 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
We are past the summer solstice and noza has started the 20-21 weather outlook thread so I guess we should start the Zermatt and Cervinia 2019-20 thread. The big improvement this season should be the new lift from Tufteren up to Rothorn. This is being built due to the previous lift from Kumme up to Rothorn being destroyed by an avalanche. It is at the far north of the ski area and is mainly north facing. It really will transform this area. It should open up in time for the winter season.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Great Facebook post, including video, from the Warren Smith Ski Academy.
The Italian side have opened up access from their side to the summer ski area. Access from the Swiss side has been open since the Covid-19 lockdown eased. Skiing all the way down to Trockener Steg. Particular well done to the Italians for opening up the slope down to Cime Bianche. It is a couple of years since they last did that for the summer ski season.
https://www.facebook.com/148837018541252/posts/3141012545990336/
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
AWESOME!!!
Last week I booked their course for July 26th, can't wait!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| AndreSilva wrote: |
AWESOME!!!
Last week I booked their course for July 26th, can't wait! |
Just sent them an email about those dates. Things are looking quite good to get on that course too. Fingers crossed 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Good to hear you Johnmo. I skied the laser day in Cervinia prior to lockdown and the last day in Zermatt prior to lockdown
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Booked Not quite as ideal as I first thought as the direct flight from Stockholm to Milan disappeared from one day to the next. So have to go via Amsterdam now. Fingers crossed it all works out as it’s a bit of a lottery at the moment!
I’ll send you a PM
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Not that I am a user but always good to see the park up on the top glacier open.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Themasterpiece wrote: |
Booked Not quite as ideal as I first thought as the direct flight from Stockholm to Milan disappeared from one day to the next. So have to go via Amsterdam now. Fingers crossed it all works out as it’s a bit of a lottery at the moment!
I’ll send you a PM |
Awesome!
I sent a PM!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
I looked on the lift company website https://www.matterhornparadise.ch/en - at first you'd think everything's just like normal. You have to go looking Current News > Lifts > Latest Updates on Cableways Services, then 'Coronavirus' is one of 3 tabs, along with 'New Kumme Chairlift' and 'Stockhorn'.
Essentially, it seems to say 'always wear a mask' and maintain a distance of 1.5m. No restrictions on lift capacity (in cabins and gondolas). Nothing about chairs.
I know it's a while yet to the winter season proper, but I can't help wondering what will happen on those electro-buses, and the area at the bottom of the Matterhorn Express gondola at 9am....
The Tourist Office website https://www.zermatt.ch/en is not quite as coy - they have a prominent red heading line, with links to the 'Current situation in Zermatt' page.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great pics Polo - looks amazing. How much is a lift ticket these days? Last time I looked at Swiss summer skiing possibilities (Saas Fee) the cost was pretty extortionate, if I recall correctly...
Mrs MA and I love summer skiing - but have no desire to chance it on a plane at the moment 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Great pics Polo - looks amazing. How much is a lift ticket these days? Last time I looked at Swiss summer skiing possibilities (Saas Fee) the cost was pretty extortionate, if I recall correctly...
Mrs MA and I love summer skiing - but have no desire to chance it on a plane at the moment
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
@AndreSilva, @Themasterpiece I’ve booked 2 weeks back to back with WSSA starting 26th July! I’ll be arriving in the evening of Wednesday 22nd. Ski you there!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| MancSkier wrote: |
| @AndreSilva, @Themasterpiece I’ve booked 2 weeks back to back with WSSA starting 26th July! I’ll be arriving in the evening of Wednesday 22nd. Ski you there! |
Awesome!
I should be there Sarturday around 18h, it's gonna be lit!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
@mountainaddict, 45 eur a day at the moment, from 7-12am (no doubt cheaper for a week etc). It's open all year round, and prices change later in the year when more of the area opens up.
Thought the mountain biking was very reasonable as well, 40 eur half day for top end e-bike's and the shops were very flexible on the hours you wanted to rent it for.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@polo, looks amazing!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Look awesome @polo, thanks for the shots!
Hope the good weather stays for next week 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The snow looks very good! I’ve been to Cervinia for the last 2 summers and it looks better this year!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@MancSkier, yep I was asking our local contact about that, the glacier is in the best summer condition for several years now. There hasn't been any notable heatwave so far and it's had a few small top ups in the last few weeks. The pistes were very hard at the top but softening up a little late morning....snow was definitely better than I expected, and I was on an old board with blunt edges.
Recommend (shameless plug) Tuktu at Plan Masion for lunch / apres. Ricki, Este and Benni will look after you well I'm sure. Interesting that they took over the bar and hotel 7years ago after previous owners went bust and it was empty for 3years. They've just extended the lease for another 10years and are slowly renovating the rooms.....the old rooms are pretty basic, but newer ones have sauna's, steam showers and some funky decor for about 80 eur a night including breakfast and I think 120 to include lunch and dinner. Excellent value.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
For obvious reasons Zermatt is mainly pitching at Swiss visitors at present and seems to be doing pretty well. They are extending the “Autumn” (Herbst) season (what I would call late summer) by one week until 18 October (see press release in German below). Bit of a gamble on the weather if you are going out at that time. Can be really lovely but you could have a week of rain.
https://www.zermatt.ch/en/Media/News/Transport/Saisonverlaengerung-in-Zermatt
They have also announced that the work on the new Tufteren to Rothorn lift (and associated snowmaking) has been successful and should be opening as scheduled at the beginning of December. This in theory replaces the old Kumme to Rothorn lift that was destroyed by avalanche but in reality massively improves the skiing area at the far north. I am really excited about this.
Something I just noticed was that the “earliest possible opening date” of the Furggsattel lift. This is the chairlift from Trockener Steg up to Furggsattel over the lower glacier down from the summer skiing area. The opening is usually scheduled for just after the middle of October but is dependent on whether there is any early snow (there is snowmaking from the tip of the glacier to Trockener Steg but none on the glacier itself). This year the “earliest possible date” is 2 October, which is two weeks earlier than usual. Be nice if the snow gods would play ball.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
@JohnMo, Good news about the new Tuftern lift. That's a great part of the ski area and will be improved by the extension. Plus, I assume the new chair will not emulate the Kumme lift in bashing the back of your legs!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| DCG wrote: |
| @JohnMo, Good news about the new Tuftern lift. That's a great part of the ski area and will be improved by the extension. Plus, I assume the new chair will not emulate the Kumme lift in bashing the back of your legs! |
No danger of that. It is a ten person gondola rather than a chairlift.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@JohnMo, Interesting point about use of the term “earliest possible opening date” . I wonder whether that might get applied elsewhere. I'm thinking particularly about the Trifti area which normally appears on timetables as opening around 15th Jan. I was once there the week before and there was masses of snow but that area remained closed until the due date.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| JohnMo wrote: |
No danger of that. It is a ten person gondola rather than a chairlift. |
At the risk of sounding like Eeyore... I love those pistes on the 'far' side of the Kumme ridge (12,13,14 etc), especially first thing when they're often empty. It's a rare treat to be able to ski any distance on-piste but out of sight of lifts, which was always possible below the Kumme lower station, and for the last couple of seasons, all the way from the top, because the Kumme chair 'disappeared'. I didn't really mind the clunky old chairlift - maybe that helped keep the area quiet?
I agree, being able to whizz back up from Tuftern will be great, but that gondola will presumably be visible all the way down 15, to Tuftern and below.
I wonder if the Tuftern cafe will have to get some better coffee cups instead of those polystyrene ones?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Well the snow is even dusting the village. That will melt but it is nice to start building it higher up for an October opening of the much larger Furggsattel area (the summer ski area is still open). With Switzerland now requiring UK visitors to quarantine (the reverse has been the case for a while) a two week trip out now would require 6 weeks. I am really missing the fix. First summer of no skiing in 7 years. Autumn skiing looks a certain non-starter and it is looking increasingly dire for winter. The resort has had a good summer and seems optimistic about winter. But winter could be like summer with mainly Swiss and to a lesser extent German visitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Look, I know this is pointless as almost all of us (including me) can not get out there but Saturday is the (very early) potential start of the Autumn skiing on the lower (and more extensive) glacier. Just look at that potential precipitation (which will all be snow up there). Very nice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
The webcams now looks promising and more snow coming. I guess they are openning 16 oct. And Italy still in allowed list.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
The Trochener Steg webcam is beautiful, yes! Cervinia opens on the 24th October and Zermatt winter schedule starts 1/11, I think. Be good to get @JohnMo's view of what might open when - even if it is academic...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Wildsmith wrote: |
| The Trochener Steg webcam is beautiful, yes! Cervinia opens on the 24th October and Zermatt winter schedule starts 1/11, I think. Be good to get @JohnMo's view of what might open when - even if it is academic... |
Yes, it looks fantastic. The storms were mainly coming from the south so the Cervinia side looks even better. The stated intention is that they could open up the Furggsattel lift (as well as continuing to run the higher glacier lifts) from 3 October “when conditions allow”. That opens up the excellent area from Furggsattel high on the border over the Furgg glacier and then the run down to Trockener Steg. The amount of snow already there looks to be enough to get things started. The snow on the glacier will be in perfect condition and in any case they use snowmaking to connect the end of the glacier to Trockener Steg. If they don’t open it over the next few days (there is another storm due Wednesday so they might wait for that) then they will open it for the weekend. Should be great.
As you say, Cervinia opens up what it can from 24 October. Initially that might just be down to Plan Maison but that brings in most of the good runs. After that I am afraid Zermatt does not open up anything further until 28th November.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
They have opened up the skiing from the summer ski area down to Trockener Steg. That ends in the track on the left in the photo. They have not opened up the Furggsattel lift but you can see the two large pistes in the centre coming down from the Furgg saddle itself. I think my comment above that it would open for the larger (Swiss) crowds at the weekend will prove true. Looks gorgeous.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| DCG wrote: |
| @JohnMo, Good news about the new Tuftern lift. That's a great part of the ski area and will be improved by the extension. Plus, I assume the new chair will not emulate the Kumme lift in bashing the back of your legs! |
That's a nice addition but in some ways I'm a little sad.....most people seemed to turn right at Rothorn and so I often had that area more or less to myself. It felt really remote and exciting, especially the top half
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Whitters wrote: |
| DCG wrote: |
| @JohnMo, Good news about the new Tuftern lift. That's a great part of the ski area and will be improved by the extension. Plus, I assume the new chair will not emulate the Kumme lift in bashing the back of your legs! |
That's a nice addition but in some ways I'm a little sad.....most people seemed to turn right at Rothorn and so I often had that area more or less to myself. It felt really remote and exciting, especially the top half |
Agreed. It was more "select". Let's hope it doesn't now get over-run.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
+1
See my comments further up.
But I won't complain if we actually get there next year...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Plan Maison webcam showing a decent dusting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Whitters wrote: |
| DCG wrote: |
| @JohnMo, Good news about the new Tuftern lift. That's a great part of the ski area and will be improved by the extension. Plus, I assume the new chair will not emulate the Kumme lift in bashing the back of your legs! |
That's a nice addition but in some ways I'm a little sad.....most people seemed to turn right at Rothorn and so I often had that area more or less to myself. It felt really remote and exciting, especially the top half |
I know what you mean. The same discussion was had a couple of years back when the old T bar up to Hörnli, over by Schwarzsee, was replaced by the super-duper chair lift. The area from Rothorn down to Kumme (and snow permitting, Patrularve) was something of a secret hiding in plain sight. But that Kumme chairlift could be seriously cold - especially in January.
There will be larger crowds on those pistes with the new gondola lift. But on the plus side there will now be snowmaking down from Kumme to Tuftern. So that area should open sooner and stay in better condition. I suspect most skiers will ski all the way from Rothorn down to Tuftern. With the old (avalanche destroyed) Kumme lift a lot of people just skied from Rothorn to Kumme (and indeed often that was the only section open). So the increased numbers will at least be spread over a larger area.
From a selfish point of view it make skiing the fantastic itineraries from the top of Rothorn a lot easier. Despite their location these itineraries are always quiet - much quieter than the Furggsattel or Stockhorn itineraries. And yet they can pose a better technical challenge than those areas. It used to be a pain when you did them having to get the slow Patrularve chair and then wait for the Blauherd to Rothorn cable car. Now you will be able to simply jump back on the gondola at Tuftern.
The webcam reveals that they are now loading the gondolas onto the cables. I suspect those working at the top of Rothorn are not too delighted by the early arrival of winter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
)
