known being that of Kfardebian, 40km from the capital Beirut and whose summit reaches 2,500 meters, and that of the Cedars, near the forest of the same name and which s’ spread between 2000 and 3000 meters above sea level. On these last 2, skiers will have the pleasure of being able to practice alpine skiing.
The resort of Kfardebian remains the most popular, with a ski area which is now expanding thanks to the modernization of its infrastructures. You can ski there in the morning and in the afternoon to return to the Lebanese capital in the evening.
As for the Cedars station, it is older. One can be somewhat disappointed to find only 2 S tracks there by older infrastructures. However, for the most seasoned skiers, it will mainly be a question of off-piste skiing with access to peaks from 2600 to 3000 meters above sea level. For that, it will also be a question of sleeping on the spot. There are many hotels in the region for this purpose.
As for those of Laalouk, or elsewhere, they will be rather recommended for beginners or for those who wish to indulge in a ski rather on “the flat”.
The Land of Cedars also has Private Skiing stations, such as Zaarour or Faqra.
Off-piste skiing is also possible and can be done on the slopes of Sannine or Mont-Hermon or Jabal el Cheikh. However, the latter remains discouraged since it is at the juncture of the demarcation lines between Lebanon, Syria and Israel.
Advice:
Try to avoid weekends, there are usually too many people, it is more about “being seen and pretending to ski” instead of practicing this sport. It is also best to get there at 9am at the most.
The snow is quite changeable, generally good in the morning and very soft in the afternoon so more difficult to practice. It is therefore preferable to go from noon on slopes which are subject to sunshine and a little further from the busiest slopes.
On the Net:
Skileb (English), website providing a series of information, in particular on access to ski resorts and their respective snow cover. Hotel room reservations are also possible.
The history of Skiing in Lebanon by the Faqra Club (PDF document, 2nd page) will teach us that this sport has been practiced since 1913 as an amateur on the slopes of Mount Lebanon.
A good review of the practice of skiing in Lebanon can also be found on the CamptoCamp site , especially for those who hope to discover new sensations far from the crowds who generally frequent the most famous slopes. This site also makes us discover and gives us advice concerning ski touring.