 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey everyone
From what I've seen, Cervinia has reputation for being very windy. I'm thinking about going at the end of january. How likely is it that the wind will cause lists to close?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Quite a few decades ago we used to go regularly to Cervinia for family holidays and yes there were lift closures due to wind. I now go to Val d'Isere and in a week there will invariably be a day best spent in the morning with a good book, followed by a nice lunch. You are in the mountains, the weather isn't good all the time.
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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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It's quite possible, and I'd say probable for some of the time, but not something to put a figure on. It's the risk you run skiing somewhere high and surrounded by high mountains and glaciers. My understanding is that the glaciated territory itself has an effect on the weather and wind.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I think the guy is looking for specific answers about Cervinia / does it suffer more than other equally high places from high winds.
I have no idea, but I assume suggestions to 'get used to it cos you are in the mountains' don't really hit the spot 
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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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Did you read my first sentence?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It is simple: Cervinia/Zermatt is high up, (with only Chamonix to compare). And winds can be strong high in the mountains.
It can especially be of importance if you're planning to switch to Zermatt often:
If you get stuck in Zermatt due to liftclosures, you will have to get a -Swiss!- taxi to bring you back, which will take approx. 4 hrs.... (been there!  )
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if you divide the cervinia lift system into 3 zones based on altitude (plan maison, laghi cime bianche and then the border (plateau rosa/theodulpass) i would expect the top lifts to be shut a couple of days in a given week, especially earlier in the season. Generally the lower two thirds of the mountain stay open a lot longer and more reliably. During my trip last year we had one day of that, and one day of total shutdown (80+ km/h winds) but i think that is quite rare. It does seem a tad more windy than other high altitiude resort (possibly because the terrain resembles a very wide, gently sloping plateau with little to break the wind up) but in any given high altitude resort you have to accept that with the snow quality comes the possibility of days out due to big storms. If there are no trees you can't run and you can't hide...
They do what they can to get round it-for example, we had a forecast for sun in a morning with a storm moving in at midday. We went over the border first thing, had a brilliant morning in the trockener steg/schwarsee area in zermatt and then got the lift system back coming up to lunchtime. The very top cable car was shut and the wind had indeed got up a fair bit (we cut it fine!, however they kept the draglift back up to the border open for at least two hours after the weather turned foul.
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Also, if stuck i would look at spending a night somewhere cheap in zermatt or tasch rather than the 600 franc taxi or whatever it is...
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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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Was there a couple of years ago (early March). The lifts were not completely shut due to wind any time during the week. On one day the return from Zermatt cable car was closed - which forced us to use the worlds longest and coldest T-Bars (IMHO)
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Spent a week in Cervina early Jan twenty years ago only Skied 3 days out of six because of wind and snow , had to wear googles walking down the high street , it was brutal , Swore I'd never go back .
Five years later was persuaded to go back with another group , same thing happened . Have been back for day visits since on chosen Sunny days and have had a great time however .
If your there for a calm week it's great , however because of height and positioning when a weather episode hits it can be pretty bleak . There isn't any trees to retreat to either .
Would I book for a week in Jan , no , I would choose a resort with more variation in terrain and height as a hedge against a week of bad weather ( very probable in early Jan ) .
If you were asking the same question of Val Thorens , very similar high and treeless , the answer would also be the same with the suggestion of staying in lower and sheltered Meribel with the option of skiing over to Val T if the weather allowed .
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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In late Jan, I tend to agree with the suggestion of staying somewhere with access to lower altitude skiing and trees. Season before last we stayed in Champoluc for Christmas and New year (just over the mountain as the crow flies from Cervinia). We did experience lift closures for the inter valley links in the Monterosa area when the wind got up, but we could still ski the lower slopes. I completely agree with@Rob Mackley, re the 3V options as another example-an area we know well. The other thing to bear in mind is how bitterly cold the high altitude resorts can be in Jan, even if the lifts are open.
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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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Thanks for everyone's answers - I think I'll give it a miss.
@Rob Mackley, I was in Meribel around the same time this year and it was the bitter cold high up for the first few days rather than wind I remember - but that's expected in January I guess.
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When I stayed in Cervinia, one night we had to wear full ski gear with face masks to get to the pub , we were there an hour or so before the wind blew the main window of the pub in.
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You know it makes sense.
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I've been to Cervinia twice, both in early April. Superb resort for spring skiing, wall to wall sun and crisp dry snow both trips. Wouldn't even begin to consider it in Jan.
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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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OK, I'm now thinking the second week of April will be the easiest time for me to go skiing.
Is all/most of the area open this time of year? (Of course it should be fine above 3000m, I'm worrying more about lower down).
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Poster: A snowHead
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The very top lifts are vulnerable to wind and do get closed in storms WHICH ARE USUALLY FORECAST.
Getting stuck in Zermatt can have an unexpected expense. You get stuck pay through the nose for a nights accommodation in Zermatt and pole up to the first lift in the morning to get back to Cervinia only to have your pass rejected. Apparently you can not use a pass bought in Cervinia to start out from Zermatt. Something to do with differential pricing. You have to pay for a one day Zermatt pass.
I have been in Cervinia with the top lifts closed and we just stayed low down and there was plenty skiing towards Valtournenche
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi @sam135 you'll have a great time in Cervinia.
I had to chip in on this thread, as I had the biggest scare of my life on the glacier on the Zermatt side.
My wife and I set off on what looked like a "blue bird day" to go and ski and lunch on the Cervinia side.
All was well as we went up on the big gondola, I think its the Trockener Steg,
The crowd on board the gondola were chatting and laughing, then suddenly the wind got up and the gondola fell silent,
you could have heard a pin drop except for all the praying going on in several languages.
You walk through a tunnel for a couple of hindered meters at the top.
Then we just had to ski down .. but that was the worst bit ...
We had not taken any goggles and we were trying to ski down a very gentle slope as the wind try to force us back up!
As well as that the wind was blowing bullets of ice up the slope and pinging them in our faces.
Luckily my wife did not realise the danger we were in and after a few minutes we got out of the wind and could see where we were going.
Back to Zermatt!
I always carry goggles now.
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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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I was there last week - very lucky as it was blue skies and sunshine all week. The last two days were windy but not enough to shut the links though on the high exposed slopes I got wind blasted a couple of times. The wind was forecast so was expecting it.
Had an absolutely fantastic week's skiing and would highly recommend it as a resort. Might think twice about Jan but am intending on going back sometime as the skiing was so good!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Two trips in a row I lost 3 days skiing out of each week due to high winds. It was November, staying in Cervinia, and the only skiing open was on the Zermatt side - which we couldn't get to.
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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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I am in a different position in that I am a frequent visitor to Zermatt/Cervinia throughout the year. So my experience is different to someone going on their only ski holiday of the year.
As can be seen from the replies on here, it is the case that Cervinia can be windy. That is the downside of the good side that it is very high so it has very good early snow and it tends to stay in good condition. This year the snow has been very good on that side. So even if there is no more snow before the Xmas and NY season (fingers crossed for the opposite) it will be really good skiing over there. Even if it is windy the lower slopes can still be protected and even if Cervinia is windy Valtournenche might still be protected. Unfortunately the link from Cervinia over to Valtournenche is itself high and can be closed by winds! However the road (bus) link between the two is fine.
I am surprised how many people have been stuck on the Zermatt side and unable to get back to Cervinia. They do err on the side of caution in not opening the link if strong winds are coming. However even if the wind is really strong and the cable car up to Klein Matterhorn is closed the drag lifts that take you back tend to be kept open. They are long and not pleasant in the cold and wind – but they do get you back and can run in extremely windy conditions.
My three children and their partners are coming out to join my wife and me for the holidays. We are down the Swiss valley in Täsch but I still expect to spend a large amount of time over in Cervinia. Their snow has been better and at the time of the sun being at its lowest the south facing slopes of Cervinia can give you some lovely long sunny days.
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