 Poster: A snowHead
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| MHskier wrote: |
Hopefully going back to Cervinia for a day in 2022 as part of our Aosta valley tour as we did two years ago. Loved the skiing there but two questions to possibly improve it:
I see that there's a new lift being put on up to Kleine Matterhorn - is that international pass only or can you start the Ventina run from up there?
At the bottom of run 16 into Cervinia town we ended up with a tricky finish then a tarmac walk back up to the nasty big concrete lift station in order to get us up to Plan Maison. Was there a cut through bit of piste we missed as we cam down into the town? |
I’d be amazed if the new Klein Matterhorn / Alpine X lift is open by your trip but I think certain it would need the int’l pass to use.
On the run 16 you can turn off earlier and end up right by the base station of the plan maison cable car. To ski from plateau rosa direst to plan maison itself you need to go via theodulpass (start northwards down the theodolite glacier and take the firsts track left)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Cheers for the info.
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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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Just to be clear(!) you need to turn off before you reach run 16 at around the point run 13 starts - once you reach the curl to area you are locked into run 16 and the two blacks
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@JohnMo, many thanks for the constant updates! Any info on the current snow conditions up there? I would like to go there next weekend (23/10), but don't really feel like traveling all the way from Holland if the snow is crap, and the forecast is looking far from promising...
Thanks!
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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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The first thing they open is the Ventina (7) down from Testa Grigia down to Laghi Cime Bianche. The latter lift station is at about the same height as Trockener Steg just over the ridge on the Swiss side. However the Italian glacier does not extend as far down as the Swiss one (the former being south facing and the latter north) so you need a longer run of artificial or farmed snow to connect the end of the glacier to the lift station. While they don’t intend to open up any more Italian lifts until 31 October they certainly would open that run if they possibly could (the Italian lift company is better than the Swiss in that regard). However they have stated they are not opening it this Saturday and the snow forecasts are pretty poor for the next few days.
I don’t think they would ever open up the Theodulpass into Italy until they can get the (3) lifts running up to there from Plan Maison. Even if in theory they could open up the top two I don’t think they would do it as the downlifting from Fornet to Plan Maison would be a major faff. At present the snow line (never mind the practical skiing line) is way higher than Plan Maison.
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| Gustavo the Gaper wrote: |
@JohnMo, many thanks for the constant updates! Any info on the current snow conditions up there? I would like to go there next weekend (23/10), but don't really feel like traveling all the way from Holland if the snow is crap, and the forecast is looking far from promising...
Thanks! |
At present the only thing open is still the summer ski area with the addition of the run down from there to Trockener Steg. I doubt it is worth driving all the way from the Netherlands just to do that. I always regard that as a nice one day activity when I am out there doing other stuff (walking, cycling). If the Furggsattel lift opens this weekend then there is at least a fairly decent skiing area (all on piste of course).
Even when Furggsattel opens you are still 90% skiing on glaciers. The snow on the glaciers is almost always good condition. It can get a bit slushy at the bottom in the summer but we are past that now and the temperatures have been encouragingly low up top. Having said that the Trockener Steg webcam shows a fair bit of melt of last week’s snow just in front of the lift station.
It is always a personal choice but if there is no more snow this week and next (and as I said above the forecast is not great) I wouldn’t drive out.
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| JohnMo wrote: |
| Gustavo the Gaper wrote: |
@JohnMo, many thanks for the constant updates! Any info on the current snow conditions up there? I would like to go there next weekend (23/10), but don't really feel like traveling all the way from Holland if the snow is crap, and the forecast is looking far from promising...
Thanks! |
At present the only thing open is still the summer ski area with the addition of the run down from there to Trockener Steg. I doubt it is worth driving all the way from the Netherlands just to do that. I always regard that as a nice one day activity when I am out there doing other stuff (walking, cycling). If the Furggsattel lift opens this weekend then there is at least a fairly decent skiing area (all on piste of course).
Even when Furggsattel opens you are still 90% skiing on glaciers. The snow on the glaciers is almost always good condition. It can get a bit slushy at the bottom in the summer but we are past that now and the temperatures have been encouragingly low up top. Having said that the Trockener Steg webcam shows a fair bit of melt of last week’s snow just in front of the lift station.
It is always a personal choice but if there is no more snow this week and next (and as I said above the forecast is not great) I wouldn’t drive out. |
Thanks a lot for the response!
I'd actually go by train, but still, it's a long trip. Very sad to admit but it looks as though I'm probably better off waiting a few more weeks and going in November... argh...
Anyway, I'll keep an eye on the forecast and on this thread. Please keep us posted if you have any news!
Many thanks!
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Ah no! Just seen this. That would be seriously disappointing.
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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: |
Ah no! Just seen this. That would be seriously disappointing.
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I sometimes think that Sherlock Holmes would struggle working out what was opening when in Zermatt. That message from the Zermatt Facebook page looks rubbish. A couple of the chalet companies were saying they would open Furggsattel tomorrow. You can see from this webcam screenshot that that must be the case. They are running the lifts and in the bottom left you can see they have completed the snow track round to the entrance to lift entry gates.
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Oh, that's good news, thanks! I'll check back tomorrow to see if it's open.
Also, the forecast has changed it looks as though there might be some snow at the end of next week. It's starting to look a bit more promising.
https://www.bergfex.com/zermatt/wetter/berg/
Earlier today it actually showed 30cm (and considerably lower temperatures), now it's only about 10cm, but still better than nothing.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Trockner does not look pleasant to me!. January earliest I fear.
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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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Yep. Furggsattel opened today (including the access from the Italian side). @twoodwar, I agree it looks very scratchy around Trockener Steg. But I think it will be fine on the glacier which is 80% of the run and 100% of the fun. I won’t be finding out until some time in November.
Still no snow over next few days. A little more hope later in the week - but little confidence that far out.
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@JohnMo, enjoy the skiing.Muddy golf for me for a while!
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You know it makes sense.
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Dear me. That is not an impressive chart as we head into the back end of October I hope that snow on Thursday ends up being at the upper end of the projections because there is little else to get excited about.
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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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This was the band of snow coming through last night (the last bit still falling now). Most of the stuff pushed somewhat north of Zermatt/Cervinia. The snow line was not much below 3000 feet. So it will have been good for topping up the already open stuff but not much else. The Swiss side of the ridge did a lot better than the Italian side. So it might not have done much to help the Italians get the Ventina open from Testa Grigia down to Laghi Cime Bianche (the next thing that will open).
Unfortunately on GFS (which is what I follow) there isn’t a glimmer of hope for any more for the next week.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@JohnMo, many thanks for the updates!
Just to make sure, you meant the snow line was not much below 3000 metres, right? Or was it really below 3000 feet?
I've been following closely and it seems the pistes must be great today, after yesterday's snowfall. I really wanted to go this weekend but it didn't work (caught a flu/cold), so I'm seriously considering going next weekend.
Too bad there's no possibility whatsoever of new snow at sight, but at least forecasted temperatures ain't very high (albeit sunny), so hopefully the snow quality will remain good.
Any ideia when you will manage to go there yourself?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sorry. 3,000 metres! The problem of living in a country stuck halfway between imperial and metric systems.
The conditions will be great this weekend but really hope some snow appears in the next fortnight. I won’t be back until mid November so hoping the top Italian run(s) will be open by then.
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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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Yeah I called the folks from the Italian side today and they confirmed only the "International" part is open, but their own pistes won't open until they see more snow... which is God knows when.
In the meantime, it's raining every single day here in Holland. Ironically sad.
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Does anyone know how many kilometres of pistes are actually open at the moment? I’m going to Hintertux on 6th Nov which has 38km open currently with more to come hopefully but a friend is going to Cervinia the same date and I’m wondering if there’s more there available or less? I’m thinking a fair bit less than 38km of pistes.
The Cervinia website doesn’t seem to say.
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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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At the moment it's 24km on the Swiss side (of which about 6km opened recently). You can see it here:
https://www.matterhornparadise.ch/en/Current-news/Lifts/Open-Liftes-and-Pistes
(but note that if you open the page when the pistes are closed, i.e. between 17h and 8am or so, it'll show "0km").
On the Italian side, as I said above, for now there's nothing open (although I do think you can take the lift on the Italian side to ski on the Swiss side), and they don't know yet when they will open more pistes, and that'll depend on more snowfall.
And really, 38km at Hintertux? Damn, I might change my destination for next week then. Do you know how the snow quality is over there?
EDIT: I called Hintertux and she confirmed there's about 40km of pistes open at the moment, but she did say the snow is quite icy... so perhaps Zermatt is still a better option (I'm assuming the snow there is quite good).
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Fri 22-10-21 13:53; edited 1 time in total
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The website says 24 km. Nothing is currently open on the Italian side (although there is access to the Swiss side). I would hope that by 6 November the Italians would get some stuff open.
Below is what is open.
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@Gustavo the Gaper, sorry I was typing when you posted so ended up repeating what you said.
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Ok thanks you two I think I will stick with Hintertux as even with what they have now it’s more (and I don’t mind if it’s icy).
Hintertux are opening up Schlegeis soon too as I asked them last week about that (off the back next to piste no 5)
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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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Great to hear, y'all, keep them updates coming!
If I do end up going next week, I'll get back here with a brief _in loco_ report as well.
Have a nice weekend!
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@Gustavo the Gaper, yes please do enlighten us with the conditions!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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See above. Some optimism for early November 
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@JohnMo, hey mate, further q on the vaccine pass etc on the swiss app, im assuming that they just validate the 2nd jab ? it validated it but only the 2nd jab has the covid certificate not the first jab, 2nd one ways only valid with id which it makes sense to me as you would just need the most recent one certified etc?
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You know it makes sense.
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| ajc2260626 wrote: |
| @JohnMo, hey mate, further q on the vaccine pass etc on the swiss app, im assuming that they just validate the 2nd jab ? it validated it but only the 2nd jab has the covid certificate not the first jab, 2nd one ways only valid with id which it makes sense to me as you would just need the most recent one certified etc? |
That’s right. Just the second jab.
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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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| twoodwar wrote: |
| See above. Some optimism for early November |
I was just looking at that on Bergfex Pro
End of Oct early Nov it looks like a dump is coming.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@JohnMo, cool, minor panic over....... now i just need to work out what tests i need to do to get on the plane..... day two lateral flow test for when i come back but what do i need to get on the plane in the first place 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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To get in you simply need your proof of vaccination and fill in the Swiss passenger locator form.
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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, for entering Italy though isn’t the negative PCR or negative lateral flow test needed 48 hours before entry even if fully vaccinated?
I don’t suppose it matters if you come from the UK stay on the Zermatt side and don’t cross over into Italy? But what if you do want to cross over and go to restaurants on the Italian side?
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Anyone managed to make sense of what you need to do covid passport wise if you fly into Switzerland, don't stay in Switzerland , and drive to Cervinia where you stay ?
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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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@wnhall, good question because I’m thinking it’s where you originated from i.e. the UK that counts rather than where you flew to (Switzerland) before entering Italy. For UK travellers entering Italy you need a negative PCR or antigen test taken within 48 hours of departure plus double vaccination.
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/entry-requirements
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@JohnMo, that’s what I thought, what do you need to get on a plane though? A fit to fly test I guess?
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@wnhall, this questionnaire that you can tab through tells you what you need to do, basically if you have been in the UK in the 14 days before you arrive in Italy (even if you arrive in Switzerland first) then you need a negative PCR/lateral flow test on top of double vaccination performed within 48 hours of entering Italy.
https://infocovid.viaggiaresicuri.it/returningtoitaly.html
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Ahh cool ! Thanks ! What about if we end up on Swiss snow ( ground) whilst skiing ?
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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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| wnhall wrote: |
| Ahh cool ! Thanks ! What about if we end up on Swiss snow ( ground) whilst skiing ? |
That I don’t know.
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FAQ
