The cold temperatures mean they have started up the snowmaking. The photo below will become the pistes heading down to Furgg. Looking good for the base for the end of November main opening - and there is a decent amount of real stuff coming through tomorrow (Monday).
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
John, from Nov is the plan to have Trock to Furgg, Sunnegga etc up and running?
When is the predicted opening for Schwarzsee, Rothorn etc - snow dependant of course.
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?
Yep 29 November. All sectors will open then. They will all have some pistes in each sector but not the home runs. As you say it is snow/temperature dependent but so far it is looking very good.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
JohnMo wrote:
Raven wrote:
According to the Cervinia website ‘Glacier Ride 2 closed for maintenance from 7th January to 27th February 2026’. I’m looking at Cervinia for the last week of February. Will this be an issue if I want to go to Zermatt for a day?
Not if you are skiing. That only affects foot passengers. Skiers can’t use that lift (during the ski season) on a ski pass. It is weird but as a skier you can ignore it.
Is that a recent change? There were no issues using it as a skier last season. Do skiers have to go down to Trockener Steg to access Klein Matterhorn/Glacier Paradise now?
According to the Cervinia website ‘Glacier Ride 2 closed for maintenance from 7th January to 27th February 2026’. I’m looking at Cervinia for the last week of February. Will this be an issue if I want to go to Zermatt for a day?
Not if you are skiing. That only affects foot passengers. Skiers can’t use that lift (during the ski season) on a ski pass. It is weird but as a skier you can ignore it.
Is that a recent change? There were no issues using it as a skier last season. Do skiers have to go down to Trockener Steg to access Klein Matterhorn/Glacier Paradise now?
I didn’t go into detail as I was simply assuring the poster that the Alpine Crossing lift between Klein Matterhorn and Testa Grigia being closed did not prevent a skier based in Cervinia from skiing over to Zermatt (or indeed vice versa).
Skiers can use the lift to go up from Testa Grigia to Klein Matterhorn during the summer (indeed you have to to get back to Zermatt). I am not sure about during the winter – you might well be able to (I never would – I ski down from Testa Grigia). However, you can not use the lift in the opposite direction (Klein Matterhorn down to Testa Grigia) on a ski pass.
The giveaway is the pricing. A foot passenger ticket from Zermatt to Cervinia is CHF128 one way or CHF198 return during the winter season (more expensive in the summer). A one day international ski pass is only CHF110. If you could use the Alpine Crossing in both directions nobody would buy the foot passenger tickets during the winter.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Meteo Aosta Valley claiming yesterday’s storm brought 20com and that added to the existing snow there is now half a metre at Plan Maison. Plan Maison is the Cervinia mid-station but, more importantly, the lower station for earlier season skiing. We have started seasons with less than that.
After all it is free
After all it is free
I love the Cervinia lift company. Their guiding principle is: if there is snow, we should ski. From Saturday the two chair lifts up from Plan Maison (and the pistes back down!) will be open.
Sadly you won’t (yet) be able to access these pistes directly from the Swiss side (although there is plenty open on the Swiss side). The third and highest chairlift that takes you up to the border won’t open on Saturday. Obviously there is enough snow. However, I imagine there are a limited number of piste basher operators available at present. Swiss side skiers could take lifts down to Plan Maison from Testa Grigia.
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@JohnMo, Are you out there to take advantage of it?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
DCG wrote:
@JohnMo, Are you out there to take advantage of it?
‘fraid not. We are flying back out on 5 December. In one sense but in another
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Well, on the positive side there will be even more snow by then!
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.
@JohnMo, Thanks for the update Going to be in Zermatt for a week in mid-December so am keeping everything crossed for a great early season. Could I ask about ski passes on here? I noticed there is a Ski Care insurance you can add to the pass, through a subsidiary (Solid Insurance). I usually add this to my ski passes when I ski in France. Does it work in a similar way in Switzerland? Is it recommended? I can post on the other forums if this is not the best place
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Ski care insurance added to your lift pass is very much like France. It will cover cost of getting you off the mountain in an emergency and some medical cover, but not sure to what level. Well worth having.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
LeighOnSki wrote:
Ski care insurance added to your lift pass is very much like France. It will cover cost of getting you off the mountain in an emergency and some medical cover, but not sure to what level. Well worth having.
I agree. Lots of people have separate insurance to cover the season. But if you don’t the CHF5 per day is a good investment to prevent a much bigger charge if something bad happens.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Nice covering yesterday. The low temperatures were helpful as well. The lake at Trockener Steg is now frozen and snow covered.
We now enter a few dry days and high temperatures. The next snow could be at the weekend but not looking like much. Our hope is that the uncertainty next week crystallises into precipitation. It is the way of this time every year. Every day of snow brings us joy and every dry spell brings anxiety.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Thanks all for the advice on ski pass insurance. I have added it for ultimate peace of mind. Fingers crossed I don’t need to use it in anger
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
JohnMo wrote:
I love the Cervinia lift company. Their guiding principle is: if there is snow, we should ski. From Saturday the two chair lifts up from Plan Maison (and the pistes back down!) will be open.
Sadly you won’t (yet) be able to access these pistes directly from the Swiss side (although there is plenty open on the Swiss side). The third and highest chairlift that takes you up to the border won’t open on Saturday. Obviously there is enough snow. However, I imagine there are a limited number of piste basher operators available at present. Swiss side skiers could take lifts down to Plan Maison from Testa Grigia.
The top lift up to Theodulpass is now open. So there is a lot more skiing from there all the way down to Plan Maison. Plus Swiss side skiers (or Italian side ones returning) can access that area by skiing through the Theodulpass.
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?
Excellent video from Warren Smith Ski Academy showing how good the piste conditions are up top. Those would be good for any time of the season. Unfortunately the video doesn’t go over to the Italian side as it would have been interesting to see there as well. The video was shot on Thursday, the day before the Theodolpass ( which gives piste access to Italy) was opened. The Theodulpass is what he is pointing to on the left.
The bit of weekend snow that looked possible a few days out had disappeared from the forecasts well before the weekend arrived. Another dry week with high temperatures coming up. There is a decent amount of hope that the current blocking system could break down from next weekend. Fingers crossed.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Some more stuff opening up in Cervinia. I realise not everyone carries a mental image of the ski map so I have tried to mark what is opening for you.
On Thursday the Pancheron lift (marked A) will open. However, you will have to ski skiers’ left down to Plan Maison (and then continue on down to bottom of the Pancheron lift.
On Friday the Goillet lift (marked B) and the pistes underneath will open (the lift is shown as Progetto but the super duper new lift has been open for a couple of seasons now). Those pistes are very dark and cold this time of year.
On Saturday the Gran Sometta lift (marked C) and the pistes from it will open.
Keen observers might notice that, absent a helicopter, there is no way to get to the Goillet and Gran Sometta lifts with what is currently open or planned to be open. I can only assume that they will open the famous Ventina piste (number 7) from Testa Grigia down to the Goillet lift and the runs from the top of the Goillet lift down to the Cime Bianche Laghi lift station. That would be very nice indeed.
The runs from Trockener Steg down to Furgg are now open.
There has been some nice bits of freshening up without anything spectacular. It is already cold but there are some amazingly cold days coming up. Good for snowmaking to get the pistes ready for the end of the month. Also some hope of natural precipitation a few days away. Hopefully those projections will firm up (in the right direction!).
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Is the only new infrastructure change this season on the Swiss side the new Riffelberg lift?
And the pendelbahn-trockener steg cablecar; that is not for skiers, correct? It had just opened last year so I was confused what its purpose is.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Dontskitheeastskithealps wrote:
Is the only new infrastructure change this season on the Swiss side the new Riffelberg lift?
And the pendelbahn-trockener steg cablecar; that is not for skiers, correct? It had just opened last year so I was confused what its purpose is.
Yes, the only new lift is the Riffwberg to Gifthittli one. It should be an improvement as that was the only pinch point up on the mountains. They need to replace the old chairlift Patrularve to Blauherd (and indeed plan to do so) but you don’t tend to get queues there.
I am not certain what you mean by the Trockener Steg pendelbahn. There is a lift Trockener Steg to Klein Matterhorn (Glacier Ride I). But that is several years old now and is used by skiers. You might be referring to Glacier Ride II that runs between Klein Matterhorn and Testa Grigia. That is only two years old and is not for skiers. It is aimed at foot passenger tourists (mainly summer ones) who want to do the crossing. Often their tour bus will take the long drive round and meet them on the other side. Few, if any, will do it more than once. The pricing reflects that. The lift company seems very happy with the numbers doing it.
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Sorry, it's not trockener steg, I mistyped. I mean the blue cable car visible from the village, one that goes up from the village next to the matterhorn express gondola, through the (abstract art?) metal circle, up to Furi. i have a feeling it's more for non-skiers as well (as furi obviously isn't far) but it wasn't running last holiday period. I think it only opened in 2024. I was quite confused by it last year!
Yes I've been on glacier ride 1; it's very nice. We were also allowed to take glacier ride ii back from italy (but not to italy but that makes sense given its non-skier purpose). -apologies for the confusion!
Yes the new riffelberg lift will be very helpful. It was quoted chaotic down at the bottom of those merging trails. The merge will still be there but at least the lines will be improved!
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@Dontskitheeastskithealps, I think that's only really used when the Matterhorn Express is out of action for maintenance (planned or otherwise), but I might be wrong
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Dontskitheeastskithealps wrote:
Sorry, it's not trockener steg, I mistyped. I mean the blue cable car visible from the village, one that goes up from the village next to the matterhorn express gondola, through the (abstract art?) metal circle, up to Furi. i have a feeling it's more for non-skiers as well (as furi obviously isn't far) but it wasn't running last holiday period. I think it only opened in 2024. I was quite confused by it last year!
Yes I've been on glacier ride 1; it's very nice. We were also allowed to take glacier ride ii back from italy (but not to italy but that makes sense given its non-skier purpose). -apologies for the confusion!
Yes the new riffelberg lift will be very helpful. It was quite chaotic down at the bottom of those merging trails. The merge will still be there but at least the lines will be improved!
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.
Dontskitheeastskithealps wrote:
Sorry, it's not trockener steg, I mistyped. I mean the blue cable car visible from the village, one that goes up from the village next to the matterhorn express gondola, through the (abstract art?) metal circle, up to Furi. i have a feeling it's more for non-skiers as well (as furi obviously isn't far) but it wasn't running last holiday period. I think it only opened in 2024. I was quite confused by it last year!
!
Ah yes. That one. It has two quite distinct purposes:
1. It is used to get you to Furi in the “shoulder” seasons when there are not enough visitors to be worth running the continuous gondolas of the Matterhorn Express. It is much nicer than the old cable car it replaced. For an extra amount you can ride on the roof (I have not done so and suspect I never will).
2. When the Glacier Express II is running and taking foot visitors from Zermatt to Cervinia (or vice versa) it is used to carry their luggage so that the Matterhorn Expresss continuous gondola does not get uncomfortably full with luggage.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Ahh I see! Thanks that is helpful.
Yeah I have taken that old cable car quite a while ago; the new one looks much nicer. I was surprised that they didn't have it go straight to trockener steg with a stop in furi. The gondola can get quite crowded!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
John, you are always better at reading the graphs than most - a lot of the incoming weather patterns seem to be dumping on the Eastern Swiss Alps and missing central/west...is that accurate. Looks like French alps are getting a dusting today and Saturday and Zermatt might get something in the early part of next week?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Run28 wrote:
John, you are always better at reading the graphs than most - a lot of the incoming weather patterns seem to be dumping on the Eastern Swiss Alps and missing central/west...is that accurate. Looks like French alps are getting a dusting today and Saturday and Zermatt might get something in the early part of next week?
The East is having its own little weather system at the moment and not involving us.
Cervinia could get some stuff from the south this evening (and some may creep over the ridge) but the best hope is Sunday into midweek. GFS (below) is looking good. The band of precipitation is coming in with higher temperatures – but still at or below average so it should be snow all the way down to the village. Meteo Swiss (based off ICON), which tends to be the most accurate in the short term, is less optimistic. But it doesn’t do its radar projections more than 36 hours ahead so it will be interesting to see them this time tomorrow. Looking at the BBC radar (based off the Met Office) shows the band of precipitation coming in pretty much directly from the West, which is not always that good for Zermatt as there is Mont Blanc and several other mountains to take first grab. However the BBC radar does suggest it will get through to us (it might be coming slightly West North West, which would be better than a direct West).
The village is already white and the ground is cold. So everything is ready to make the best of what does come through.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Zermatt, Cervinia and even Valtournenche did pretty well after the last few days of snow. Everything looking very good for the main opening this weekend (although in Cervinia almost everything is open already all the way down to the village). The very low temperatures are coming to an end but temps should still be at or below average - so still good for snowmaking.
A few dry days ahead now with the next hope of snow at the beginning of next week.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
The new 8 seater lift Riffelberg to Gifthittli certainly has no queues on main opening day. To be fair the old lift almost certainly wouldn’t have either. The big test is going to come on Xmas week.
P.S. Talking about lifts is a clear sign there is nothing to say about snow. Some hope for Wednesday/Thursday but 5 days away => still very uncertain.
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?
Rather off topic but I thought regular visitors to Zermatt might be amused/bemused by this proposal.
Heinz Julen (famous resident/owner in Zermatt) is proposing a 62 storey skyscraper. Bottom half would be for local workers (desperately needed) and top half would be luxury apartments. It would be about 800m north of the village (close to the concrete plant on your left as you head into Zermatt by train). So it wouldn’t interrupt anyone in Zermatt’s view of the ski area or the Matterhorn - although obviously if you looked down the valley you could see it.
I wouldn’t rate the chances of it ever happening very highly. Heinz Julen does like to think the unthinkable- one of his ideas was a pressurised hotel up at Klein Matterhorn at 4000m. To be fair he has got several less whacky schemes to fruition.
@JohnMo, I read about this in the Times today over breakfast. Almost choked on my toast! Apparently one local was quoted as saying it would be better to hollow out the Matterhorn and build flats inside it with a lift to the top. Watch this space...
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
DCG wrote:
@JohnMo, I read about this in the Times today over breakfast. Almost choked on my toast! Apparently one local was quoted as saying it would be better to hollow out the Matterhorn and build flats inside it with a lift to the top. Watch this space...
Yes I saw that article as well. Slightly click baity as I think you’d come away with an impression that it is more of a goer than it actually is. Certainly the comments below the line were definitely of the frothing at the mouth category.
While the tower will (almost certainly) not come to fruition the need for accommodation for those who work in the resort is chronic. Heinz Julen’s chosen spot is actually rather good. It is walkable into Zermatt and is not likely to attract too much luxury accommodation for tourists - not many people want to pay a fortune to be next to a cement plant. There is simply not enough accommodation for workers in Zermatt and the option of living down the valley hits up against the fact that Visp (the bottom of the valley where it meets the Rhône) is heavily industrialised and workers there also seek accommodation- all the way up to Sant Niklaus only three stops down from Zermatt. There was a recent proposal to build worker accommodation on top of the Zermatt train station. It seemed quite a good idea to me. However it was voted down in the local referendum (the Swiss do love a referendum).
@JohnMo, I presume there is some benefit to the accomodation for workers actually being in Zermatt to ensure they do not get cut off from work on those few occasions when the line is closed
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
DCG wrote:
@JohnMo, I presume there is some benefit to the accomodation for workers actually being in Zermatt to ensure they do not get cut off from work on those few occasions when the line is closed
Yes. Although longer term that will no longer be a problem. The new underground train tunnel from Täsch (next station down) to Zermatt will mean the end of avalanche stoppages (and almost all avalanches are on that section). Construction starts in 2028 but will not be finished until 2035.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Obviously last weekend was the main opening with all mountain areas open. However, not all lifts open straight away and there are only a certain number of pistes open at first.
Some exciting stuff coming up though:
The Patrullarve lift up to Blauherd will be open from tomorrow (Friday) and will be served by the red that runs down from Sunnegga. This is the last year for the old, slow chairlift – next year we will have a super duper new lift. This is the last old, slow lift on the Swiss side.
From Saturday the blue from Gifthittli down to Riffelberg opens. I have no idea why this wasn’t open on the first weekend (the red that runs broadly parallel was).
The home run from Furi down to Zermatt will be open. The restaurant owners in Blatten (which this piste runs through) will be pleased.
On the Italian side there is already a lot open but this weekend the Cieloalto lift will be open. Nice for people with accommodation in that area. It is north facing and cold (and the lift is old and slow). I think I might wait until March/April before hitting that area.
On the snow front there is a decentish bit of precipitation coming through Sunday into Monday. Unfortunately the temperature is also going up and some of that precipitation might be rain in Zermatt if it falls during the day (will be fine in the mountains).
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Thanks for the updates! Hope those temp squiggles continue to trend downward out in FI. Don't live seeing those +10 spikes though it does make for some nice warm mountain lunches on the terraces.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
JohnMo wrote:
The Patrullarve lift up to Blauherd will be open from tomorrow (Friday) and will be served by the red that runs down from Sunnegga. This is the last year for the old, slow chairlift – next year we will have a super duper new lift. This is the last old, slow lift on the Swiss side.
You really see how Zermatt is in another league when a detachable quad chairlift is seen as "old and slow"
(It is fairly old, though)
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
but in another 
Going to be in Zermatt for a week in mid-December so am keeping everything crossed for a great early season. Could I ask about ski passes on here? I noticed there is a Ski Care insurance you can add to the pass, through a subsidiary (Solid Insurance). I usually add this to my ski passes when I ski in France. Does it work in a similar way in Switzerland? Is it recommended? I can post on the other forums if this is not the best place 
There is a decent amount of hope that the current blocking system could break down from next weekend. Fingers crossed.
Don't live seeing those +10 spikes though it does make for some nice warm mountain lunches on the terraces.
