 Poster: A snowHead
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There is a branch of Matterhorn Sport very near to where you're staying, you can book online through Snowrental, and probably others, to get a better rate. Make sure you choose the correct branch as they have 3 in Zermatt. As you say, the 3 lifts out of Zermatt are in different places, with either a 10 minute walk or an 'electro bus' ride between them. If you're only skiing for a couple of days or so, I'm sure others could advise some specific ideas, but I would imagine you could start at the Sunnegga/Rothorn area (the 'left hand end'), and work your way left to right, through Gornergrat/Riffelberg, to Trockener Steg/Klein Matterhorn and on to Cervinia... depending on the weather. If you're coming to Zermatt you're presumably prepared for a bit of expense, so it might be worth hiring someone as a guide for a day. Summit certainly do that sort of thing. You don't say how many in your group, but you could also think about using the electro-taxis to get around - I can't remember how much they cost as we've only ever used them a couple of times on arrival, with luggage.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The new Klein Matterhorn lift - can anyone tell me what it's like with a full load of people, all with skis/boards? I've been looking some videos and it all looks very plush (or poncy, depending on your point of view!), cabins designed by Pininfarina & Swarowksi etc , with rows of padded seats. I can see it has those bars on either side of the cabin, with round rubber doughnuts to stop skis sliding around - how does it all work if you're sitting in the middle of a row of seats?? Is it really aimed at non-skiers who probably don't like slumming it in a cablecar packed with skiers/borders?
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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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Town and pistes very busy but a beautiful bluebird day. The top lifts to a Kleine Matterhorn and Furgstattel have been closed by wind so the link over to Cervia is shown as closed at the moment. Everything is is open but busy.
@caughtanedge, the new lift is absolutley fine for skiers and boarders. I have been on several full lifts and it is comfortable and a huge improvement on the old cable car. I’ve not really queued for the lift which has been great. Given the capacity of the new system, it must be aimed at skiers/boarders as well as non-skiers. You just sit down holding your skis or board and there is plenty of room. The lifts I’ve been on have had a mixture of skiers, boarders and soght-seers and it had been no problem at all. I think you can pay even more(!) to go through a dedicated turnstile and ride in one of the lifts with the transperant floors. This must be aimed at the non-skiers. As far as I can work out (I have not paid the premium myself!) the floor mat is removed so you can look down. Maybe you get bejewelled slippers to wear as a souvenir and so ski boots don’t mark the floor - just a thought. Otherwise, the special cars just roll through and you get on as normal. I think there are only four of them. I have been on one and lifted up the mat and looked down - quite a view.
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It's not a floor mat that's removed. The floor is opaque to start, but changes to transparent as you move off as I understand it.
https://www.matterhornchalets.com/2018/09/18/crystal-ride-zermatt/
"Three minutes into the nine-minute journey to the highest lift station in Europe, the previously opaque glass floor will clear to become transparent thanks to an electrical current."
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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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@Welshcakes, Thanks for the information - looking forward to using it in February. Having watched them building it the last couple of years, I suppose I do appreciate where some of that lift pass money goes...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@iainm, That sounds more like it otherwise people like me would just remove the mat! There definitely is a mat covering the glass panel on the crystal floor cabins when the cabin is being used for “ordinary” passengers presumably protecting both the glass floor and the extra revenue stream. When I did lift a corner of the mat the floor did look reasonably clear and the view was great so a fully clear panel must be quite impressive. I’ve no idea how much the full experience costs but it could be worth it - maybe once. The cabins are identifiable by a crystal encrusted mountain design. People hung back from the first cabin when they saw the crystal one coming through so that they could get on it. If someone on here does try the full experience, let us know. To be fair, the ordinary ride is something special.
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@hedley, Sunnegga is the quickest way up the mountain, so I would endorse what caughtanedge has said. BTW, Steinmatstrasse is a long road and doesn't get that close to Sunnegga so you will probably have a 5-10 minute walk to get to the lift. Electric taxis are a good idea if you decide to go up via Kleine Matterhorn one day - not that expensive when shared between 4 (or 6 at a squeeze). By the end of Feb all the itineraries should be open so lots of interesting skiing for the more advanced members of your party. You must go up to the top of KM and take the Ventina down into Cervinia if the winds allow. Also worth coming back down via Sunnegga at the end of the day to avoid the scramble for the bus at the KM base station
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| caughtanedge wrote: |
| There is a branch of Matterhorn Sport very near to where you're staying, you can book online through Snowrental, and probably others, to get a better rate. Make sure you choose the correct branch as they have 3 in Zermatt. As you say, the 3 lifts out of Zermatt are in different places, with either a 10 minute walk or an 'electro bus' ride between them. If you're only skiing for a couple of days or so, I'm sure others could advise some specific ideas, but I would imagine you could start at the Sunnegga/Rothorn area (the 'left hand end'), and work your way left to right, through Gornergrat/Riffelberg, to Trockener Steg/Klein Matterhorn and on to Cervinia... depending on the weather. If you're coming to Zermatt you're presumably prepared for a bit of expense, so it might be worth hiring someone as a guide for a day. Summit certainly do that sort of thing. You don't say how many in your group, but you could also think about using the electro-taxis to get around - I can't remember how much they cost as we've only ever used them a couple of times on arrival, with luggage. |
Thanks for your response.
I am there for 4 days so should be able to ski most areas, given I usually hire lockers next to a strategically placed lift it will depend on where which lift we think gives us the best access and where in probability we will end up at the end of each day prior to apres shenanigans.
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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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Only part of Cervinia open today but there was some great soft powdery ‘wind sift’ snow both on and just off the pistes.
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| Welshcakes wrote: |
@Kj82,
I think the Cervinia website was updated during the morning to say the mid and lower lifts were open so don’t be too depressed, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for skiers on that side. I can’t answer your question about Cervinia winds but the winds that closed the Zermatt Matterhorn high lifts were North/North West and over 100 Kms per hour according to Meteocentrale. We had a quiet day but the children skied Gornergrat first thing then gave up because of the lift queues, skied down to Furi (OK but icy according to them) and up to Trockner Steg, skied down via the Swartzsee trees which they said were OK and down to Zermatt. |
thanks for the message back. i'm keeping my eagle eye on the forecast. as long as its not cloud down to resort and i get some sun i will be a happy chappy.
thanks
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| DCG wrote: |
| @hedley, Sunnegga is the quickest way up the mountain, |
Much faster now with the new funicular than the old single-seat chair, which used to turn through 90 degrees after leaving the base station so the passenger didn't have to look over their right shoulder to take in the Matterhorn view!!!
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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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| KenX wrote: |
| DCG wrote: |
| @hedley, Sunnegga is the quickest way up the mountain, |
Much faster now with the new funicular than the old single-seat chair, which used to turn through 90 degrees after leaving the base station so the passenger didn't have to look over their right shoulder to take in the Matterhorn view!!! |
That's Zermatt for you! That must have been quite some time ago. I think the funi was there when I first visited in '99
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@DCG, I think the first Sunnegga Express funicular went in around 1984 or so, they changed the trains a couple of years ago, that was a sight!!!
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You know it makes sense.
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Tad fiddly getting the old one out:
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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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It has been a really good fortnight for the Xmas and New Year holidaymakers. Most of the time it has been sunny with blue skies and most stuff has stayed open. There have been some winds high up and this has caused the links to Cervinia to be closed some of the time and even the Furgsattel Lift to be closed from time to time. The pistes up high have been in excellent condition (grotty lower down but most skiing is up high). As the visitors this time of year tend to be mainly piste skiers they should have had a great time.
A lot of itineraries have been open and in the afternoon at least have been very good.
But … while there is still plenty of snow up high we really, really could do with some new stuff. The Mrs and I did the snowshoe walk from Furi via Stafel and up to Schwarzsee today. It was fantastic – but there was quite a lot of collapsing through crust!
I am back in England tomorrow night and then back out here a few weeks later. I hope that blockage clears and lets in lots of lovely precipitation by then.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Can anyone tell me the cost of a 6 day combined zermatt cervinia lift pass.....does €299 sound right for a pass to get you to all the different parts of the mountain such as cervinia etc.........
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Sneachta2013, from which side? From Zermatt it is CHF437 (CHF414.80 if booked online). From Cervinia it is currently €299 and will be €326 from 2 Feb to 10 March. Both get you into the whole area. With the former pass you must start the day on a Swiss lift; with the latter pass you must start the day on an Italian lift.
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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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Anyone Know of any way of getting discounted ski passes....
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Is there a black market for ‘ski passes’ or somewhere on the ‘dark web’.....!!!
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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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| Sneachta2013 wrote: |
| Is there a black market for ‘ski passes’ or somewhere on the ‘dark web’.....!!! |
You get 5% on the Zermatt/Cervinia pass by booking on the Zermatt website.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cervinia is looking pretty closed today... anyone there who can report?
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| moosepig wrote: |
| Cervinia is looking pretty closed today... anyone there who can report? |
Looks like those northerly winds again. I usually think of Cervinia more getting the brunt of the southerlies but the northerlies have been causing them problems these last couple of weeks. The high parts of the Zermatt area are also closed (everything up from Trockener Steg and also Schwarzsee).
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Definitely windy, this is from Matterhorn Chalets Facebook:
"High winds meant Klein Matterhorn was closed yesterday, but that didn't stop Ed from Matterhorn Chalets. He used his touring skis to skin up from Trokenersteg to Testa Grigia. As it turned out he was the only person there apart from one member of staff and the headwind was so strong on the way back he almost had to walk!"
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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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Good amount of fresh deposited. Looks like pretty much all lifts closed due to avalanche risk at present. Looking good if you are there or going from Wednesday on, - assuming risk is much lower
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@twoodwar, should be fantastic. I am not out until next Wednesday- some fairly whacky runs showing up on GFS for then.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Very envious JohnMo, still got to wait till March 3rd! Late skiing due to imminent first grandchild. My other two daughters have been warned to plan these things better 
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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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The Garten itineraries (the ones coming down from Furggsattel) looking very cheered up from the snow over the last few days (photo from Summitt Ski School).
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| Sneachta2013 wrote: |
| Is there a black market for ‘ski passes’ or somewhere on the ‘dark web’.....!!! |
Yes, quite a big black market for fake lift tickets in the US.
Less so in Europe and Asia.
Between 1% and 10% of all season, weekly and daily ski passes worldwide are fake or illegal, depending on who you talk to.
Getting harder to fake it every year, though, due to new tech (like wireless chips).
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You know it makes sense.
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I’m sure there must be some local guys with season passes who might be into ‘sub-letting’ them to those who come for a week...??
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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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| Sneachta2013 wrote: |
| I’m sure there must be some local guys with season passes who might be into ‘sub-letting’ them to those who come for a week...?? |
Not sure I can let this go . . . we stay further up the valley, pay for a season pass for our area (relatively small village). They don't 'make a fortune' or 'rip us off'. Yes it's expensive - it's Switzerland, so wages are high also etc. etc. - of course we would like it to be cheaper, but we see the costs of providing all the services that go with a ski area. Zermatt is possibly even more expensive, but they have a large infrastructure to support - many tows, lifts trains & buses - all of which the card allows you to use.
I have always enjoyed and valued Snowheads and personally would not wish it to become a 'place' where dubious activities happen. Discounts are one thing - encouraging fraudulent activities another. Am I the only one to see it this way?
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Poster: A snowHead
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@kapt, I agree.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Agreed. Pay the money!
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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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@kapt, I agree. It is wrong on two levels: first the attempted fraud on the lift company, the cost of which would end up with those of us who pay the proper price; and second the misuse of snowheads, which is a very useful and enjoyable community and not meant for such things.
Putting the morality to one side, practically I doubt if very much of this goes on at all. Any annual (which I have) or season passes (and indeed any passes over 7 days) has a photo of the owner on it. That photo comes up on the screen in the booth every time you pass through a lift barrier (and there are barriers at every lift). While you might get away with it (goggles, lifty not paying attemtion etc) you have to get away with it every time. If caught, the owner of the pass loses his pass and is not allowed a new one. As the owner will have the pass for work or because they live locally and it is a large part of their leisure time, the downside is massively greater than whatever CHF someone is prepared to bung you.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks JohnMo, appreciate the info. I am encouraged by the sunday/monday snowfall and have been watching a few different sites and apps and it is still pretty changeable day by day. I wont pretend to understand the models that are posted but from reading around ive heard that there are some discrepancies between them so next week will change. I'm finding a mix of wepowder, accuweather, italian meteo service and the cervino website best so far. And the colder the better!!!
Hope you and the others have a good week
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Re ‘ski pass touting’ etc that I was posting about above just to clarify that I was more interested in knowing if ‘sub-letting’ of season passes to third parties etc actually occurs as opposed to availing of such services....I think a 6 day pass is still fairly reasonably priced in Europe when you look at the rates the USA and Canada’s are. Vail for example would set you back close to €850 for a six day pass and by all accounts you wouldn’t have anything like the Km’s of linked pistes that there is in Europe.
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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: |
| One encouraging feature is that all the itineraries that are meant to be open are – that is usually a positive sign that the snow is good. The exception is a couple of the high Rothorn itineraries that were open until the storm came in. However the avalanche risk is still 3 and those itineraries are the ones that are most vulnerable to avalanche. I would hope when the risk drops, they will reopen. |
Yep. Those ones are back open today.
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Stockhorn itineraries opened as scheduled today. My son who is out there is raving about the conditions.
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