Poster: A snowHead
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Just got back late last night.
Anyone going to either Cervinia or Zermatt in the next few days need not worry as the snow is great (though maybe I should caveat this by saying that my last point of reference was this year's PSB).
Before I went the tourist office said that over 90% of the slopes are open, but I don't recall seeing any closed.
I would describe the piste skiing as being very good. With some soft snow amost all over. The run back from Zermatt is a little hard-packed in places (but still plenty of loose snow on the top), but the other side of Cervinia was in good shape. The Zermatt slopes (we stayed on the one side and didn't go to Gornergrat or Sunnegga) were generally very good, but "best snow on upper slopes" would apply here.
There are a few stones/rocks low down but the cover is generally excellent.
No off-piste available (that I saw).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ray Zorro, I take it most of this remains from a pre-season fall with some snow-making lower down too?
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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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slikedges, we had clear blue skies, so yes, no recent snow, but iirc this area got an extra special serving of the snow that fell in early december and is also high enough to have retained it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ray Zorro, yeah, that's what I remember too, glad you hit the target with your second throw of the season! It remains to be seen how the Jungfrau will be in 2 1/2 weeks - I'm still quietly confident.
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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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THanks Ray Zorro you have made my day - Off in one week with more snow due this week - fantastic
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just back from there myself. The whole area's conditions are fine, Gornergrat, Rothorn and Sunnega all skiing well. As Ray Zorro said, only the run from Furri back to town was a bit bare.
The Italian side is also in wonderful condition, some of the runs down towards Valtourneche in particular.
EDIT: meant the higher slopes, altho the lower ones were in much better condition than last Jan
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Mon 1-01-07 16:01; edited 1 time in total
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Hmmm, I'd describe the snow conditions as OK but not much more. May be I've been spoil by going to N. America for the last two seasons. It's virtually impossible to ski off-piste and on piste there are quite large icy spots lower down. Over night they do a good job of shovelling the snow, that gets scraped off during the day, back on and they're busy blowing snow but the process repeats itself very quickly. New snow will help but will it actually be able to bond to the icy pistes ?? Best snow conditions are surprise, surprise higher up, Klein Matterhorn in particular and the 2 pistes off the six man. Lower down and on the steeper slopes you really have to spot the loose snow left on the slopes to decide where to turn or in about a 2m track either side of the piste boundary.
BTW the link piste back from Rothorn to Gornegrat was shut, which means two cable cars and a queuing scrum, which is a real pain.
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Just back - of course Nickski's post is entirely accurate for NYE. However through the week, things freshened up considerably. Many of the higher lifts in all three sectors of Zermatt were often shut though, due presumably to high winds. The link to Cervinia was rarely open, though we did get over there on Thursday (curiously, conditions were pretty wretched in the afternoon - Friday was a much better day, but the link was then shut).
Overall, can't complain - there was loads of great skiing to be had and the pistes were kept very, very well (considering the visible rocks strewn in the near off piste).
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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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laundryman, I told the kids to look out for a guy with clothes pegs and a large packet of surf, but we didn't see you Did we overlap (I was there 28th to 30th only)?
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laundryman, Ray Zorro, presumably we all overlapped. Thought the piste bashers did a top job in the circumstances. You could see how much farming they had been doing. Not much more they could do.
And Zermatt, what a good night out !!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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any pictures?
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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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Nickski,
Quote: |
And Zermatt, what a good night out !!
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I'm surprised you can remember any of em
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Markus, I forgot my camera
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You know it makes sense.
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Ray Zorro, yeah good one ! So did I.
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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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Have been in Zermatt for a week now...there is plenty of snow high up, but it gets very patchy as you ski down to resort level. All chairs/cable cars are open, but some runs are closed in the Rothorn area.
Skiied Cervinia today - much more ice than Zermatt, but runs are skiiable.
Beautiful sunshine last 2 days and very warm, a lot of snow has disappeared at resort level. Not much off-piste!
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Poster: A snowHead
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nuttyprofessor wrote: |
Have been in Zermatt for a week now...there is plenty of snow high up, but it gets very patchy as you ski down to resort level. All chairs/cable cars are open, but some runs are closed in the Rothorn area.
Skiied Cervinia today - much more ice than Zermatt, but runs are skiiable.
Beautiful sunshine last 2 days and very warm, a lot of snow has disappeared at resort level. Not much off-piste! |
I arrive Saturday for a couple of weeks. Praying for cold temps and some snow
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I know this is the report section, but what is cervinia like as a town, it is on my short list for crimbo next year for a mixed bunch of skiiers, non skiiers and kids!
Any advice appreciated.
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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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Mattmulkeen, I only skied there (from Zermatt), but it looks uninspiring.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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[quote="Mattmulkeen"]I know this is the report section, but what is cervinia like as a town, it is on my short list for crimbo next year for a mixed bunch of skiiers, non skiiers and kids!
Any advice appreciated.[/quote]
I skiied down to it yesterday, but didn't stop. I agree it is incredibly ugly (probably the worst I've seen) and does look uninspiring...Zermatt is probably a better bet for non-skiiers...
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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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Mattmulkeen, I don't know many resorts that would be suitable for non-skiers . My kids enjoyed the ice-rink, and had we stayed longer we would have tried the sports centre and the swimming pool. It is not a particularly big town, but has several hotels, bars and restaurants as well as ski shops. I didn't think it particularly ugly, but it is not picture-postcard either.
A better option for you might be to stay just up the valley in Aosta which is a city with direct links to Pila for skiing, but all the facilities of a large connurbation (not been there myself though, so this is not a first hand recommendation).
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