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Arosa to Lenzerheide Connection - Doable for Early Intermediates?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I'm planning to go to Arosa in mid-December with two other early intermediate skiers and I was wondering if the red 20 was skiable for those that have taken several weeks of lessons over the years (and can ski easy-medium reds in Saalbach), but aren't necessarily great skiers.

I heard online (the ski resort even admitted itself) that the red 20 after the Urdenbahn lift which connects the two resorts, is very difficult (bordering on black), and not for beginners.

Thus I have a few questions
1) Could our group of early intermediates tackle this?
2) On the piste map I see two red 20's, are both equally difficult?
3) Can one simply request to ride the chairlift down, or would you have to do a 1.5 hour transfer by train to Lenzerheide to ski this area?

PS) How difficult are the reds in Arosa as a whole? Is the 21 from the Rothorn particularly difficult?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@südtirolistdeutsch, I think most of the reds in Arosa-Lenzerheide should be skiable by anyone used to doing reds elsewhere, but as is often the case there may be one or two stretches where someone less confident would need to take their time. From memory the hardest part of red 20 was near the bottom, after where there is the option to fork left on blues - admittedly to a different end point.

The red off the Rothorn is fun, and actually mostly a track. The direct route off the gondola is steep but there is a less steep option available, after which it is a nice cruise. Just be a little careful, at the end the obvious onward route turns into a black which steepens quite a lot, but that was my navigational error.

I seem to remember there was just one red on the Arosa side which I didn't like that much, possibly piste 10 off the Weisshorn. And the piste map is confusing, it looks as if there are two runs up to the top of the Weisshorn but they don't go to the same place and if you take the chair I think the only way down is via one of the blacks.

The Lenzerheide area covers both sides of the valley, and while there is one little two-way lift crossing between them much the easiest way is to use the ski buses which run in clockwise and anticlockwise circuits. It's a good area, to the extent that we went back again the following year.
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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?
Most of the reds in Arosa are reasonably straightforward but I wouldn't recommend the run off the Urdenbahn to early intermediates; it's wide but consistently steep and would be graded black in a few resorts. I've never seen anyone take the chairlift down and I don't know if that's possible. If you have to ski it, time it between the Urdenbahn connections so the piste is largely uncrowded. Reward yourself with refreshment at the excellent Mottahutte.

The red from the Rothorn is really nice and the bit where you go through the gallerie is quite good fun. Arosa is one of my favourite resorts and the reds are mixed - some more challenging than others! I would disagree with the previous poster, though, on one thing. The 10 piste from the Bruggerhorn is terrific fun.
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@LOTA, is that the one I mentioned above off the Lenzerheide end of the connection? Now you remind me there is a steepish (but very wide) section - from what I remember even a full cable car load of people didn't overcrowd the piste. For those not confident, it could be reassuring to wait until the majority had already gone.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Agree with @LOTA, the top run down from the Urdenbahn is pretty steep and windswept at the top. There is only one way down and it’s steep. I would not recommend it for early intermediates (although of course depends what exactly that means to each skier). I’ve skied it many times and I still wait for most people to pass! If you are experienced at reds and just cautious it is only the very top that’s a bit daunting. You can’t take the chair.

The reds in Arosa on the whole are really pretty easy (as are most in Lenzerheide) - personally I’m a fan of 10 as it is wide and quick for the most part, quite long and not too busy. I would say for reds in the whole area, just 20 and 22a are pretty steep in the early sections. If you make it over and want to get to the west side I personally would use the Ost-West link (which is not really a small chair but a quite new fast 4 man two way chair) and not take the ski bus. On the east side I also recommend the Motta if you want to splurge but the Scharmoin is good too (even the self service is decent).

I’ve never done the train journey but the car journey to Arosa is quite tough (winding roads) - drove there and back from Lenzerheide in the summer and we said next time would only go when the Urdenbahn is running!
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PS. I have only been in Feb so I’m not sure if early season conditions might change the advice
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@j b, that's the tactic I was recommending. My sources in Arosa told me the graders initially wanted to make the top half of the run a black but the powers-that-be felt a multi-million CHF investment would not attract sufficient skier traffic if that were the case, hence No 20 is now a steep red. I have seen lots of inexperienced skiers peering nervously at the steep start to 20! It also connects with the Silvano Beltrano downhill course which is a fierce experience when open. But there is an alternative way to Lenzerheidse via the run through the trees to the Ost-West Verbingdung lift - a lovely experience.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
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@LOTA, I certainly wasn't recommending the downhill course (black) which can even catch out good skiers. The blue off to the left allows you either to then turn right through the trees to Ost-West, or to take a short drag lift to get further round and reach the top of the bottom Rothorn cable car for downloading to the bus.

@Skimum1, the train is a delight though not quick. It is included on the ski-pass as is the Post-bus, so it is fun to stop slightly early in Arosa and take the train down to Chur and then the Post-bus back up to Lenzerheide. You don't want to leave it too late in the day so that the train journey is in daylight (depends on time of season of course). Finding the bus station was a bit of a challenge first time, it is on an upper level accessed by an escalator at one end of the front of the train station i.e. where the Arosa line terminates. There is also a big Migros supermarket nearby if you need to stock up.
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@LOTA, makes a lot of sense what you heard as IMO there are definitely a good handful of easier blacks across both Arosa and Lenzerheide than that red 20 (Silvano Beltrametti excluded as discussed)!

@j b, thanks - it certainly looks beautiful - maybe a summertime excursion for me by train although I have never experienced the delights of apres in Arosa as a consequence (save for the obligatory stop at the Carmennahütte)!
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@j b, railway station, please, not train station!!! Very Happy

The first time I went to Arosa, the railway station at Chur had not been modernised. I knew the train to Arosa went from platform 1 but I couldn't find it! Eventually, discovered platform 1 was outside the station itself and effectively the trains stop in the street and then run through the town centre roads for the first couple of miles.
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top is quite narrow and steep but only a short section, its doable
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hobbiteater wrote:
top is quite narrow and steep but only a short section, its doable


Doable for you and I, perhaps, but a surefire confidence-wrecker for the timid.
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@LOTA, I hadn't realised there was a distinction between a train station and a railway station - Google suggests the former was previously American usage but is now widespread in Britain.

Yes the Arosa line's location was unexpected, I had assumed it would arrive on one of the usual Rhaetische Bahn narrow gauge platforms, we have previously changed at Chur for St Moritz and Dissentis. Certainly it was a contrast arriving from Arosa, after travelling on the dedicated line through the forest and over viaducts you suddenly arrive in Chur and find yourself on what is effectively an urban tram running along the street like buses. And like a bus it draws up in front of the station entrance.

I don't know if there is any connection with the rest of the RhB, or it is completely cut off with dedicated rolling stock.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@j b, Yes, a horrible Americanism!

The last time I went up to Arosa, as we passed through Chur, there was an almighty crash and the train came to a rapid halt. Some old duffer had driven his Subaru into the front carriage! Luckily no injuries and the train eventually continued on its way! Very Happy
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@LOTA, just googled, I couldn't find anything on RhB's own website but Wikipedia says there is a link line allowing Arosa rolling stock to access other parts of the narrow gauge network, in particular the maintenance sheds at Landquart.

Sorry @südtirolistdeutsch for the thread drift, hope this all helps you make up your minds.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Quote:

I hadn't realised there was a distinction between a train station and a railway station - Google suggests the former was previously American usage but is now widespread in Britain.

Nothing like hearing the former enunciated in a broad Brummy accent to make one determined to resist the American usage!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person


Thank you all; something I am confused by though is that there seem to be two Red 20s that come down from the Urdenbahn. Are they both similar in terms of difficulty? Or does it not matter because they start together where it is steepest?
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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?
They start together and that is the steepest pitch although the 20 to skier's right is still reasonably steep, although wide, for a red run.
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you can descend the urdenfurggli chair on foot, not sure if you can holding skis though. email the tourist office
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@südtirolistdeutsch This appears to be the piste in question:


http://youtube.com/v/7xyAGmwTOa4
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Oddly, from looking at the webcams (https://hoernliberg.roundshot.com/#/) there appears to be loads more snow in Arosa than in the Jungfrau Region (https://panocam.skiline.cc/lauberhorn/).
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