 Poster: A snowHead
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First, thanks for the help on my eariler post. People from the UK are very helpful and fun. That's one reason why I like Banff and Whistler so much. To quote the Clash, "i'm so board with the u.s.a."
As far as the off piste here in the u.s. we have "out of bounds". If you jump the rope then you can lose your ticket if you get caught. You can also die. Out-of-bounds here can be a 5 min. run down a hill into a place where you can't walk out and you might never be found till thaw. Having said that, there are lots of little places in-bounds with powder and untracked snow. Is off piste that much danger? Are there cravases?
We don't have glacers here and there isn't much above the tree line. It looks like alot of above-tree-line over there. Is white-out a problem out there?
Any help on this would be great. Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Gman Zermatt is one of the best places in the world to ski if not the best, it has got the lot, pisted runs of all grades in amazing settings, off piste to die for both high, up to nearly 4000m plus stuff in the trees, dont expect too much light powder, unless you are lucky, oh and I forgot to mention the finest on hill food. The only two down sides are that it is expensive, and the two main ski areas are not connected but both are huge in there own right. As far as off piste rules are concerned, there are no out of bounds although you might be in trouble if you caused an avalanche that hit a piste.
Have 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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gman,
Off-piste or back country is just that in Europe. You can come across anything and you have to deal with it. It is more than likely that nobody will know where you have gone unless you tell someone. Route finding is down to you so you should know what you are getting into. Crevasses on a glacier are a big problem as are seracs, ice falls, avalanches and for sure, white-outs.
This is why most people want and have to use a guide. But there are no restrictions on where you go...unless nature reserves etc
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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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What are seracs? Also are guides costly?
Everone mentoins food and I plan on eating alot any suggestions on what and where .I want to try some unique wine and spirts also.
You guys sound like you know wha'ts going on. Thanks for your help.
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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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Seracs are tottering pillars of ice at the snout or pressure point of a glacier nice in the background of a photo but not the place for lunch. Guides are expensive but split between 2-3 not so bad and cheap if you end up have the best day you have ever had which is likely.
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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's a massive range of terrain in Zermatt, a lot of which is not glacial. As a very rough guide, assume anything above the bottom of the Klein Matterhorn bottom station is on a glacier, and most if the rest isn't unless you hike to it.
White-out can definitely be a problem. Always assume weather conditions can change rapidly. The guide's office in the centre of town post comprehensive mountain weather forecasts every day.
If you have a lot of money you can find some very good Swiss white wine, but most places offer reasonable wine. The local spirits are herb-based and a bit of an acquired taste
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I don't know if gman is thinking about Zermatt as it is a world class resort with the prices to match. Agree that it is worth it and has the lot so kudos would be massive back in the states, I'd think. opps..just remembered the title
Guides can be expensive as can heli-rides but the area justifies it. As a less expensive option you could go to the local tour ofice and ask what ski school excusions they do. I know in zermatt they said they had an off-piste day throughout the week and we booked on the evening when it started snowing and turned up at a designated time the next day. The guide wasn't qualified for glacial terrain but that didn't matter at all as we had a great time and he knew all sorts of little gems. I think the cost was less than a day pass and we made up a group of 5 which luckily was all the same sort of standard. Blinding day and top value. I would expect other resorts to do something on the same lines, but I ma be wrong.
If gman is coming to the alpes for the 1st time, then a list of resorts may help as there is a wealth of knowledge here on loads of them.
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No disrespect gman, but if you've been to Banff and not skied the OB terrain of Delirium Dive at Sunshine Resort then you may be biting off more than you can chew thinking you can just pop over to Zermatt or somewhere similar and have at it.
Many US resorts have an open boundary policy, and the majority of US and Canadian resorts I've had the pleasure of skiing have more than enough challenging ungroomed terrain within the boundary ropes. With consistently good snow.
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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 Mike and JT. When I was in Banff I rode my first black at Sunshine that was 2003. I wasn't quite ready to do the OB Delirium Dive at the time. Now I would definetly try it but who knows I may bust my ass. I rode a lot of deep powder in the trees at Lake Louise and your right, there is a lot of stuff in bound that is ungroomed and some times it is untracked too.
Fresh snow in the rockies is almost a sure bet if you are there for more than a week. How about EU?. I am confident on blues and blacks without a lot of bumps and I love deep powder. Have not been o.b. I want to go but would not without the right gear e.g. avalanche beacon ,probe, shovel and for me a guide. I have been looking at the map online and it looks like you can jump on and off the trail a little but maps aren't the real thing. I dont like to go down some where I cant see a way out . I have had to walk back up or go over a cliff and thats not fun. I have reuters guide and it talks about most of the big resorts in e.u and the rest of the world. I chose Zermatt for more than just skiing. I was thinking about merbul but thought zermatt might have more for other less advance members of our group (my wife), also more charm. I am thinking zerrmat as world class resort, but I don't know how much a guide cost or beer? I have payed $22 for a hotdog and a bloodymary at beavercreek co. I hope it's not that bad?
thanks for your feed back
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Its the same as beaver creak but you wont get the hot dog 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wow might have to brown bag. Are there any homeless people in zermatt? There might be a few in feb. Spare change anyone?
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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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gman,
I don't think it is that bad...but the $ rate doesn't transfer to Europe too well but then we are talking swiss francs here anyway.
Might be on par with 1$-1chf or thereabouts. If you can afford the pricier CO resorts, you should do ok in Zermatt. But when you talk Zermatt
it has the charm, ambience, romance AND the skiing, so pretty much will cover most things as much as any resort would, IMV.
The ski school guiding option is the way to go for a taster of Off-piste but do be pretty straight with telling them what you are comfortable with because
in these situations, over here, if someone says they can ski ok, then they can normally ski more than ok, and then getting stuck in that type of group can spoil things all round if too fast.
This is subjective of course, but if you plump for Zermatt, you have pretty well picked the best of the best, all things considered. Meribel just isn't anywhere near the same planet, IMV, and has many many fans and it isn't that bad at all.
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JT I already payed for lodge and flight. I was planing on trying to keep it under $2000 per person for lift and rental of boards also food and drinks. I don't want to haul my board over there but I might to save on rental. We are going a few other places in europe before zermatt. I might pick up some wine and stuff to snack on too.
Charm? well we don't have much over here. Im looking forward the charm and the whole thing. We might not even have time or cash to go on a o.b. day and still have time to see all the things we want to elsewhere. This trip will probable just wet my appetite for more.
I can't imagine the size or the vertical. Our hills are small in comparision. There owned by the same co. so food on the hill is not very good for the price. Our $ was $1.00 to .85 eu. before the war now it is 1.00 to 1.45. If I don,t go now I might not be able to. Canada is stronger than the U.S now but I think you will still get a better deal on a ski trip there. The cost might be the some for whitstler as a trip to Co. but you will get a better meal, room and service in Ca. Our snow is good though. Utah is the best bargin for powder around if you stay in salt lake city. You guys should come out here and take a trip. Tell everyone you meet your here because the exchange rate is so good.
Anyway you have been a great help thanks and if you think of anything else let me know.
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You know it makes sense.
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I've skiied Zermnatt twice now and I endorse everything said here, its up there with the best skiing in the world ...IMHO you needn't worry too much about off piste ..theres such a good selection of on piste stuff to do that if you dont want to splash out on a guide I really don't think you'll mind too much ...I can promise you that you'll be more than able to scare yourself witless without going off piste !
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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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Gman,
Zermatt is big, and very varied, the Triftji bumps area is superb. if there is new snow you will be able to make your own tracks pretty easily. If finances stretch ( its around 350 swiss francs/$350 per person per day) do the heli ski option , we did it a few years back in 04 - it was worth every penny - report here . There are plenty of places where you can eat on the hill and not break the bank - Tonis Grotto at Riffelberg( I think thats where it is!), fluhalp and riffelalp all have good eating places. The itinerary runs around riffelalp are good too.
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Poster: A snowHead
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It's a while since I've been to Zermatt but when I've been my impression was that for eating its the same as in a lot of the priceri Swiss resorts Eating lunch on the mountain is pretty reasonable and very good. trying to find somewhere inexpensiver to eat out in the evening is a lot more difficult. As Gman you are off to a hotel you probably won't have this problem.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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gman, you will love Zermatt. Don't worry about the prices, as in any resort there are less expensive places to eat and drink. Besides you can always drop over to Cervinia (in Italy) for lunch which is inexpensive. One of the things nonone mentions is what a great village it is. Real chocolate box complete with horse drawn sleighs in the main street, and of course views of the Matterhorn. Just brilliant IMHO. I will be interested to hear what you think when you get back?
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