 Poster: A snowHead
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@Baron von chippy, whether something is mega expensive or not is inevitably a bit subjective and there’s no getting away from it, Zermatt is never considered cheap, but maybe one of these might be worth looking at?
https://peakyriders.ch/the-rooms/
https://hotelbahnhofzermatt.com/
Hotel Capricorn
Hotel Parnass
Hotel Tannenhof
Hotel Bella Vista
(Sorry got fed up copying all the links!!)
The video above says to fly to Geneva but flights to Zurich and Basel work equally well, all connect to the trains very smoothly, and journey times are about the same. The SBB site/app usually has the best fares, bookable from 6 months out, prices go up the closer you get to travel. Prices quoted always assume you have a half fare card which most Swiss do. It’s not economic to get one for a point to point journey. Tick the box that says no travel card and the correct fare will come up. A saver day pass for each day of travel is the best option. Kids 9 and under get free ski passes in Zermatt.
If you dont like the look of any of those hotels, there are options in Tasch - we have used the Tascherhof right by the station in the past and it was fine.
Hope that helps.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@scotsgirl, cheers. mega expensive as in 15k a week. not so expensive as in circa 5k a week
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@scotsgirl, cheers. mega expensive as in 15k a week. not so expensive as in circa 5k a week.
we drive so airports ain't an issue
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@Baron von chippy, ok well you are looking for kid friendly but I’m not sure how many are in your family….. I think £5k for New Year week half board for (say) 2 adults and 2 kids might be doable in some of the hotels mentioned above. The good thing about Zermatt, Switzerland in general actually is that standards are pretty high no matter the hotel category, as in they will be clean and comfortable so hopefully you’ll find something.
One thing I’ve noticed over recent years is that half board, once the default, is becoming a bit less common. I think the Parnass for example may have stopped doing half board (but do check). I suspect this is because there are now so many restaurants in Zermatt more and more people eat out. It is still however very good value compared to eating out if your hotel offers it.
I would add the Basecamp hotel, the Alpenroyal and the Perren to the list above. We stayed in the Perren for many years with babies and kids very happily. It’s changed hands recently and I heard might be getting redeveloped but again worth checking?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@scotsgirl, cheers
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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You have to love the Cervinia lift company. They really do try to max the amount of skiing that can be done on the Italian side.
The Swiss side mainly closes down this weekend. There will be skiing form Klein Matterhorn and from Furggsattel. Until the end of April there is a decent chance the runs down to Furgg will be kept open – after that the lifts that bring you up from there will no longer be running.
The Cervinia section of the Italian side is already staying open until 5 May (although lower slopes will need to close). However, there is still a lot of snow. Plus after the heat wave of the last few days temperatures are plummeting again. They have announced that they will keep running the Ventina down to Cime Biance Laghi as long as possible. Good for them. It does mean that well into May there will be a decent amony of piste kms open on the combined Swiss and Italian sides
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First of the Zermatt to Verbier PdG races cancelled. Hopefully the ones for later this week can go ahead.
| Quote: |
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Z1 AND A1 RACES ARE CANCELLED. The Commander of the Glacier Patrol gives top priority to the safety of patrollers as well as that of the military and civilians working on the course. The weather situation and the latest forecasts for Tuesday evening, Wednesday and Thursday, as well as the opinions of specialists stationed along the course, led him to cancel the Z1 and A1 races.
A degradation from the northwest causes temperatures to drop, with up to -25° C felt above 3000m, and wind gusts of up to 50 km/h on the ridges and peaks. Despite this, at low altitude, wet snow will not be able to consolidate sufficiently for the passage of the patrols. Another crucial point, the cloud accumulation and fog expected throughout the course from Tuesday to Thursday could prevent any medical evacuation by air during the race.
The commander of the PdG and the entire organisation share the disappointment of the patrols who prepared for this long-awaited appointment. He is counting on everyone's understanding of the decision that had to be taken.
As a result:
For the races:
The Z1 and A1 races are cancelled.
The dates of races Z2 and A2 are maintained.
For the official parts:
The press conference (3 p.m.), the opening ceremonies (4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.) and awards ceremony (2:30 p.m.) are cancelled.
For the practical aspects:
Requests for transfer from race Z1 to Z2 or from A1 to A2 are not accepted. The Z2 and A2 starting windows are complete.
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Did not often see snow in the village 2nd half of April!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| BobinCH wrote: |
Did not often see snow in the village 2nd half of April!
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Just in coffee shop about to head out for a walk. It is COLD. We even had snow down in Täsch. Piste skiing up high today will be lovely.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well it is all ready for you. Just fingers crossed that your race goes ahead. The snow deepens really quite quickly from only a few cm in town to some quite significant stuff up on the north side of Schwarzsee (i.e. the route you take on the PdG after passing Furi). We didn’t walk any higher than that but it looked quite a lot. As the cold temperatures are continuing the rest of the week the snow pack might not be as unstable as gave rise to last night’s cancellation?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@JohnMo, pretty sure it won’t run on Friday night due to the snow forecast but if it stops in the morning they have the day to secure the route to run it on Saturday night. I hope that’s enough time…
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Heading out this eve to ski fri-sun based . Def packing the thermals and trying to decide between the 82s or 98s...
Staying Italian side up hill from town at top of Cielo Alto so happing to ski in/out and get 3 long days in and also hoping link stays open given forecast winds.
First time in resort and looking forward to it. Any tips always welcome 
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You know it makes sense.
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One of the best things I've ever done on skis is get the last lift to top of Cervinia, wait around about half hour till everyone's gone and then enjoy a very long descent on wide open empty pistes with the Alpenglow on the Italian side of Matterhorn and surrounding pistes. Almost hypnotic. Not sure what time of year best for Alpenglow but I recommend.
There's also the possibility of a very long descent from Europe's highest ski lift right to the bottom of Val Tourneche, with I think just one short button breaking it up
Excellent Lasagna in the restuarant des guides or something at top of Cervinia side and if you like either seafood or pretty Swedish girls, or both, make a booking for Chalet Etoile.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@8611 That all sounds great or delicious or both!! Forza Italia!!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Snow way down the valley overnight. Tremendous snow conditions for the last weekend of the full Swiss side being open. Unfortunately winds (and cold) mean they are struggling to get things open up high. Like the first earlier this week, the second 2024 Zermatt to Verbier Patrouille des Glacier race has been cancelled. Very sad for those due to take part.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| JohnMo wrote: |
| Snow way down the valley overnight. Tremendous snow conditions for the last weekend of the full Swiss side being open. Unfortunately winds (and cold) mean they are struggling to get things open up high. Like the first earlier this week, the second 2024 Zermatt to Verbier Patrouille des Glacier race has been cancelled. Very sad for those due to take part. |
Especially as it was forecast to be clear overnight…
And they quietly put all the cancelled Z1, Z2 and A1 army teams in A2 but the paying punters got shafted
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Skiing all all the way down to village level at Breuil-Cervinia today. What a treat in the middle of May. OK, as you can see it was rather sketchy at the bottom (that photo is at noon). However it was great as far down as Plan Maison and maybe a third of the way down from Plan Maison. I rarely do that final section. But I couldn’t resist departing from Klein Matterhorn and doing a 1900m vertical drop at this time of year.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Fantastic
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Superb. Thats not sketchy at all!
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Wow - is there only one piste open down?
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| 8611 wrote: |
| Wow - is there only one piste open down? |
Yes. But Sunday was the last day it ran all the way down. However, you can still ski from the Theodulpass down to Plan Maison and from Testa Grigia down to Laghi Cime Bianche. On the Swiss side as well as the runs from Klein Matterhorn the Furggsattel lift is open. Not too shabby.
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| JohnMo wrote: |
Skiing all all the way down to village level at Breuil-Cervinia today. What a treat in the middle of May. OK, as you can see it was rather sketchy at the bottom (that photo is at noon). However it was great as far down as Plan Maison and maybe a third of the way down from Plan Maison. I rarely do that final section. But I couldn’t resist departing from Klein Matterhorn and doing a 1900m vertical drop at this time of year.
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Good post.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| JohnMo wrote: |
Skiing all all the way down to village level at Breuil-Cervinia today. What a treat in the middle of May. OK, as you can see it was rather sketchy at the bottom (that photo is at noon). However it was great as far down as Plan Maison and maybe a third of the way down from Plan Maison. I rarely do that final section. But I couldn’t resist departing from Klein Matterhorn and doing a 1900m vertical drop at this time of year.
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Looks great, many thanks for the report! I thought the Italian side had closed on May 5th (based on what I saw on their website).
I guess by now the Italian side is all closed, right? I'm planning to head to Zermatt/Cervinia (or somewhere where you can ski) coming weekend.
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| Gustavo the Gaper wrote: |
Looks great, many thanks for the report! I thought the Italian side had closed on May 5th (based on what I saw on their website).
I guess by now the Italian side is all closed, right? I'm planning to head to Zermatt/Cervinia (or somewhere where you can ski) coming weekend. |
May 5 was official closing date. But the Italians are good at keeping things going if the snow is good. As I say the run to the village is now closed but still good stuff higher up. I think they will at least keep it open for this weekend when the enthusiasts from Turin and Milan will head up. But who knows beyond that.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Wed 15-05-24 16:22; edited 2 times in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Another photo of mid-May snow. Snowshoe walking above Riffelberg in a snow storm at midday today. The trails are no longer open so you need to treat them as you would going off piste. But great making fresh tracks - even if the visibility was not exactly outstanding.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| JohnMo wrote: |
Another photo of mid-May snow. Snowshoe walking above Riffelberg in a snow storm at midday today. The trails are no longer open so you need to treat them as you would going off piste. But great making fresh tracks - even if the visibility was not exactly outstanding.
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Looks amazing, many thanks!
And are there still several slopes open? The website said 21km - 40km of slopes open in the past few days (today it was only partially open), I even called the tourism office to confirm, but the hotel I contacted said there was only 1 open slope, which is almost nothing...
Wondering whether I'll head to Zermatt or Austria (Hintertux/Stubai/Kaunertal)
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@Gustavo the Gaper, Yes, there was less open today because of the weather. The Furggsattel lift closes this Friday, which is a real pity as the conditions on the run down from there are superb (it is mainly on glacier). That will leave only the runs down from Klein Matterhorn to Trockener Steg. Nice but obviously limited. Cervinia do not seem to have indicated yet what they will be doing.
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You know it makes sense.
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| JohnMo wrote: |
| @Gustavo the Gaper, Yes, there was less open today because of the weather. The Furggsattel lift closes this Friday, which is a real pity as the conditions on the run down from there are superb (it is mainly on glacier). That will leave only the runs down from Klein Matterhorn to Trockener Steg. Nice but obviously limited. Cervinia do not seem to have indicated yet what they will be doing. |
That's a pity indeed, I love those red runs next to the Furggsattel.
I suspect the hotel employee I spoke to was tripping hahah, I don't think it's just one single slope that stays open. It may be just the summer skiing area, which is indeed small but decent for this time of the year.
At the tourism office they said the slopes will be closing at 14h this weekend, which is not what the website says... many uncertainties hahaha. I think I might go to Hintertux; I'd love to go to Zermatt but I'm a bit scared I might end up being limited to a single slope that closes at 14h (or worse: that won't open at all due to wind, which I've had a few times in Zermatt...).
Thanks for the tips!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Hintertux has the most open in europe at moment and will do until November I suspect.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| 8611 wrote: |
| Hintertux has the most open in europe at moment and will do until November I suspect. |
Indeed, I even called the Zermatt tourism office today again and they confirmed the lifts are open until 16h but the slopes are closing at 14h. So I ended up just booking Hintertux (it was also cheaper).
Thanks all for the info/tips
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| 8611 wrote: |
| Hintertux has the most open in europe at moment and will do until November I suspect. |
I have never been to Hintertux so I can’t really compare experience. I think once they are both in summer skiing mode they have a similar amount of runs – they both claim about 21/22 km. Zermatt starts at 3899m, while Hintetux starts at 3268. That is approximately the bottom of the Zermatt summer ski area. As I say though I have never been to Hinterux so I am not trying to claim one is better than the other – just that they seem similar. In any case I would never suggest anyone go summer skiing as an end in itself. It is a fun thing to do for a day or two as part of a wider holiday, including walking biking, sight seeing etc.
At the moment, Zermatt and Cervinia are in the Spring skiing season so the summer T-bars are not open and the runs that are opne are from Klein Matterhorn and Furggsattel to Trockener Steg (the latter ending this weekend) plus some runs on the Cervinia side that will keep going as long as possible. It absolutely dumped it down today. It was heavy (non-settling) snow down even down where I am at Täsch at 1,450m. On the webcams you can see a significant top up above 2000m and once again the Italian side did best.
The closing of Furggsattel this weekend is interesting. Prior to the new lifts to Klein Matterhorn from Trockener Steg and Testa Grigia opening Furggsattel used to stay open until the end of May. There is still plenty of snow – indeed the lower part of the runs are part of the Klein Mattehorn runs. I think though with the new modern fast lifts up to Klein Matterhorn they reckon that there is enough skiing to be had coming from Klein Matterhorn down to Trockener Steg or Testa Grigia. The new lifts get you back up to Klein Mattehorn faster than the Furggsattel chairlift can take you back up. That is probably enough to satisfy demand in what is a fairly quiet time of the year for skiing.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| JohnMo wrote: |
| 8611 wrote: |
| Hintertux has the most open in europe at moment and will do until November I suspect. |
I have never been to Hintertux so I can’t really compare experience. I think once they are both in summer skiing mode they have a similar amount of runs – they both claim about 21/22 km. Zermatt starts at 3899m, while Hintetux starts at 3268. That is approximately the bottom of the Zermatt summer ski area. As I say though I have never been to Hinterux so I am not trying to claim one is better than the other – just that they seem similar. In any case I would never suggest anyone go summer skiing as an end in itself. It is a fun thing to do for a day or two as part of a wider holiday, including walking biking, sight seeing etc.
At the moment, Zermatt and Cervinia are in the Spring skiing season so the summer T-bars are not open and the runs that are opne are from Klein Matterhorn and Furggsattel to Trockener Steg (the latter ending this weekend) plus some runs on the Cervinia side that will keep going as long as possible. It absolutely dumped it down today. It was heavy (non-settling) snow down even down where I am at Täsch at 1,450m. On the webcams you can see a significant top up above 2000m and once again the Italian side did best.
The closing of Furggsattel this weekend is interesting. Prior to the new lifts to Klein Matterhorn from Trockener Steg and Testa Grigia opening Furggsattel used to stay open until the end of May. There is still plenty of snow – indeed the lower part of the runs are part of the Klein Mattehorn runs. I think though with the new modern fast lifts up to Klein Matterhorn they reckon that there is enough skiing to be had coming from Klein Matterhorn down to Trockener Steg or Testa Grigia. The new lifts get you back up to Klein Mattehorn faster than the Furggsattel chairlift can take you back up. That is probably enough to satisfy demand in what is a fairly quiet time of the year for skiing. |
The forecast agrees with your comment on the altitude: at the top of Klein Matterhorn the temperatures still seem winter-like (around -6º), whilst in Hintertux even at the top they're just around/above 0. I reckon snow wise Zermatt must be as good as on a good winter day at the moment (especially with all the snowfall in the past days as you said), but Hintertux does have 48km of slopes open at the moment, and I just feel more certain that the resort will not be closed; Zermatt is rather uncertain in that regard.
It's sad Furggsattel is closing tomorrow, but what you said makes a lot of sense. I'm actually curious about the new lift; last year we went to Cervinia with some beginners in the group and they couldn't even go all the way up, which was a pity.
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I'd say in terms of atmosphere Zermatt almost certainly better. Full town, stunning views of the Mattterhorn, lots to do (I assume) as it gets year round tourists.
Hintertux is kind of the end of the road. There is very little atmosphere in town and the road leading to it is just a string of small villages with, again, very little atmosphere. There are some nice walks marketed at families when the snow melts in the valley. The skiing is pretty good though. I went around this time last year when there was a surprise snow fall and the long run down to the main lift was still open which was fun. There is decent variety in terms of the slopes on opposite sides of the mountain and a mountain shoulder, and a ski-addict atmosphere. It is mostly ski racing teams or people as addicted to skiing as you. Interestingly, there were loads of ski bums in campers last year, I suspect people who love skiing congregate there from across Europe as all the other resorts close. People were sitting around fires in the evening in the car park. But the town is otherwise dead in the evening.
If going for pure skiing I'd prob go to Hintertux. If looking for aesthetics, Zermatt. In fairness, if the Cervinia side of Zermatt was accessible it would be really good too in terms of skiing.
The solution to these dilemmas is simple - just go to both! One this year and one next year!
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