 Poster: A snowHead
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Any recommendations for rental shop in Zermatt for renting skis for a week. We will be bringing everything else.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@wjrlaw, we always use Flexrent opposite the Sunnegga funicular entrance. Good equipment, and a storage area in the basement to leave your kit if you don’t want to carry it around with you. That said, quality is good in all the rental shops, prices about the same everywhere and some hotels have an arrangement with particular shops to offer a 10% discount so depending on where you are staying that might be worth asking about.
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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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up to when do the lift passes get more expensive on line. e.g. 2 weeks out 3 weeks out. thanks
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| mcg wrote: |
| up to when do the lift passes get more expensive on line. e.g. 2 weeks out 3 weeks out. thanks |
I don’t know. I may be proved wrong but I doubt anyone can tell you. The lift company would not really want this information to be easily accessible. Their mantra is “the earlier you book the better the price” (they want visitors locked in to coming to Zermatt). They would not want it to be known that there was little to no difference in booking three months in advance to two weeks in advance.
You can make guesses. When do you think “spur of the moment” visitors start making bookings based on conditions. If it was weather related you can’t really have any confidence about a weather forecast two weeks away. So I’d imagine prices start to rise from about that time if weather is looking good. If it is condition related then you can already see that conditions are good and that will last (at least on piste which is where the bulk of skiers are) for at least a month even if there is no snow. This is borne out by the fact that the whole of January (usually a quiet month) is showing up on the website as “high” demand.
Ultimately it doesn’t make a huge amount of difference. If you bought a six day (domestic) pass starting on Thursday (currently showing as high demand) it would cost you CHF 485. If you bought a similar pass for mid-March (currently showing as low demand) it would cost you CHF470.
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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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Quick query. On an Italy only pass can you ski down from plateau Rosa to testa grigia and back down into Italy on the reds there?
Not clear on the rubbish overly small piste map if that turning left at plateau rose commits you to Switzerland?
Thanks.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Yes you can ski from plateaue Rosa to Theodulpass and then on the reds to plan maison. It is signposted zermat but as long as you a) get right over to just below testa Gigia (bottom of the magic carpet tunnel ) and keep left u are ok
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| MHskier wrote: |
Quick query. On an Italy only pass can you ski down from plateau Rosa to testa grigia and back down into Italy on the reds there?
Not clear on the rubbish overly small piste map if that turning left at plateau rose commits you to Switzerland?
Thanks. |
Not sure you have the right place names there. The big gondola up from Cime Bianche Laghi takes you up to Testa Grigio. The big plateau in front of you (to the right) is Plateau Rosa (Rosa means frozen in the local Zermatt dialect). So coming from Italy you don’t ski from Plateau Rosa to Testa Grigia.
Coming out of the lift at Testa Grigia you can turn right. This will allow you to ski over to Valtounenche or ski back down to Cime Bianche Laghi (and onwards down to Breuil-Cervinia).
Alternatively you can turn left and ski down red piste 80. This is a Swiss piste but you are OK on it with an Italy only pass for a short while. You need to stay on the left hand side (skiers’ left). After a short while you will see a sign pointing left for Italy. Take that and it will take you through the Theodupass and back into the Italian system above Plan Masson.
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Been good for the New Year crowd but a welcome top up coming at the weekend. There is no confidence in what could happen next week yet but at least the possibility of some decent dumps is there.
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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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Thanks for advice above. We could see that today as extended the pass to zermatt. Had a fantastic day ripping around under the Matterhorn out round Stafelalp before going across to Riffelberg, blauherd and rothorn before heading back. 57 miles logged and broken now!
Pistes generally great on both sides but a bit of fresh to cover the odd scratchy section would be great. The Zermatt lift system is amazingly good. Certainly no long concrete stairs like the cervinia side but then you do pay a significant premium.
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Thanks for the condition report @mhskier.
Anyone want to have a go at a forecast for the next week?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Latest GFS shows a lot of precipitation in the next 10 days, culminating in what would be a large volume on the 12th!
As always I’m hoping and let’s see. Better than a barren picture.
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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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| twoodwar wrote: |
Latest GFS shows a lot of precipitation in the next 10 days, culminating in what would be a large volume on the 12th!
As always I’m hoping and let’s see. Better than a barren picture. |
Between yesterday’s 12Z and today’s 6Z GFS runs there is a quite a lot of difference. Even in the relatively short timeframe confidence is low. I’d be fairly certain there will be snow next week and I might even be confident there will be no snow on Monday. Other than that who knows. Looking at the BBC (which uses Meteo) radar forecast for Europe, the stuff coming in early in the week is in small bands - hence the lack of confidence as to whether they will hit or pass by. Later in the week there are some larger bands.
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Today was a powder and bluebird day. Strong wind at the top did cause a lot of the new snow to move but lower down off the Matterhorn glacier side we made fresh pow turns. Needs a lot more new snow to hide the rocks though.
This was my first week in Zermatt. A few observations.
The Riffelberg has the most interesting pistes and looked like the most interesting offpiste had the conditions allowed.
The lift system is ok. Not as good as the Arlberg or other Austrian resorts but way better than most of the French resorts I have visited. Cervinia side is very poor in this respect.
Even yesterday when most of the mountain was closed down to wind I didn’t feel it was very busy. Is this due to half the town being non skier tourists??
The town is large. Careful thought about logistics to and from the resort is probably required. Or expensive taxis (if your hotel doesn’t do a shuttle).
Charging for tap water on the mountain is pricy. Beer is cheaper.
The mountain scenery is second to none. The best I have visited.
Top to bottom vertical is fantastic and a real bonus.
Way too many non Europeans. But most couldn’t ski well…..
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You know it makes sense.
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End of a fantastic week in cervinia with one day enjoying zermatt. Thursdays overnight snow refreshed the pistes and they’ve been great these last two days. Some lovely food but noticing the bar prices have crept up quite a lot since we last skied aosta valley. Still bheaper than France.
One thing that really got on my nerves this trip was the amount of people stopped just over the crown of an often wind swept polished hill. So if you weren’t stopping (i always stop on the top and at the v side) you’d come blind over the top and see the person late with a difficult turn to make on a scratchy surface. Just bloody stop at the side and not hidden over a rise!!!
To finish on a positive note NYE in cervinia is great. Several thousand people crammed around church / dj at 12 with 20 minutes of 360 fireworks and partying (unofficial I believe as bizarrely the town have a torch descent and their fireworks the day before?!)
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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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Hi,
we're spending a few days in Aosta w/c 11th Jan. It'll be our first trip to the area and we plan to ski over to Zermatt one day. It looks fairly straightforward and as we'll be driving up I was thinking of starting in Breuil, is this better start point than Valtourneche ? any recommendations will be gratefully received 
thanks in advance,
R
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Poster: A snowHead
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I was thinking about that funnily enough as leaving cervinia on the coach this morning. You’ve got 5 lifts from valtournenche to plateau Rosa and 3 from cervinia. But there’s more likely to be harder parking and an initial queue at cervinia.
Not sure but possibly ~30 min longer from valtournenche (easy Parkingnext to the lift there) less the time it takes to drive up and park in cervinia.
The road up and presumably the parking at both was very busy today so I’d avoid a weekend if you’re able to. We have done this day trip from Aosta Accomodation twice before. The drive takes a while but well worth it but would need an early start to make best use of a zermatt pass.
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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 parking - we're going to Cervinia from Sun 19th-Fri 24th Jan. The apartment is in the Cielo Alta area, so not the main Cervinia Centre. We're flying into Turin, and have hired a car - hoping to be there before it gets dark.
Any guesses were is best to park, how much it'll cost, and how difficult it will be to find a place on a Sunday afternoon? Sort of hoping that the Turin and Milan weekenders will be headed down the mountain as we're heading up, so there will be loads of space.
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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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Condition report for Sunday in Zermatt
High cloud all day, with the Matterhorn 3/4 visible. Almost no wind on the Rothorn side, and visibility was good to excellent as the sun peaked through the clouds at times.
Mild temps made for a comfortable day.
Snow is firm and beautifully groomed. Lots of windswept powder on the edges of most runs. Plenty of terrain open, 62 was pick of the day.
High winds and snow at the top of Furggstatel and poor visibility. Therefore didn't venture up to Glacier Paradise.
Forecast for Monday is similar in the morning, wind looks to have picked up...with some light snow forecast for the afternoon.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| MHskier wrote: |
I was thinking about that funnily enough as leaving cervinia on the coach this morning. You’ve got 5 lifts from valtournenche to plateau Rosa and 3 from cervinia. But there’s more likely to be harder parking and an initial queue at cervinia.
Not sure but possibly ~30 min longer from valtournenche (easy Parkingnext to the lift there) less the time it takes to drive up and park in cervinia.
The road up and presumably the parking at both was very busy today so I’d avoid a weekend if you’re able to. We have done this day trip from Aosta Accomodation twice before. The drive takes a while but well worth it but would need an early start to make best use of a zermatt pass. |
thanks for that it's exactly the information I was looking for, we'll be mid week and the plan is to have day 1 getting our legs back in Pila then keep an eye out for good weather.
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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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@richb67
Forgot to say - When travelling from Aosta in previous years, we parked both day trips at Valtournenche but only skied the Cervinia side not Zermatt. I did Zermatt this week but we were based at Cielo Alto all week, so no morning drives needed.
I can also recommend La Thuile and Monte Rosa for day trips from Aosta if you have a car.
Have a great time.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@MHskier, thanks we should have a spare day so will look at those
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@richb67, Better off picking up the Salette bubble from Valtournenche. Easy and free parking either right by the bubble station at the bottom of the road down to it, or at the top of the road down to the bubble. Don't forget there's a great pizza place there too! The advantage of parking at the top car park is that you can ski down to the bubble and ski back to the car park from the Valtournenche side. One tip ... you can ski direct to the Plateau Rosa lifts and don't have to go right into Cervinia to get higher up. Be aware that what appears to be the run into Cervinia can take you to the Bardoney lifts, a bit of a bottle-neck and lifts do tend to have the occasional queue. For lunch/end of day drink I would really recommend the Foyer des Guides on the run back to Valtournenche, quite near the bottom of the piste, excellent sun-trap and a step up from the ordinary on-mountain resto.
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| richb67 wrote: |
Hi,
we're spending a few days in Aosta w/c 11th Jan. It'll be our first trip to the area and we plan to ski over to Zermatt one day. It looks fairly straightforward and as we'll be driving up I was thinking of starting in Breuil, is this better start point than Valtourneche ? any recommendations will be gratefully received
thanks in advance,
R |
I would stay flexible - if you start early you can get more out of the Zermatt extension - the Pm cable car starts much earlier (830) than any other lift and there is a ticket kiosk (for intl extension) loos up at plan Maison - you can get to testa Grigio by 915 fairly easily! But as above, ValT/ salette gondola is more relaxed - if I got to ValT before 8 I would continue up; if I was just wanting to dip my toe into CH I would go to ValT
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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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@Wildsmith, thanks, we'll actually be getting a day ticket for the area. The piste map doesn't show ticket offices but presumably there's a ticket office/machine at ValT?
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@richb67, at the Salette bottom gondola.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| richb67 wrote: |
| @Wildsmith, thanks, we'll actually be getting a day ticket for the area. The piste map doesn't show ticket offices but presumably there's a ticket office/machine at ValT? |
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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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Hi all, anyone in situ (Zermatt), know why most lifts arn't running? Website shows maximum wind of 30kph, so cannot be this. Or is the website simply wrong?
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It is showing over 50 kmh at Rothorn, Gornegrat and Schwarzsee.
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You know it makes sense.
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| JohnMo wrote: |
| richb67 wrote: |
| @Wildsmith, thanks, we'll actually be getting a day ticket for the area. The piste map doesn't show ticket offices but presumably there's a ticket office/machine at ValT? |
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And to the left of the ticket office is the pizzeria "Le Moulin". https://lemoulinvaltournenche.eatbu.com/?lang=it
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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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You can buy tickets online and either charge up an existing plastic card (any Aosta resort) or collect from machines outside the ticket offices…. The office in ValT opens at 9 I think, in Breuil (carpark / funivie valley station) it’s 820. the only thing u can’t do online afaik is buy the intl add on.
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Poster: A snowHead
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thanks @Wildsmith and @skimastaaah
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| twoodwar wrote: |
| Hi all, anyone in situ (Zermatt), know why most lifts arn't running? Website shows maximum wind of 30kph, so cannot be this. Or is the website simply wrong? |
Just looking at today’s record, the underlying wind speeds were not that bad but the gusts were awful. Thankfully the winds look a lot calmer over the rest of the week.
Decent chance of snowfall coming up, particularly at the back end of the 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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| skimastaaah wrote: |
| JohnMo wrote: |
| richb67 wrote: |
| @Wildsmith, thanks, we'll actually be getting a day ticket for the area. The piste map doesn't show ticket offices but presumably there's a ticket office/machine at ValT? |
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And to the left of the ticket office is the pizzeria "Le Moulin". https://lemoulinvaltournenche.eatbu.com/?lang=it |
Shh. That place is a secret. Most people ski down to the base and just hop straight back onto the gondola or into their cars. It is a little gem that cafe.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@JohnMo, cheers. The number of lifts open was minimal. I looked at the weather on the site rather than the live piste map I must admit
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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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@twoodwar, best to download the "Cervino Ski Paradise" app. Shows the most up to date/live lifts, weather, and slopes. Also has live webcams of all over Cervinia and Valtournenche.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hey Folks. Visiting Cervina for the first time next week. Started to look over the area properly for the first time, and noticed some lift maintenance for the cabin, it looks like there are drags to the top though that are running but off today. Is the Zermatt-Cervina link still open to people on Ski's and there's just been some wind issues recently? Would hate to miss out on all the Swiss side as that is most of the area.
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@escooler, there may be more experience here but the previous times I have been there, making the link to either side is more of a one off day trip rather than just part of the natural skiing day. do not underestimate the size and length of the link, and how long it takes to make that link, and also that the link is regularly(more than not) closed due to winds. If you are visiting Cervina just to access the swiss side than you may be disappointed regularly.
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Thanks for the insight. We were not expecting to spend most of our time there. But maybe spend a few of our days ski'ing the Swiss side. My take away from your comment though is if it's open go for it on that day.
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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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| skimastaaah wrote: |
| @richb67, Better off picking up the Salette bubble from Valtournenche. Easy and free parking either right by the bubble station at the bottom of the road down to it, or at the top of the road down to the bubble. Don't forget there's a great pizza place there too! The advantage of parking at the top car park is that you can ski down to the bubble and ski back to the car park from the Valtournenche side. One tip ... you can ski direct to the Plateau Rosa lifts and don't have to go right into Cervinia to get higher up. Be aware that what appears to be the run into Cervinia can take you to the Bardoney lifts, a bit of a bottle-neck and lifts do tend to have the occasional queue. For lunch/end of day drink I would really recommend the Foyer des Guides on the run back to Valtournenche, quite near the bottom of the piste, excellent sun-trap and a step up from the ordinary on-mountain resto. |
This.
I don't think there will be much difference in what time you get in to Switzerland if you get the 0840 lift from Valtournenche. You will save time on the drive up to Cervinia and parking is easier/quicker. I doubt it takes as much as 30 minutes more, probably a bit less than that as the lifts are quite fast (depends also on how fast you ski).
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All true and I agree save for the Gran Sommetto lift doesn’t open until 930… so for early birds, if you got to vt c8ish / unexpectedly early it’s worth being flexible and considering going on to Breuil imv if weather is/was settled and maximising Zermatt slopes is the goal etc
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FAQ
