 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
AxsMan, The Sunstar is excellent. They really cannot do too much for you and there are no snags or catches. It is about a 40m walk to the Mannlichen cable car and as close to ski-in as you are going to get in the circumstances. It is about 100m from the station. It has a nice bar too, though another big gripe with the place is that smoking is allowed. Thus the whole place stinks. Our room had not been smoked in, but the corridors and public areas do smell of smoker. Well, it only takes one. I think floors 3 and 4 are non-smoking, so it might be worth insisting on that. Oddly, they seem to put families with children into the addict zones.
There is a lovely pool which is newly re-furbished and we really enjoyed the steam-room. Bev was having to do ice and heat and this gave her the chance to ski a bit at the end of the week. The food is perhaps a little on the nouveau side for my taste, but very good quality indeed. The chef is a young German ice-climber and will share a bottle of wine with you on the kitchen tour on a Thursday. The manager is jovial and obliging. They clearly value repeat business. There is a young Scots guy called Grant who will fix any problems in no time.
Knowing that you are about my standard (apologies, I'm sure you are better - most are) I think you will find the piste grading strange. Apart from tracks (mostly blue) nearly all runs are graded red. Some are posted as "easy" and some as "steep" but all are red! Our favourite was the one that goes down to the T bar at Tschuggen. The T bar is an easy one BTW. Some of the reds you have to pole down!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
To be fair to Chris Bish, people who go to Wengen either love it or hate it, a few just cannot stand the trains which are an aquired taste, the rest however seem to keep coming back.
As far as the piste marking goes, as I understand it the pistes are graded according to their steepest / trickiest sections, so a long gentle piste with a short but steep section such as the direct run from Kl Scheidegg to Arvengarten or that to Wixi will be rated as a red because it has a small section that is definately not a blue, likewise runs such as Oh God and Black Rock which under good snow conditions are probably only a red run become definately difficult blacks under icy conditions
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Chris Bish, After reading the above im sure Murren wouldnt have meet your expectations but did you pop over and take a look while you were there ??
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Chris Bish wrote: |
All-in-all, I felt this was a resort modelled after the Daily Telegraph: out-of-date, snobbish, backward-looking and traditional (to me a term of abuse). We were pretty disappointed with the place, and much prefer the wide open spaces and endless possibilities of the 3V.
 |
Fair comment Chris, and I won't lecture you about 'manufactured French skiing' or any of that nonsense. The Jungfrau Region has been the most active of the Swiss ski areas in updating lifts and installing snowmaking over the past couple of years (and not before time you might add - with some justification!).
But I must ask you about one adjective - "snobbish". Did you really feel that? How did this manifest itself? Were you made to feel inferior somehow? I ask because I drink at the Sunstar bar a lot (in fact an awful lot), and I can't imagine a more inclusive environment. Everyone drinks there, from the privileged few (yourself, I guess) who can afford to stay at the hotel, to resort workers who can barely afford the price of a beer or two but enjoy the bonhomie. You have been complimentary about the hotel in your other post, so I presume this comment emanates from another aspect of your resort experience.
I do appreciate your views about the skiing - each to his own and all that - but I would be genuinely interested to hear how Wengen comes across as "snobbish" to a newcomer. If this is the case, it is an issue that must be addressed.
I am genuinely curious about this Chris - please enlighten me 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
well I'm still amazed by the time and money spent on such a spectacular fireworks show they did last night 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This last week been Hellish crowded indeed, which explains quite a few of Chris gripes... I for one was suprised how /few/ icy places developed, considering the amount of bulldozering people down everything steeper then 'have-to-pole-it'.
Is piste grading and lift system very different in the Espace Killy compared to the 3V?
The idea behind the question is:
| Quote: |
| I wasn't impressed with either (espace killy) when I compare to Wengen... truly antique/slow lifts all around, except when you stick to the 'highway' and piste grading didn't give me many suprises compared to Wengen. Blacks and reds where I had to pole. Blues that were mogul fields in the morning (that will surely be fun for a beginner), and the only thing that made some blacks more difficult was simply total ignorance by the piste guys. I tried to ski as much of the area as possible, and felt spoiled by Wengens (speed/comfort) lift system. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
telford_mike, You have put me on the spot a little there, and you are quite right to ask me to justify my view. I think my choice of that word comes from observations of some of the Sunstar residents. Maybe a few quotations will help:
"We are not package tour people" (from someone on the same package as us!)
"You mustn't run about here. This isn't your pool at home."
"This table is a mess. Clear it up." (From a 10 year old, who had strewn most of a buffet over the table himself. Got agreeably short shrift from the staff!)
"Well at least you are doing real subjects." (conversation re Jon's education) (Comprehensive)
Maybe not a lot to go on, and maybe our own problem for choosing an expensive hotel, which again, I cannot fault in any way.
Probably our biggest disappointment was that Bev got injured on the first day, which may well have prejudiced us. Finding it hard to ski, in particular to stop, was very disadvantageous especially in the icy conditions. Maybe we were expecting too much. It is a nice enough skiing resort with a lot of charm and I would love to be there in good conditions with a fully fit wife. Jon was hoping for some adventures on his new High Society all-mountain skis and found little to entertain him. I wasn't brave enough on my own to challenge myself.
To answerChris Brookes, . We went over to Murren sans skis on the flat light day. I don't really feel qualified to comment! We also did the train ride to the Jungfraujoch.
Most people know I am a teacher and so we are forced to do crowded weeks. I have never found it difficult to get away from the crowds in the 3V, which very firmly remains my favourite place to ski. It might be "processed food" to people more expert than me (almost everybody!) but I know what will be top of my shopping list for resorts for next year!
I am sorry if I have upset anybody, but this is an honest response to a slightly disappointing experience. Most likely I expected it to be really special and it wasn't.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Chris Bish wrote: |
telford_mike, You have put me on the spot a little there, and you are quite right to ask me to justify my view. I think my choice of that word comes from observations of some of the Sunstar residents. Maybe a few quotations will help:
"We are not package tour people" (from someone on the same package as us!)
"You mustn't run about here. This isn't your pool at home."
"This table is a mess. Clear it up." (From a 10 year old, who had strewn most of a buffet over the table himself. Got agreeably short shrift from the staff!)
"Well at least you are doing real subjects." (conversation re Jon's education) (Comprehensive)
Maybe not a lot to go on, and maybe our own problem for choosing an expensive hotel, which again, I cannot fault in any way.
Probably our biggest disappointment was that Bev got injured on the first day, which may well have prejudiced us. Finding it hard to ski, in particular to stop, was very disadvantageous especially in the icy conditions. Maybe we were expecting too much. It is a nice enough skiing resort with a lot of charm and I would love to be there in good conditions with a fully fit wife. Jon was hoping for some adventures on his new High Society all-mountain skis and found little to entertain him. I wasn't brave enough on my own to challenge myself.
|
Hi Chris,
Now I understand Your quotations are classics, especially the one about the pool - I would have cringed along with you. I take it therefore that the cosmopolitan atmosphere in the Sunstar bar does not extend to the dining room!
By the sound of it your preference for the 3V is driven, in part by the fact that you have to ski in peak weeks, when lift and piste capacity are at a premium. I sympathise - for some years now we have opted to avoid New Year and February holiday weeks in Wengen, as the crowds border on the intolerable. Needless to say the week before Xmas was idyllic, as you can see from the snap of a deserted Wixi on page 108.
Very sorry to hear about Bev's unfortunate injury - I trust she is well on the way to making a full recovery.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Chris Bish, Sorry to hear about Bev's injury.
You dont need to apologise. I can totally understand where you are coming from. I loved Wengen ... but that had much to do with the company, guidance and 'value' combined with last year's best snowfall as anything else.
I have had a 'Boys Own'/ Eagle thing about skiing in the shadow of the Eiger, Matterhorn and Mont Blanc. Whn I first saw the Eiger my thoughts were 'So What?' ... it took fresh snow on the North Face to highlight its incredible mystique... I had a tear in my eye ( except Boys Own' characters never admit that !) .
Yes , Wengen is too 'Traditional English' .. I half-expected Oswald Mosely to walk around the corner with some of his cronies ... it shares a lot with an 'Empire Lost but NEVER forgotten'.
Some other observations :-
- Yes, Swiss piste-marking is awful ... same everywhere I've been there. That's why the MSB-'regulars' were so appreciated in showing us about, woth an extra 2 days skiing. I'm still coming to terms with Gstaad .. and that is better than Wengen in terms of marking.
- I'm convinced atht the Swiss have been more ecologically-aware than the French ... why else would 'links' always involve an uphill hike or 1/2 km 'langlauf'? !
- Wengen's restaurants and bars are generally 'poor' ime by Swiss standards ( thank goodness the MSB is half-board) -- and Swiss 'Customer Service' ranks alongside the French imho!
- We recently saw a Swiss national paper's comparitive of its own ski resorts. Many criteria ( including hotels, restaurants, choice etc. etc) . Zermatt was Number 1 , St Moritz 2, Gstaad 3, Films/Laax, Adelboden/Lenk , Verbier, Val d'Annniviers etc etc all came above 'Jungfrau' ...which came in at Number 10.
- Many people love it ... should they try elsewhere ? Do they love its idiosyncracies ??
- I think only one lives there .... and he enjoys everything about the place other than tourists, pistes and skiers .. maybe we should go figure 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Agenterre, haha awesome. The best thing about wengen is that it's only 2 hours from Zermatt.
Chris Bish, I'm sure I met you or someone else whos wife was injured in work, can't be sure though and my disguise kit is working extremely well. Nobody recognised me on the mountain today from work
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Chris Bish, I doubt you upset anybody... Maybe drop some of your experiences to the Jungfraubahnen, i'd hope they do things with such feedback
I rather have the area improved then having to close the eyes for the problems...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Ronald wrote: |
| Rumour section: Replacement of Salzegg and Wixi. |
Saw a new banner up on the old Honegg/Arven building 2 days ago.
The new Salzegg will be called "Eigernordwand" It will be a 4 seater with bubbles to keep you from winterish elements...
Good for 490 meters of altitude difference, and a short 6 and a half minute ride.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
I dont mind drag lifts but will be glad to see the Salzegg drag rplaced by a chair as it could be a difficult drag in bad conditions. I would agree with stab, that the downside to replacing drags with chairs is that quite runs get much more busy due to the greater lifting capacity and all the many people who will not use drags going on the chair. I assume this has happened with the new Honegg chair which has opened this season, the Honegg run was always quite due to it being a drag lift.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Hi folks, I'm not that injured just rather bruised and sore. Those who have had the "pleasure"(!) of skiing with me will be aware that one of my legs doesn't work too well anyway and it was really silly of me to injure the other one by wiping out in soft snow having got onto a toboggan run by mistake!
I loved the impressive mountains, hotel, food, sun and steam room but found the queues, trains and icy conditions a bit of a challenge. Also because we were there close to the shortest day, I found the out of sun into darkness on the piste difficult to get used to - I imagine with the sun higher in the sky the snow would be softer too.
Sorry if we sound a bit negative about the resort but perhaps our expectations were too high to start with. Skiing with Paul Z from the DHO was interesting - he takes no prisoners and makes no allowances for "first day ski legs!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Hmmmz... interesting... I wasn't having all that much trouble holding my edges, some places at the end of the day only...
Either I know how to avoid the bad places, or its me 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Anything that involves gettin rid of Salzegg T-bar has to be good
Chris & Bev, sorry to hear that it wasn't a great week. I must confess the twice I've been over new year, the lift queues were pretty bad....but that was about 10 years ago. Obviously not improved then?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
bev bish, I also managed to find that toboggan run ( you hadnt just been in a bar perchance?) and also managed to wipe-out re-finding the real slopes ..... hop you're better soonest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Agenterre, That toboggan run must be magnetic then! Sadly it was before my visit to the bar - on the last run of the day about 500m from the town. Must try to drink more next time
Like you I was amazed by the sheer beauty of the Eiger (and I never read the Boy's Own!) we had recently seen the Channel 4 film "Breaking The Silence" which covered the deaths of the four climbers in the 1930s on the North Face. It was quite haunting to actually visit the place and look through the Eiger Windows, where, I am told, they still launch rescue missions for people injured on the mountain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Hello all - venturing onto here for a little advice - but haven't read all 100 pages - just the last 3!
Anyway after a fab New Year with my mum - she has suggested that next New Year she would like to be somewhere snowy. Result methinks! So recalling lots of previous threads about where to take a non-skier I think this could be the opportunity to visit Wengen and have ventured here first...
I've read about chris's new year trip - and am thinking Wengen may not be for me, but not yet ready to dismiss it so my questions are:
1) Looks like the place is dominated by hotels, are there good catered chalet options... any good suggestions.
2) I'm a snowboarder - is it going to be a nightmare?
3) Mum has actually done a bit of snowboarding - will it be easy to pick up some private english language lessons?
4) Were the New Year crowds really bad?
5) If we don't go chalet option - then i know mum would love the sort of hotel that has a pool/sauna/steam room/pampering - any suggestions
thanks
MM
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
mountain mad,
1 - There are very few catered chalets in Wengen. I think Crystal or Inghams may have a couple.
2 - It's a popular area for snowboarders - no problems.
3 - Yes - easy to get English lessons with either of the ski schools.
4 - Yes, New Year is usually very crowded.
5 - Sunstar, Victoria Lauberhorn and Park are probably the best. The Regina has a big spa but no pool.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| mountain mad wrote: |
2) I'm a snowboarder - is it going to be a nightmare?
|
yes, a living hell. Good snowboarders are a minority here, beginner snowboarders are everywhere. Go to the First side if you are a good boarder, nothing on this side is of real interest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
mountain mad, The Sunstar is fine, but I had to sell my soul to the devil to afford it. Soul now returned by devil as too worn out to be worth anything. I do think Wengen would be the perfect place for a mix of skiers and non-skiers. Not aware of any chalets. I doubt it is a chalet place. I think it will be very busy at New Year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Chris Bish,
| Quote: |
I do think Wengen would be the perfect place for a mix of skiers and non-skiers
|
I can confirm this, used to ski there a good bit with a non-skiing partner, he loved the walking and whizzing about in trains. One of the great things, too, is the non-skier's ability to get to most of the mountain-top restaurants, and meet up with the skiers for lunch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| bev bish wrote: |
Agenterre, That toboggan run must be magnetic then! Sadly it was before my visit to the bar - on the last run of the day about 500m from the town. Must try to drink more next time
|
So you wiped out just after the top of Innerwengen?
Indeed that situation is not as clear as it should this year... (was clearer last years)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
I heard the wire came off the lift and smashed the chairs into the ground.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
At Central sports only heard rumours.
Talked to a guy who knows the area Very well down here at the Horner and already got the impression of mechanical failure of some sort. He really didn't want to tell more as he had uncertain sources.
Storm hit hard and suddenly. Normally they take the chairs in on Lauberhorn and the likes. Not so today.
Sad day for the area.....
Worse day for the family of the ones injured/killed...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Hi, my son Sam has another query for you all, now he knows where to find his pizza for lunch he wants to know of recommendations for a slope for snowboarding. He's a snow novice on a board, used to the nursery at swadlincote, so we want a blue with not too many steep drops, for example the entry to Arven is just too scary to start with. He needs a chairlift or train, or even bubbles, he's not strong enough to hang onto a drag for very far. The rat run down isn't going to be much fun, as there's too much walking with a board.
Oh God! comes to mind, but I think I will miss out the hospital trip thanks, I'm encouraging his boarding at present.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Ronald wrote: |
Storm hit hard and suddenly. Normally they take the chairs in on Lauberhorn and the likes. Not so today.
|
But everyone knew it was coming that's what I don't get. At 9am I had already told my gf to go up as soon as possible as the storm was expected to come within the next 4 hours.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Jane L wrote: |
Hi, my son Sam has another query for you all, now he knows where to find his pizza for lunch he wants to know of recommendations for a slope for snowboarding. He's a snow novice on a board, used to the nursery at swadlincote, so we want a blue with not too many steep drops, for example the entry to Arven is just too scary to start with. He needs a chairlift or train, or even bubbles, he's not strong enough to hang onto a drag for very far. The rat run down isn't going to be much fun, as there's too much walking with a board.
Oh God! comes to mind, but I think I will miss out the hospital trip thanks, I'm encouraging his boarding at present. |
mannlichen, end of story, that's where I got it together. No places where you need to take the board off.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mannlichen...although beware the first little bit is quite steep (that's where I broke my wrist on my first snowboard outing  ). Other than that, it's the perfect run for a boarder.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Elizabeth B, wow. mannlichen and steep in the same sentence 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
http://beo-news.ch/abns%202008/jan%202008/sesselbahn%20unfall%2003.htm
There were 75 people on the Fallboden at the time of the accident around 1pm. They were evacuated.
Winds at the time were measured at 90Kph... an the storm got worse after that.
Fallboden was build in 1982 as a 3 man chair, in 2002 refitted as a 2 man.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Thu 3-01-08 19:16; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
Today tschuggen saved a day that could have been spoilt by crowds.
