 Poster: A snowHead
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@Wildsmith, Just realised that Gran Sommetto does not open to 0930 like you say. Which is a bit later than ideal! You could probably make it there by about 0915/20 all things being equal so it's actually a bit odd. That said you could probably make it to Zermatt for around 1015. I am guessing that from Cervinia you could make it for a bit earlier but not much. So yes, if early heading for Cervinia would probably make sense. Although I would prefer a coffee and something at the cafe in valtournence if I had the time to spare....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Blue bird day today in Zermatt, cracking day...not too many people. A bit of fresh overnight snow added to the untouched snow from yesterday in the south end of the resort. The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise gondola was pedestrian only, disappointing the crossing wasn't opened fully.
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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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Been snowing steadily in Zermatt village for the last 30-45 mins.
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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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Enjoying my week in Zermatt after 18 years skiing elsewhere. Calling locals….been looking at the Hirli lift on the map and wondering how to access it - the map is a bit ambiguous. Do I jump out of the bubble at Schwarsee and find Red 51 or is there a different way into the sector?
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| Technician wrote: |
| Enjoying my week in Zermatt after 18 years skiing elsewhere. Calling locals….been looking at the Hirli lift on the map and wondering how to access it - the map is a bit ambiguous. Do I jump out of the bubble at Schwarsee and find Red 51 or is there a different way into the sector? |
Not a local here, but I can confirm that, at least if you want to stick to the slopes, the only way into that sector is from Schwarzsee.
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| Technician wrote: |
| Enjoying my week in Zermatt after 18 years skiing elsewhere. Calling locals….been looking at the Hirli lift on the map and wondering how to access it - the map is a bit ambiguous. Do I jump out of the bubble at Schwarsee and find Red 51 or is there a different way into the sector? |
If you don’t know the area it is surprisingly difficult to access. Although it is well sign posted.
Get off the lift at Schwarzsee. Almost immediately at the first junction just in front of the Schwarzsee Hotel turn right. You are now on piste 51. As you head down the mountain do not take the right turn to Aroleid or the left turn to Stafel.
The runs here are lovely. You come to a quite tricky hair pin bend. After this, stay to skiers’ left. After a steep little section that many people struggle with you will see a turning on your left hand side. It is very narrow and easy to miss (even though it is sign posted).
This takes you down a narrow and moderately steep track down to the Hirli lift. Despite what I have written above the pistes off there are great. Definitely worth doing and a great place to go if the main areas are busy. Some lovely off piste runs down as well if you are into that.
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Thanks for the prompt and detailed reply. Guess I know where we headed in the next day or two!
It’s been so long ago that vast chunks of the resort I had completely forgotten about. It’s been a refreshing rediscovery.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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From webcams looks like a little light snow in Zermatt town and a heavy fall at plan Maison over the border. More tomorrow!
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Wondering how much this storm is delivering. From the Cams it still looks as though the cover is relatively thin. Is a really big dump needed? thanks.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| mcg wrote: |
| Wondering how much this storm is delivering. From the Cams it still looks as though the cover is relatively thin. Is a really big dump needed? thanks. |
The current storm started in earnest about 9 and is continuing to about 7 (Swiss time). That is a lot of snow. I will be driving up the valley on Sunday. I am pleased I am not doing it today. Looking at the webcams, even with winter tyres I think you’d need chains from some way down.
The snow cover for the pistes is really good at present. The problem for the off piste (including the itineraries) is that a lot is wind swept so there is a lot of exposed rock. Whether today’s dump is enough to change that we’ll see. After today there is nothing more in the reliable forecasting future. Selfishly I am quite pleased about that. It means while my wife is out conditions will be great for hiking, snowshoe walking and cross country skiing (the stuff she does). From next Saturday I will start focusing on downhill skiing.
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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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weather is looking good for this week so we plan to pop over to Cervinia/Zermatt on Thursday, anyone know how it's looking? we'll have another warm up day tomorrow but in La Thuile.
We had a lovely day in Pila, sunny and very cold but lovely snow and even ca 4pm the pistes were in good condition. Just what we needed for the first day. It's a relief to discover that I can still remember how to ski!
Unfortunately ca 8 pistes closed due to lack of snow but there were quite a few snow cannons going all day. There only seems to be a few inches of snow on the pistes so a good dump would be very welcome.
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How is the sun and the temps likely to affect the slopes over the next 10 days. Will it remain cold enough to not have a detrimental effect?
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You know it makes sense.
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| mcg wrote: |
| How is the sun and the temps likely to affect the slopes over the next 10 days. Will it remain cold enough to not have a detrimental effect? |
If your interest is the pistes I think they will remain lovely over the next few days. After the storm at the end of last week the snow is great. The pistes are hard packed but in good condition. The temperatures are not getting particularly high (it has been really cold the last few days although gorgeous in the sun) so I can’t see a significant deterioration. We are all greedy so always want a top-up but it is going to be fine for quite a few days yet.
Off-piste is trickier. If you can get yourself in a gully the snow is magnificent. However, every ridge is wind scoured so the potential for scraping skies is high. We were snowshoe walking today (so happy to hit wind scoured ridges after the hard work of getting through deep snow). We were off the marked trails but not too far from the Gornegrat to Riffelberg area. Many off piste skiers use that area. We didn’t come across a single one 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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@JohnMo, thanks for that. good to know the base won't get too affected. A few weeks yet until I get there so hopefully a few storms can come through in that time.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hope so. Too far into the future to worry about it but, if things did turn out like these GFS runs, by the end of the month the pistes would be “tired”.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Great conditions in Cervinia on piste today. Didn't venture off the beaten track as the wind has scoured all the exposed areas off piste.
Still cold enough to retain the crisp conditions in all but the most heavily tracked of areas.
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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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we popped up to Cervinia and Zermatt today. our first visit. This morning was extremely cold, the coldest of our week in the Aosta Valley.
Pistes were good in the morning but as you'd expect more hard pack was showing as the day went on. Fortunately at least some of the snow had just moved to other sections of the piste so the steeper bits were hard packed but then a little further on there were sections which were almost powder like.
The top section on the glacier was just icy & windy, not pleasant at all but the views were incredible. The Swiss giant gondola thingy is amazing and as it approached the top station the view opened up and everyone in it just said 'wow' at almost exactly the same time.
We and another couple were saved by a liftie. We arrived to find it had closed 5 minutes earlier but needed to get back up so we could get back to Valtourneche. He let us go under the ropes and jump on, good of him but why do some lifts close before 4pm!!
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| richb67 wrote: |
we popped up to Cervinia and Zermatt today. our first visit. This morning was extremely cold, the coldest of our week in the Aosta Valley.
Pistes were good in the morning but as you'd expect more hard pack was showing as the day went on. Fortunately at least some of the snow had just moved to other sections of the piste so the steeper bits were hard packed but then a little further on there were sections which were almost powder like.
The top section on the glacier was just icy & windy, not pleasant at all but the views were incredible. The Swiss giant gondola thingy is amazing and as it approached the top station the view opened up and everyone in it just said 'wow' at almost exactly the same time.
We and another couple were saved by a liftie. We arrived to find it had closed 5 minutes earlier but needed to get back up so we could get back to Valtourneche. He let us go under the ropes and jump on, good of him but why do some lifts close before 4pm!! |
That was fortunate! Good of the lifty to apply some common sense. Not much use to you but in a couple of weeks the Trockener Steg to Klein Matterhorn lift closes 30 minutes later at 4 o’clock (last descent at 4.15).
They probably err on the side of caution but I do understand why they have a relatively early time. The issue is that when they say at present last descent at 3.45 that means all skiers not just those heading back to Italy. So a lot of people will ski all the way from Klein Matterhorn down to Zermatt. For some people that can take a long time. The sunset round here at present is shortly after 5. However, the sun goes down below the Swiss/Italy ridge much earlier. Except for the top bit the ski to Zermatt is all below the ridge on north facing slopes. A moderate speed skier leaving Klein Matterhorn at 3.45 is going to get to Zermatt in very dark conditions. And of course the piste patrol has to do their final sweep after all those skiers.
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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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@JohnMo, just checked it was the Goillet lift so not one of the main ones to the top, our "lets just pop down here for a diversion" nearly ended up with us catching a bus from Cervinia but it all worked out in the end 
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| richb67 wrote: |
| @JohnMo, just checked it was the Goillet lift so not one of the main ones to the top, our "lets just pop down here for a diversion" nearly ended up with us catching a bus from Cervinia but it all worked out in the end |
Ah right, 15.50 is a little on the early side for that one. At least the du Col lift that lifts you up over the ridge back into Valtournenche stays open until 16.30.
Having to take a bus or taxi back from Cervinia to Valtournenche might be an inconvenience but pales into insignificance compared to getting stuck in the wrong country! Every season there are an unlucky few who take a wrong turning and miss the last lift and face either a very expensive (and long) taxi or a night in a hotel – the latter is usually cheaper and certainly more pleasant.
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| JohnMo wrote: |
Having to take a bus or taxi back from Cervinia to Valtournenche might be an inconvenience but pales into insignificance compared to getting stuck in the wrong country! Every season there are an unlucky few who take a wrong turning and miss the last lift and face either a very expensive (and long) taxi or a night in a hotel – the latter is usually cheaper and certainly more pleasant. |
yes, our plan was simple, get on skis, go to Zermatt, ski back after lunch or asap if the wind started getting up!
One more thing, we were very impressed with the few lifts we used in Zermatt, they put Cervinia to shame.
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We have been here since Sunday so skied 4 days. Pistes are superb everywhere.
Off piste is pretty crap … wind blown crust everywhere there is snow otherwise rock or ice elsewhere. Spoke to guides who said save your money and come back when off piste is skiable.
But piste skiing is fab … been to Zermatt everyday and few trips to Valtournenche whim is a great descent.
It is very cold … minor frostbite on nose on Monday. Very windy at top too … threatened to close return lifts yesterday but we got back fine.
Love bar apres is awesome , followed by dragon bar in town.
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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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| PBJ wrote: |
We have been here since Sunday so skied 4 days. Pistes are superb everywhere.
Off piste is pretty crap … wind blown crust everywhere there is snow otherwise rock or ice elsewhere. Spoke to guides who said save your money and come back when off piste is skiable.
But piste skiing is fab … been to Zermatt everyday and few trips to Valtournenche whim is a great descent.
It is very cold … minor frostbite on nose on Monday. Very windy at top too … threatened to close return lifts yesterday but we got back fine.
Love bar apres is awesome , followed by dragon bar in town. |
Re the off piste I think you are discussing Cervinia. Zermatt has less of an issue with the sun creating crusts but the wind scouring the ridges has also made lift served off pistes pretty awful. However, if you can get into a north facing couloir the snow is fantastic. The non-(downhill)skiing wife has been out this week so, other than cross country, I have not been on skis. However, we have been snowshoe walking. Wind scoured ridges don’t really bother a snowshoe walker (they can be a relief). I have deliberately headed down into the couloirs because the snow is so good (but hard work!). So while lift served off piste is a bit of a waste of time at present, if you can put on your skins and go ski touring there is a lot of good stuff to be found. I will be touring next week (round the corner in Verbier/4 valleys rather than here) and I am totally confident in our guide taking us to good stuff.
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Nice storm coming in from the east (slightly south east) on Sunday. Cervinia should do well. Our easterly neighbours in Monte Rosa and Saas Fee could do very well. Hopefully they will pass some of it over our way in Zermatt.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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How was the last snowfall. Looked quite better than expected on the Cams. Is there anything further expected towards this weekend? Some models show snow coming?
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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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Snowed quite heavily at times today, we were finding 5cm - 10cm of fresh on some of the upper pistes and up to boot high on the off piste.
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Hello all. I am planning a trip to Zermatt in early March. I’m a relatively competent skier but wouldn’t describe myself as super expert. Usually do a few black runs each trip and have done some of the itineraries in St Anton before. I might give a few of the itineraries in Zermatt a go so can anyone give any advice on which ones are at the easier/ more difficult end of the scale. Appreciate it is always conditions dependent etc
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You know it makes sense.
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Hello all. I am planning a trip to Zermatt in early March. I’m a relatively competent skier but wouldn’t describe myself as super expert. Usually do a few black runs each trip and have done some of the itineraries in St Anton before. I might give a few of the itineraries in Zermatt a go so can anyone give any advice on which ones are at the easier/ more difficult end of the scale. Appreciate it is always conditions dependent etc
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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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| Jakebarton wrote: |
| can anyone give any advice on which ones are at the easier/ more difficult end of the scale." |
As you say, conditions are key. I've seen some footage of the Rote Nase itineraries (31-34) after a big fall and they looked very forgiving, but would be tricky if icy.
From the little footage I've seen online for these itineraries, 16 and 17 look like where I'd start.
Hopefully you get a few to choose from, as none are open yet.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| mcg wrote: |
| Is there anything further expected towards this weekend? Some models show snow coming? |
Looks like a top up for the back end of the weekend and possibly in the first couple of days of next week.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Jakebarton, all the itineraries from Hotali are great but very conditions dependent. 30 is generally good and a little bit shorter. Don't be fooled by the map. All of those are quite long and generally steepish runs. 59/60 below schwarzseeare great too, steep at the bottom and usually big moguls but good fun.
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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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Morning all. Is the run down to Valtournenche fully open now and likely to stay that way? I can see on the live report on the resort website that pretty much everything is open at the moment.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Does anybody know the likelihood of the connection between Switzerland and Italy being closed the next few days?
Forecasts do have quite a bit of wind in them, especially at altitude...
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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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Looks like the end of January is going to provide a fair bit more fresh snow 
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@Badbobby, Yes, has been open for at least the past 3 days - nice Beef special in the Foyer des Guides yesterday. Excellent boot deep powder most of the way down off the side of the piste.
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@Jakebarton, I copied some excellent write ups on this subject done by @JohnMo, on here previously:
The Itineraries
(the runs marked yellow on the map, not groomed but avalanche controlled):
here is a rough guide from right to left (in the Swiss area only – the Italian side does not have any):
The best one to start off on is in the Garten area - marked as 67 (which is the one you should do) and 68 on the piste map. You need to take the Furggsattel lift. At the first fork take skiers’ left onto piste 71. Just after the saddle (sattel in German - hence the name) take the left onto piste 70. If piste 69 is open be careful not to take a second left onto that. Piste 69 doesn’t open most years (although it is a great off piste run).
You actually ski quite a long way down piste 71 (but not under the Matterhorn Express gondola line) so you need to keep your eyes peeled on the left side of the piste. There will be a sign saying 67 and 68.
The reason that 67 (ie the one that branches skiers’ right after the initial section where there is only one line) is a good starter one is that you can bail out over to the piste on your right. All the other itineraries there is only one way out- that is to get to the bottom!
At first it is quite gentle but then there is a steep drop. Fortunately it is quite short. However the bail out to the piste is only possible after you have done this drop. Past the drop it is quite gentle (but great fun) all the way down to the Furgg lift station.
Remember that on an itinerary there is only one pole marking the line (unlike pistes where there are poles either side). So when first doing it you should take a line staying close to the poles.
67/68 – run down next to the piste. Nice and wide. Not a lot of cliff edges. Usually plenty of people around and from most places you can be seen from the piste. The best place to start.
59/60 – similar to 67/68 but a bit steeper and not as many people around and can’t be seen from the piste.
58 – known by my daughter as “death route” because I took her on it when her skiing was not really up to it. It starts off dead easy then gets steep then falls into the trees. I love it. Don’t do it unless you can handle really sharp turns or you have a desire to get very intimate with a tree trunk. Nowhere near a piste.
49 and 43 – just ways to get to restaurants or back to town but do them if you are passing by.
30 – getting into the real stuff now. Try this before you take the lifts over to Rote Nase and Stockhorn. If you enjoyed 67 and 68 you’ll probably enjoy this. But unless you are confident on this don’t try …
31/32/33/34 – heaven on earth in my opinion. I could spend a whole day playing over these routes. You get an ancient lift over there that only serves itineraries and not groomed pistes. Unless you know them don’t try to do them on a bad light day – it would be easy to stray off route (or just go off the edge of a rock drop!) and no-one is going to find you. On a clear day there should be enough other people around to make you feel not too nervous. If you go to Zermatt and are a reasonably competent and confident skier (and fit) it would be a real pity not to head over here. But do check whether your own insurance covers you.
10 – easy peasy lemon squeezy. But surprisingly nice run still. Another good one to try if you just want to find out if you can cope with itineraries.
16/17/18 – Great runs to do and often have unskied snow for several days after a dump but they do not get a lot of people on them so those of a nervous disposition might not like them. Can be very steep in parts and there are rocks a plenty. If you were fine on the Stockhorn sector you should try these ones as well. But it is much better to do with at least one other person (and stay in sight of each other) than on your own.
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| Judwin wrote: |
| @Badbobby, Yes, has been open for at least the past 3 days - nice Beef special in the Foyer des Guides yesterday. Excellent boot deep powder most of the way down off the side of the piste. |
Thanks!!
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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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I’ve been in Cervinia for a day and while not a complete Bluebird the conditions yesterday were lovely. Pistes a bit choppy by the end but skiable. Bombardino and focaccia sarnie at the Etoile, very acceptable. There weren’t a lot of people around although that might change for the weekend I guess. Forecast on the ground here is sunny this morning, clouding over with some mild late afternoon snow, repeat for Sunday and then more protracted snow on Monday. Then I’m home.
Question for the knowledgeable: can I ski piste 80, then onto 6 from Plateau Rosa and continue into Cervinia without needing an extension to my Cervinia lift pass? Thanks in advance
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Thanks @what…snow super helpful
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