 Poster: A snowHead
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Zermatt and the Jungfrau region have their own threads, but I thought there would be enough interest in all the other resorts Switzerland has to offer to be worthy of a separate thread!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Finally, the snow has arrived! 
This weekend 7-8 Jan I want to get some miles under my skis so will be heading to one of the bigger areas.
There are good SBB Snow & Rail offers for Sörenberg and Klosters, and Hoch Ybrig is always an option.
Anyone nearby with intel on the latest conditions?
Klosters should be a dead cert, but will head to one of the others if conditions are decent lower down.
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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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Uh, for anyone who doesn't know Switzerland, rest could e.g. Mean anything other than Verbier, which isn't really that helpful is it? 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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"Switzerland but not Zermatt or Jungfrau" just wasn't very catchy, and calling the thread "Switzerland" means we end up with 2,317,925 pictures of Wengen - hence the current title.
I'm open to suggestions. There just doesn't seem to be enough traffic for a thread for each area individually (at least until the CHF halves in value and the British package tourists return  )
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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.
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Mixed weekend at Engelberg - finally enough fresh snow for everyone , but visibility poor higher up and the glacier lifts shut. Service was annoyingly patchy with inaccurate information on the website and lifts as to opening times, particularly for the Angel Eyes lift to Trübsee. We tried the restaurant at the Trübsee cable car station for the first time and the food was really good. The sledging run finally opened too, but the snow is a bit light and slow for that yet.
Overall, it was nice to be out in good conditions, but I can't help feeling we'd have had a better time at another resort.
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Does anyone have any recent reports about conditions in Andermatt? Heading there in a couple of weeks.
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It's been -25C down in the village this week and there's basically zero chance of fresh snow this week, so I would expect things to be somewhat solid!
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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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@ibexag, Yep, the forecast is looking very dry.
How is the off piste coverage at the moment? has there been enough snow to fill everything in?
I still have a few weeks but might consider changing destination if the off piste isn't looking good.
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@joydivision, just spent 4 days roaming around Bernese Oberland/PdS; Grindlewald, Villars, Charmey and Champery. In summary, snow cover off piste is very thin everywhere but extends to the valley floor given the recent cold spell. Snow cover/quality is best in the east (Grindlewald) and poor in the west (Champery). Still plenty of rocks in Grindlewald that caught us out when we attacked some terrain features...
Also, wind affected on exposed ridges and high points. The sun is starting to get to south and west facing slopes in the PdS as it was a little warmer today.
Stones are coming to the surface on roll overs and well used pistes. To be fair, I don't think it's much better elsewhere unless you head to Austria or Corsica  Having said that, it's better than this time last year.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks @Sharkymark, That's a really useful overview.
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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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I am fortunate to have a sneaky, late-season five-day trip to Engelberg next month and would appreciate any updates on conditions, weather etc from anyone on the spot. Thanks, in advance.
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Anyone in St. Moritz? Would really appreciate an unbiased view on conditions. Cheers.
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm now thinking of dropping in on Andermatt for a couple of days around 1st April. I hope that's not foolish! Can anyone report on the conditions at present? Thanks.
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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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A visit to Arosa-Lenzerheide could now be on the cards next weekend. Can anybody provide a report? Cheers.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| skidm wrote: |
| I'm now thinking of dropping in on Andermatt for a couple of days around 1st April. I hope that's not foolish! Can anyone report on the conditions at present? Thanks. |
Andrmatt got 55cm a couple of days ago. Probably has the best base snow depths in CH
http://www.slf.ch/schneeinfo/schneekarten/hn3d/index_FR
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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 @BobinCH. The Andermatt tourist office confirm Natschen is now closed. Given its apparent sunny aspect that's probably no surprise. So that just leaves Gemsstock. My gut feeling is that Gemsstock alone is not sufficient for a 2-day trip, considering the current conditions. Maybe Arosa or Moritz are the way to go?
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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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@skidm, 1 day Engelberg, 2nd day Andermatt?
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Just spent a couple of days in Arosa-Lenzerheide. Piste conditions good up top, slushy lower down from 11am onwards. Boarded down to resort level on the Arosa side on both days. Found it best in the am around Weisshorn and Hornli on the Arosa side then over to Lenzerheide for Rothorn in the afternoon. Going home now and it's snowing in resort.
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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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Good skiing on Gemstock until lunchtime,but predictably long queues for the top cable car Sat and Sunday due t the great weather
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| skidm wrote: |
| Just spent a couple of days in Arosa-Lenzerheide. Piste conditions good up top, slushy lower down from 11am onwards. Boarded down to resort level on the Arosa side on both days. Found it best in the am around Weisshorn and Hornli on the Arosa side then over to Lenzerheide for Rothorn in the afternoon. Going home now and it's snowing in resort. |
If conditions hold out to the coming weekend, this is very tempting indeed...
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The angel has delivered in Engelberg today. About 4 inches overnight, and there was more off the sides of Stand. Lapped there a few times until tracked out, then over to Jockstock and 8, 13 etc were lush. A bit of cheeky rope ducking down the side of the black got us probably foot deep fresh. Definitely worth being in the queue at 8 this morning, it's been snowing most of the morning so it'll be an earlier start on Monday.
Happy Easter y'all.
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@hamilton, great to read that! Enjoying today's webcam views. Looking forward to Engelberg next week!
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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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@hamilton, Thanks, I'm in Engelberg Tues-Thurs this week, hopefully most of the Easter skiers will have left by then.
Had some great powder end of April last year so I'm hoping this last minute trip will compare well!
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Quick update. Epic day today. Snowed most of the night. The queue was 100 deep for the gondola, and we got the 6th rude up. Pistes are in good condition now... Not that we really cared. We lapped Stand for an hour chasing the fresh lines..... The queue was full of ABS bags and fat skis.... More to follow
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@hamilton, Are many people heading down Laub? How's the coverage lower down on that run? I can see from webcams that there was zero snow at the bottom of it a few days ago, so maybe it would be a lot of hassle to get out.
Hoping for good conditions in the morning - should snow all night again. SLF reckons 20-40cm over the region.
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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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Suspect it will snow tonight, it had started just as we left today. Laub and all the back to valley runs are shut. Won't reopen unless there is a huge dump. Plenty to do from Trubsee level upwards... The glacier runs and valleys from Jockstock is good on both sides.
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You know it makes sense.
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@hamilton, Not going to let some closed lifts stop me Skied Laub this morning during a brief clearing of the clouds. Top 3/4 was epic deep powder, but the bottom 1/4 was challenging as the snow was less deep and there seemed to be no base! Skied slowly and clipped a few rocks, no serious damage. Tried to ski through areas that looked meadowy. Then had to walk along the road and get the funicular down to the bottom in order to go back up. Once is enough, glad I managed it though!
Snow in general was fantastic - bottomless cold powder, but it was really misty most of the day so couldn't really make the most of it.
Currently snowing pretty hard down in town. Not expecting more than 5-10cm overnight but it hopefully will be enough to refresh todays tracks and the powder should be well preserved by the cold temps.
Great video BTW, snow looks similar to today!
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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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@musehead, fair play - on Saturday, the whole meadow at the bottom of the Laub was bare, so not surprised at your 'no base' comment! the snow in town is new since monday night - it was drizzle when we left. I'd stick to the higher runs - plenty between the pistes off Stand, Laubersgrat, Jochstock - and the valley runs off Jochstock down to Engstlenalp or Trubsee should still be good - and you'll have no crowds!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Central and Eastern Switzerland still getting hammered. 23cm since late yesterday afternoon at the Engelberg measuring station (2140m), around 15cm in town. SLF says "more than expected"! Avalanche risk 3 for Engelberg but risk 4 for the area just to the East of here which has had even more snow.
Very cold - feels like midwinter down in town with snow not melting on the roads etc this morning.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Excellent, musehead, counting the days to my late-season 'gamble' next 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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Quite a few people skied all the way back to Engelberg town today, down the closed pistes.
@LOTA, There will definitely be enough snow! The Jochpass/Jochstock area is only open until the 23rd, which is a shame as there is more than enough snow over there. Last year I came here the week after that area closed and decided to skin up, quite enjoyed it and was a very easy hike as they'd pisted it for some reason.
Lovely sunset caught on the webcam this evening (first time the skies have really cleared since my arrival two days ago!)
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@musehead, Thank you. Looking good. Shame about the Jochpass/Jochstock but it will be fun whatever is left open! Was amused by the webcam from the Untertrubsee restaurant where ski tracks stop at the cleared road and resume again on the other side. Clearly, as you say, some people skiing down to town on the route of the closed piste|!
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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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Well Thursday was truly epic - very deep, light, cold powder everywhere, very cold and no clouds (the valley was a sea of clouds below about 2000m). Totally reset from the previous day. South-ish aspects got sun affected pretty quickly in the strong late-April sunshine but North faces remained wintry into Friday too. It was pretty busy, a lot of cars driving up from down the valley and the car parks were pretty much full Thursday/Friday.
Didn't have to queue for any lifts but it got tracked out pretty quickly, I made good use of my skins for 10-15 mins above the lifts to get further across and had no lack of choice for fresh lines, particularly over the Jochpass - Engstlenalp side. Also toured up to the Wendesattle from that side (about a 200m ascent) which was totally worth it.
Skinning or bootpacking a bit was pretty much necessary for fresh tracks by Friday - The main areas like Laub, the glacier, the Sulz routes looked a bit like pistes by then!
Skiing down to town on the closed pistes was no problem on Thursday or Friday but it was pretty thin the last part.
Looks like it will get cold again this week and snow down to town again around Wed-Fri. There will be some more good late April powder to be had.
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Does anyone know where the snowline is around Engelberg way? Getting antsy for alpine hiking and looking at some routes south of the Vierwaldstättersee around the 2000m mark.
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@Gämsbock, Last week the snowline was around 900m and at the Titlisboden station at 2140m it is reporting 156cm depth today (188cm last week). You might need to wait a while longer for hiking at 2000m...
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| musehead wrote: |
Well Thursday was truly epic - very deep, light, cold powder everywhere, very cold and no clouds (the valley was a sea of clouds below about 2000m). Totally reset from the previous day. South-ish aspects got sun affected pretty quickly in the strong late-April sunshine but North faces remained wintry into Friday too. It was pretty busy, a lot of cars driving up from down the valley and the car parks were pretty much full Thursday/Friday.
Didn't have to queue for any lifts but it got tracked out pretty quickly, I made good use of my skins for 10-15 mins above the lifts to get further across and had no lack of choice for fresh lines, particularly over the Jochpass - Engstlenalp side. Also toured up to the Wendesattle from that side (about a 200m ascent) which was totally worth it.
Skinning or bootpacking a bit was pretty much necessary for fresh tracks by Friday - The main areas like Laub, the glacier, the Sulz routes looked a bit like pistes by then!
Skiing down to town on the closed pistes was no problem on Thursday or Friday but it was pretty thin the last part.
Looks like it will get cold again this week and snow down to town again around Wed-Fri. There will be some more good late April powder to be had. |
Excellent.
You based there @musehead?
Looking at a May ski if the snow continues. Skied mid-thigh, bluebird powder mid-May 2011.
Would love a repeat 
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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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@Mike Pow, Unfortunately not, i'm based in London - but I've found that Engelberg is quite easy, convenient and quick to get to from here (flight to Zurich and then train), great off piste options and often seems to get really good cold snow conditions when the weather comes from the North, especially late season. Plus the lifts stay open into May.
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| musehead wrote: |
| @Mike Pow, Unfortunately not, i'm based in London - but I've found that Engelberg is quite easy, convenient and quick to get to from here (flight to Zurich and then train), great off piste options and often seems to get really good cold snow conditions when the weather comes from the North, especially late season. Plus the lifts stay open into May. |
Yep that's been my experience and travel options.
Keeping a close watch
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