 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi SnowHeads. Hoping for some local knowledge of Zermatt. We are in Saas Fee for Christmas but having previously had season tickets for years, this year as our other trip is to Austria we have not bothered with a Saas Fee loft pass of any length and are instead enjoying some things we’ve always said we’d do but haven’t because we’ve been skiing... so tomorrow we are skiing here, Friday we are heading into Visp to see the ice hockey and Saturday we were thinking of heading to Zermatt. I know we get the bus to Stalden, then the train up to Zermatt, but from here I’m struggling with the relative websites a little.
We’d like to travel in street shoes and then be able to leave a bag in a locker for the day to ski so one big enough for a duffel bag with a couple of pairs of boots. Is this possible at the station?
Can we buy a lift pass at Zermatt Station and will this get us straight on the Gornergratbahn or is a separate ticket needed for the cog railway?
Any best areas to ski, we like motorway reds towards the blacker end if such a thing exists but will tackle most things that resemble a piste and may have seen a basher in the last week or so.
Similarly any recommendations for reasonably priced (I’m aware it’s probably all pricey, Saas Fee isn’t exactly cheap either, but we like a light lunch like self service soup or pizza rather than sitting in a table service place eating 3 courses with wine)
For those of you still with this post, thanks in advance!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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On arrival at Zermatt train station there's lockers in the concourse to leave your street shoes etc, so you can travel to there carrying your skis / boots and change into ski kit there.
Gornergrat railway was just standard lift ticket when I last used it and just walked across there in ski boots.
Probably the largest area for one day visit is Trockner Steg, the approach to Italian border area and the highest access point at nearly 4000 mtrs. Starting with huge open piste on the glacier, then dropping all the way down to town on predominantly red runs for a great decent. We walked in ski boots to Trockner Steg from the main station, it's a bit of a yomp but doable, there are little electric buses that go there if you don't fancy it.
Self service restaurant at mid station Trockner Steg if you wish to eat more informally there.
A really great day out and well worth it to visit.
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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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Day ticket lets you ride the Gornergrat cog railway, so use that as first uplift, you can play on the reds off Hohtalli, yellow itineraries off Stockhorn, maybe Rothorn too if there's time. Iconic views of the Matterhorn from these sectors.
Head down to Furi via Riffelalp where there are some lunch spots.
Then go up to the highest point at Klein Matterhorn (Matterhorn Glacier Paradise on the maps), ski the long run down and across the glacier back to Trockener Steg, the play on the reds at Furggsattel, dropping your way on the reds back towards Furi and ending the day with apres at the Hennu Stall just above the village.
You'll end up at the top end of the village, you can get a little electric skibus or walk through the village back to the railway station, but at least it's downhill.
It's probably just scratching the surface, but gives you a taste of everything Zermatt has to offer.
If you wanted to go over to Italy, go directly up to the Klein Matterhorn, and ski down into Italy, play in the sunshine, a sit-down lunch on the sunny terrace at Chalet Etoile won't break the bank, then head back over to Switzerland and play on the reds as per the other itinerary.
You'll need a clear sunny day for both. If it's foul weather, don't bother as most of the ski area is above the treeline and without the iconic views, you could be anywhere.
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Thanks both. At the moment the weather, or at least the sun, looks favourable (not sure on wind, it’s been pretty blowy here) and thanks for the hints and tips. Will report back!!
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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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Had a great day out yesterday. Weather definitely made it! Took a bit of both of your advice, went up the Gornergrat railway and then took a lap of the chair that side before skiing back down to Furi and heading up the Klein Matterhorn side. Some lovely runs, we lapped the chair and lunched in the trockener steg self service late before heading down via the long red run which was a bit of a path compared to the rest of the runs but served purpose. We lost an hour to train delays on our planned itinerary but even starting at half 11 we covered a decent amount of ground and the scenery is stunning so we will definitely go back!
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