 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey everyone,
I’m planning to get the Magic Pass for the upcoming 2025 ski season — the current sale is on until April 8, so I’d love your input before I commit.
I’ll be skiing from late December onwards, starting in Saas-Fee due to its snow reliability and than move my base to Grimmetz for Christmas week and than to other towns/vilages as required. I plan to road-trip across different Magic Pass resorts while being based in a few strategic towns and driving out daily (30–45 minutes max).
Here’s what I’d love your insights on:
1. Absolute Must-Ski Resorts?
Besides the usual suspects like:- Saas-Fee
- Grimentz / Zinal (Val d’Anniviers)
- Meiringen-Hasliberg
- The Valais cluster:
- Belalp
- Lötschental
- Leukerbad
- Nax – Mont-Noble
- Anzère
Are there any hidden gems or must-do resorts I shouldn’t miss?Especially:- Is the Gstaad region worth it for skiing, or is it more style over substance?
- Any feedback on the newer additions like Le Grand-Bornand (France) or San Domenico (Italy)?
2. Best Towns to Base Yourself In?
I’m planning to stay in 5–8 night chunks in one location and drive out daily. For example: Visp seems ideal for the Valais cluster.
Other suggestions for great base towns with:- Good lodging options
- Access to multiple Magic Pass resorts
- Reasonable daily drives (max 45 min)?
3. Are the Thermal Baths Included or Extra?
I’ve heard Magic Pass includes access to thermal baths and spas, but:
- Which ones are actually included?
- If not included, is it worth buying the Magic Pass + Baths upgrade?
Would love to hear from folks who’ve tried this!
Thanks in advance for your help!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Can only help you with San Domenico.
Catch that place on the right day and you'll be talking about it for years.
Loved it.
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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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| Mike Pow wrote: |
Can only help you with San Domenico.
Catch that place on the right day and you'll be talking about it for years.
Loved it. |
Would love to hear more
We’re mostly into groomed pistes — comfortable on reds, and we do ski blacks… though usually with a whispered prayer and a slightly panicked inner monologue.
How’s San Domenico for on-piste skiing? Enough variety to keep things interesting over a couple of days? 1 day/2 day or more.
Appreciate any extra insight you can share!
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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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| ankitind wrote: |
| Mike Pow wrote: |
Can only help you with San Domenico.
Catch that place on the right day and you'll be talking about it for years.
Loved it. |
Would love to hear more
We’re mostly into groomed pistes — comfortable on reds, and we do ski blacks… though usually with a whispered prayer and a slightly panicked inner monologue.
How’s San Domenico for on-piste skiing? Enough variety to keep things interesting over a couple of days? 1 day/2 day or more.
Appreciate any extra insight you can share! |
We went in March 2017 during a pretty warm spell down low but still great skiing up high. Combined it with skiing in Aletsch Arena and Madesimo.
A small but perfectly formed resort offering up an impressive 1079m of vertical drop - the lower mountain was closed due to lack of snow when we were there, so uploading and downloading.
There was still 563m vertical of deserted Spring snow to play on, and all for the princely sum of 18 euros on what the resort calls 'Happy Monday' - a 15 euro reduction on the normal day ticket price.
Add in free underground parking and lunch for two for 35 euros - two pastas, one mixed meat plate, bottle of wine, two bottles of water, 2 coffees - and it made for the perfect day on snow.
With top to bottom coverage San Domenico would offer up tons of great skiing above and below the treeline.
Pistes were good although not extensive.
Off-piste was easy in and easy out straight off the lifts.
You can see a bit of the terrain if you scroll through the post
https://www.instagram.com/p/CsQO0bVs82I/?img_index=1
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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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@ankitind, specifics on Gstaad region.
Having been a Top 4 pass holder since it's inception we have skied Gstaad regularly.
There is plenty of skiing! It is fragmented but this divides into different ski days quite nicely.
Eggli - Rougement is rolling, wooded and very pleasant. Some of it is remarkably steep but all beautifully pisted.
Schönreid - Saanersloch is the biggest area and is extensive. Down to Parwengsattel is only a stones throw from Lenk. Many folk could enjoy 2 days on this area.
Wispile is directly across the road from Eggli, gondola access to the top however most of the other lifts are t- bars.
The final area is Wassergrat, single 3 person chair! 1 black, 1 red, 1 blue! Sounds odd and limited. For 1 days skiing it's lovely. This is also home to rather exclusive club, The Eagle, fees start from about 30000chf, don't worry you can't apply, invitation only....so I have been told.
So to summarise, 5-6 days piste skiing quite easily. In good cold weather and powder it's delightful, we ski tour from the area into lovely back country.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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There is more....failed to mention that the main area of Schönreid/ Saanersloch links into Zweisimmen, this is small but holds snow well. The home run under the gondola to Zweisimmen is a belter.
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@ankitind, Visp would also be fine to commute up to Saas Fee, although if you can find something well priced, you should try and stay in Saas Fee as it's a cool, car free village surrounded by 4000m peaks.
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This and the January thread should give you a recent lowdown
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=172533&highlight=magic+pass
I think to some extent you can't microplan a trip to all those sort of places - a lot of your choices will depend on snowpack etc closer to time.
I don't hold much with the "must do" philosophy. A good ski day is a good ski day. You're in the mountains breathing clean air. It doesn't really matter if you've 200km of pistes at your disposal or 2 chairs and a few runs. In fact the latter may be preferable -some times you can hit hot laps and really get some skiing in
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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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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| I don't hold much with the "must do" philosophy. A good ski day is a good ski day. You're in the mountains breathing clean air. It doesn't really matter if you've 200km of pistes at your disposal or 2 chairs and a few runs. In fact the latter may be preferable -some times you can hit hot laps and really get some skiing in |
I'm increasingly coming round to your philosophy, Dave.
I'm in Vercorin at the moment, Day 5 of a 12 night stay here, having already stayed for 9 nights in January. For many, there wouldn't be enough kms of piste (or off-piste) to justify such a stay, but I'm getting to enjoy my days in very different ways to my previous mentality of "first to last lift" during a week-long package holiday.
I think that's been the biggest plus of the Magic Pass for me: the freedom to forget about the cost and to turn my trips into holidays with snowboarding, rather than snowboarding holidays.
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Getting myself back on track slightly, I found Aigle to be a good base for Villars - Gryon - Les Diablerets - Glacier 3000 and Leysin - Les Mosses - La Lécherette on public transport. Also squeezed in a day at Les Marécottes before it closes for the season. Price-wise, as I'm on my own, it has worked out cheaper than hiring a car.
I've spent numerous nights now Chez Viviane and it's been an absolute pleasure. Might not work as well for you as no access to full kitchen facilities, but has worked well for me.
Ausra's place in Sion , another town with good public transport links to numerous areas and slightly cheaper than Sierre.
My stays at Swisspeak Vercorin have been ridiculously good value though. They did an offer for Black Friday where I got 40% off the full rate for my stay in January and 50% off now. So on this trip, it's been less than 40CHF per night for a studio in s building right next to the gondola, with a spa and a gaming room with the option of a free loan of an Xbox too!
A Superior Studio would only have cost 5CHF more per night at the time of booking with about a third extra square footage.
Outside of peak season, I've been restricted to boarding here as the bus to Vissoie and then on to St Luc - Chandolin or Grimentz - Zinal only run at weekends, but I don't regret it in the slightest.
I know they've got a property at Zinal too, but I don't think the offers for there were quite as good, but still worth keeping an eye out for. I think they've posted something on Faceache in the last couple of days for the rest of this season.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks all — this thread helped a lot.
After all your input, I’ve finalised an 8-week ski/road trip for 2025–26 with my 11-year-old. We’ll start and end at Vienna Airport with a rental car.
Route:
Vienna → Leoben → Domodossola → Saas Fee → Grimentz → Leukerbad → Chateau-d’Oex → Le Grand Bornand → Meribel → Siviez → Sedrun → Wald am Arlberg → Tione di Trento → Salzburg → Vienna
Week-by-week plan:- Dec 3rd week: Saas Fee / Belalp
- Dec 4th week (Christmas): Grimentz + Crans Montana
- NYE: Gstaad Region (base in Chateau-d’Oex)
- Early Jan: Le Grand Bornand
- Jan 2nd week: 3 Vallées (base in Meribel)
- Jan 3rd week: Verbier / 4 Vallées (base in Siviez)
- Jan 4th week: Andermatt (base in Sedrun)
- Last Jan week: Arlberg region (base in Wald am Arlberg)
- Feb 1st week: Backtrack to Italy — Madonna di Campiglio — to avoid semester holiday crowds in Austria
- End: Salzburg → Vienna
We’re using Magic Pass + Baths, Epic Australia, and the Arlberg regional pass.
Also planned spa stops at Saas Fee, Leukerbad, Anzère, and St-Luc.
Started with beginner/intermediate resorts, gradually moving to steeper terrain like Verbier and Arlberg. Staying 5–7 nights in each base with day trips nearby.
Heard Saas Fee and Grimentz tend to have more reliable snow in the 3rd and 4th weeks of December, so we're starting the trip from Saas Fee to make the most of early-season conditions.
This plan has evolved thanks to the generous input of others here — still very open to tips or suggestions, especially for hidden gems or must-dos along the way.
Thanks again, truly!
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We rejected this Option 2 plan — a mix of Ikon Base + Epic Australia — mainly due to lower snow reliability in Kitzbühel and the Dolomites around the 3rd week of December.
Route:
Vienna → Kitzbühel → Kronplatz → 3 Zinnen → Madonna di Campiglio → St. Moritz → Crans Montana → Zermatt → 3 Vallées → Andermatt → Verbier → Ischgl → Vienna
Week-by-week plan (Option 2 - Rejected):- Dec 2nd week: Kitzbühel + Kronplatz + 3 Zinnen — Get ski-legs back, private instructor for technique
- Dec 3rd week: Madonna di Campiglio — On-piste focus with instructor, Christmas skiing
- Dec 4th week: St. Moritz — New Year skiing
- Jan 1st week: Crans Montana + Zermatt — Private instruction and classic Zermatt runs
- Jan 2nd week: 3 Vallées — Off-piste course + advanced terrain
- Jan 3rd week: Andermatt — Off-piste continuation + technical refinement
- Jan 4th week: Verbier — Freeride & final progression
- Feb 1st week: Ischgl — Season finale
Passes: Ikon Base + Epic Australia
Instruction: Mix of private on-piste and off-piste coaching across key resorts
Progression: Starts easy (Kitzbühel/Kronplatz), builds to challenging terrain (3 Vallées, Andermatt, Verbier)
While this route had strong resort diversity and great instruction options, as most of you suggested, the early-season snow risk in Austria and the Dolomites was a dealbreaker for us — especially for mid-December 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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@ankitind,
The only thing I'd note about being based in Siviez is that though it is ultra convenient for the slopes. It is a rather small purpose built station which is surrounded by hills and will be very cold and dark and a little charmless in January.
Personally I'd rather go to Nendaz which has greatly improved access to the slopes, you can get over to Siviez quickly on attractive runs and the resort has attractive views over the Rhone valley.
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| T Bar wrote: |
@ankitind,
The only thing I'd note about being based in Siviez is that though it is ultra convenient for the slopes. It is a rather small purpose built station which is surrounded by hills and will be very cold and dark and a little charmless in January.
Personally I'd rather go to Nendaz which has greatly improved access to the slopes, you can get over to Siviez quickly on attractive runs and the resort has attractive views over the Rhone valley. |
— really appreciate you taking the time to share that. That’s exactly the kind of local insight I was hoping to learn from, especially about how Siviez feels in January in terms of sunlight and general atmosphere.
We’ll be skiing from around 9 AM to 4 PM each day — no non-skiers in the group and not really into après-ski — so we were leaning toward Siviez mainly for the slope efficiency. The idea of stepping straight onto the lifts into 4 Vallées without queues or transfers felt like a good fit for how we ski.
While I can see how a livelier village and sunnier views would matter to many, we’ve often found that after 6–7 hours on the slopes, all we really need is a warm bed, a hot meal, and a working heater.
That said, your point about Nendaz’s improved lift access and views over the Rhône Valley really gives me something to think about — especially if we end up taking a slower day or two.
One thing I was wondering: isn’t Nendaz about a 10–15 minute drive from Siviez? If so, it sounds like we could still enjoy the village atmosphere in the evenings if we really missed it.
Thanks again — this is super helpful!
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You know it makes sense.
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@ankitind, Siviez is a short drive from Nendaz, when we used to stay in Nendaz we would drive up to Siviez for the faster access. When we last went we didn't bother as the access is now very good from Nendaz and it's now 8 CHF to park at Siviez.
You're right it does have good access to the area, but it's a quick and very pleasant ski over from Nendaz.
You'll have a great time in either place.
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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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| GuyrillaMonsoon wrote: |
| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| I don't hold much with the "must do" philosophy. |
I'm increasingly coming round to your philosophy, Dave.
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I guess I never thought of any resort being “must do”. Skiing is skiing, as long as it’s got good snow for the day in question, It’s as good as the next. I’m far more likely to repeat a resort if I like it. Even repeat runs several times if the snow feels good.
While different resorts have different terrain and different vibe, what appeals to one may not appeal to another. The last thing I want to do is to go some place on the wrong day just because someone thought it’s their “best”. I probably don’t like it because the snow condition is different from when they were there.
That said, I much rather find the “hidden gems”, especially if I happen to like that “hidden” component.
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