Mzaar and The Cedars Open Ski Season in Lebanon Despite Sparse Snow

Lebanon’s ski season is restarting despite sparse snow, with multiple resorts opening in early January after consecutive snowfalls in recent days.

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Ici Beyrouth says that “Since the beginning of January, four of Lebanon's five ski areas had already welcomed skiers,” while noting that “Only the Faqra Club slopes had not yet opened due to a lack of snowfall.”

Ici Beyrouth

It reports that Mzaar Ski Resort, in Kfardebian, opened on “January 3,” and quotes Nicole Wakim Freiha, the group’s marketing and development manager, saying “We opened the resort fifteen days earlier than last year.”

Ici Beyrouth also describes the largest ski resort in the Middle East as offering “100 km of marked runs with natural snow,” and says the resort is currently open to “only 70% of its capacity due to the lack of snow at the base of the slopes.”

L'Orient-Le Jour adds that The Cedars station, “above Bcharré,” was “the first to officially launch,” and that after a trial day it opened to the public “on New Year’s Eve, despite unfavorable weather.”

L'Orient-Le Jour reports that “In total, 11 km of slopes are passable” at The Cedars, and that the resort decided “to refrain from raising its prices” for the chosen date.

In parallel, L'Orient-Le Jour says Mzaar station would open “this weekend,” after assessing the snow cover and expecting “at least 80% of all the slopes,” which it says extend over “40 km.”

Pricing and capacity constraints are shaping how Lebanon’s ski resorts are opening to the public, with different rates and attendance limits depending on the resort and the weather.

Ici Beyrouth says weekday rates “vary roughly from $30–$40 to reach $40–$65 on weekends,” and it adds that the figures depend on the resort, “with different prices for children and not counting passes.”

Ici Beyrouth

It also explains that the resort is not fully open because of snow conditions, stating that Mzaar is “currently open to only 70% of its capacity due to the lack of snow at the base of the slopes.”

For The Cedars, L'Orient-Le Jour reports “a day pass” will cost “$40 on weekends and holidays, and $30 on weekdays,” and it frames this as a deliberate decision: “Because of the chosen date, we are seeing light crowds on this first day.”

L'Orient-Le Jour also says Mzaar will not impose a daily attendance limit “for now,” noting that “as was the case at the start last year.”

It provides Mzaar pricing as “a weekday day pass will range from $45 to $55, and from $50 to $80 on weekends.”

For Zaarour, L'Orient-Le Jour says it “still cannot commit to an exact launch date for its 2026 season,” but that it hopes cold weather will thicken the “thirty centimeters of snow present at the base of the slopes.”

It also states that Zaarour’s pricing remains “unchanged: a day pass will cost $35 on weekdays, and $55 on weekends and holidays.”

Resort operators in Lebanon are tying their early openings to both snowfall timing and operational preparation, while also describing how they manage safety and access when snow coverage is incomplete.

“Society - Winter Sports Opening of the ski resorts: Mzaar and The Cedars inaugurate the season Owners are counting especially on the coming storm to bolster the snow cover”

L'Orient-Le Jour

Ici Beyrouth says Nicole Wakim Freiha is “proud and happy” that Mzaar opened “fifteen days earlier than last year,” and it quotes her describing the resort’s preparation: “We have an exceptional team that works tirelessly to prepare the resort safely and does everything to offer guests a wonderful experience.”

It adds that the inauguration of the largest ski resort in the Middle East was described as “very safe and well planned,” and notes that on the first day the number of skiers was “limited to 1,000 people,” before being increased over time.

L'Orient-Le Jour reports that The Cedars station’s first trial day “confirmed the safety of the slopes for teams and skiers,” and that the station opened its doors to the public “on New Year’s Eve.”

It says The Cedars is passable across “11 km of slopes,” and that the resort is hoping the opening is “definitive for this winter,” with a “storm forecast in the coming days” expected to help keep snow in place despite mild conditions.

For Mzaar, L'Orient-Le Jour says the station preferred to “let the tempestuous winds pass,” and that after assessing the snow cover it expected “at least 80% of all the slopes” to be open, with the proportion “adjusted by the end of the week.”

It quotes the station’s description of the remaining work: “the signage is finished, there’s nothing left but to wait for the storm to define the snow level.”

Ici Beyrouth also describes how season passes were used to manage demand, saying “Early Bird Season Passes” were offered “well before the arrival of snow,” and that on opening day there were “between 1,000 and 1,500 people,” which it says “guaranteeing maximum safety and preventing accidents.”

Beyond snow and pricing, the ski season coverage in Lebanon connects winter sports to broader economic and political pressures, including the cost of operating resorts and the country’s recent history.

Ici Beyrouth says skiing is “considered an expensive sport,” and it links that to “a confluence of crises” that has persisted “since 2019,” adding that there has been “a devaluation of more than 95% of the national currency.”

Ici Beyrouth

It also explains that Nicole Wakim Freiha justifies high prices by pointing to operational costs, saying ski area costs are “particularly related to generators, in the absence of a reliable power supply from Electricité du Liban (EDL).”

The article also describes how resorts are trying to keep skiing accessible, saying “many offers are regularly presented to skiers on weekdays and weekends so that this sport is not just for a niche.”

L'Orient-Le Jour similarly frames the season’s timing and expectations around the country’s conditions, reporting that Mohammad Choucair, “president of the economic bodies,” expects arrivals of vacationers to exceed the “400,000 people” threshold during the holiday period.

It also notes that Mzaar is counting on expatriates who “answered the call of the holidays this year,” and says the resort expects a successful launch partly because of that demand.

For The Cedars, L'Orient-Le Jour reports that the station is hoping for a “storm forecast” to keep snow in place despite weather that remains “generally mild.”

Ici Beyrouth adds that the season’s climate has been “spring-like,” saying temperatures are “around 14°C,” and it attributes the change to climate change.

It then ties optimism to politics, stating that visitors will come to the Cedars “mainly because of the country’s new political situation,” referring to “the election of a president after more than two years of vacancy at the head of state and the appointment of a new prime minister.”

As Lebanon’s ski season unfolds, the sources emphasize that openings and access depend on incoming weather, with resorts preparing for storms and adjusting what is passable.

“It is a joy to see the peaks of the Lebanese mountains gradually turning white again after so much political and security gloom”

Ici Beyrouth

Ici Beyrouth says Mzaar is open to “only 70% of its capacity due to the lack of snow at the base of the slopes,” and it notes that half-day ski passes will be offered “when snow coverage is total and the resort is fully open.”

Ici Beyrouth

It also reports that Cedar Ski Resort co-owner and director Elie Fakhry is “very happy” with the turnout recorded on “December 31” during the resort's opening, even though snow is sparse, and that the activity was interrupted a few days later due to the “particularly changeable and spring-like climate for the season.”

L'Orient-Le Jour similarly describes the resorts’ reliance on weather, saying owners are counting “especially on the coming storm to bolster the snow cover,” and it reports that Mzaar’s opening is contingent on assessing snow cover and waiting for “the storm to define the snow level.”

For Zaarour, L'Orient-Le Jour says the resort hopes cold weather will thicken the “thirty centimeters of snow present at the base of the slopes,” and it quotes Carol Murr, CEO of the Zaarour ski resort, saying she is hopeful because of “the cold wave sweeping Europe at the moment” and that Lebanon will benefit.

It adds that Zaarour’s launch could be “an opening this weekend” if conditions align, and it notes that the station’s starting point is “lower (1,645 m) than the two previous ones.”

L'Orient-Le Jour also reports that Mzaar expects to open “this weekend” and that “the patrollers have prepared the resort, the signage is finished,” leaving only weather to determine snow levels.

Across the coverage, the sources portray a season that is already underway but still fluid, with capacity and passable slopes tied to storms and snow accumulation.