 Poster: A snowHead
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We are looking at Zermatt for Mid Jan have never been before, any tips on getting there and accom for 6/7 we do prefer chalets as you tend to meet new people. all mid to high intermediate skiers.
Any pointers gratefully recieved
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Go, Go, Go! I skied there for the first time last January (2nd week in Jan and had more snow than we knew what to do with). It is quite magical (going again this season). I went with Scott Dunn (8 of us) and stayed at Chalet Chamois close to the Klein Matterhorn lift. Fabulous skiing, fabulous mountain restaurants and all in the most beautiful scenic setting. It is traffic free so you get around either on foot, electric taxis, ski bus or horse and carriage.
There will be other Snowheads much more clued up than I (as I've only been once), but the skiing was wonderful. Not the greatest for beginners, but improving intermediates upwards are in heaven.
Notably, Stoked Ski School were excellent if you need lessons. Chez Vrony a must for lunch. I don't have the piste map to hand so can't recall accurately favourite runs. The Klein Matterhorn side and Rohorn and the Sunnegan side were a joy to be on. The Bar Olympia great fo a vin chaud on the last run home, admiring the twinkling lights below before skiing back down and right up the high street!
Just go!
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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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| bedfordblue wrote: |
We are looking at Zermatt for Mid Jan have never been before, any tips on getting there and accom for 6/7 we do prefer chalets as you tend to meet new people. all mid to high intermediate skiers.
Any pointers gratefully recieved |
Fly to Sion. It is a lot closer and it's a nice little airport.
Position of your accommodation is important. Zermatt is spread out and roads can be icy.
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bedfordblue, Inghams might be able to help with a chalet. I've written an article about Zermatt for the Ski Club's magazine 'Ski and Board' (latest issue) which gives you an A to Z of what the resort has to offer.
The last trip I did was last April by train from London via Paris, then Lausanne, onward to Visp or Brig, and the last leg up the BVZ railway to Zermatt. You're on trains for about 9 hours if you take that option, so it's a day each way (round about 12 hours travel in total, including the change in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon). About £200 return.
You'll do it more economically, normally, with a flight to Geneva and the train round the Lake of Geneva via Lausanne (and the route above). Whichever method you use, buy a Swiss rail return - standard price from the border to any ski resort for £54 return.
The finest red runs I know are the Ventina from Plateau Rosa (bear left at the frontier ridge) into Italy and Cervinia. Miles and miles of marvellous cruising. And the Rothorn-Kumme-Patrullarve (fork right before Kumme chairlift station) for gorgeous meadows skiing. Don't miss the lonely and magnificent Hornli t-bar, right beneath the north face of the Matterhorn.
Have a wonderful time!
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Fri 19-11-04 11:49; edited 2 times in total
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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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You could book late. Mid Jan has had great last minute chalet deals in Zermatt for the last few years (like under £200 / week) with Crystal etc. The only problem may be getting 6/7 people in the same place. Nontheless its a good time of year for deals. Flights to Sion are great if they land there, they are often diverted to Geneva though, so not worth huge supplements (will prob save 2 hours). Think about buying a day extension to Cervinia rather than getting it for the whole week. 1 or 2 days there is enough. Try the restaurant at the bottom of run number 4, Iforget the name, but its fantatstic. Have fun
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Bedfordblue, I second the recommendation of Chez Vrony near the hamlet of Findeln.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Mon 21-01-13 20:50; edited 1 time in total
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David Goldsmith, I read your article last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. I've never been to Zermatt, and am now very tempted.
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I know you said you fancied a chalet but Swiss apartments are massive by Alpine standards and cheap. http://www.interhome.com/ has a good selection and you can check availability and book online. You'll still meet as many new people as you want - Zermatt's very lively.
Cheap flight to Geneva then the Swiss Transfer Ticket mentioned above, which you need to get before you go http://www.swisstravelsystem.com/uk/order.php?item=stt
Incidentally, I was worried about getting seats on the train last time we went, as it was Easter weekend, so rang the Swiss tourist board in London. Their reply: "No, don't bother with reservations. If the Swiss think a train's going to be busy they just add extra carriages." Now there's an idea...
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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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Zermatt has the best on the mountain food in the world!
as said before chez vroni (with live music) is a must, Zum See is great (needs booking).
the local cinema is funky.
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Getting there - cheap flights to Geneva then the fantastic train! Must buy the Swiss Transfer ticket before you go as it is significantly cheaper. Also consider the flight times and train times, this year our flight arrived after the last train up to Zermatt. We knew about this having checked out the timetables and it wasn't a huge problem as we could still get as far as Brig or Visp (can't remember which)and had prebooked a taxi to meet us there and take us up to Zermatt. It was lucky that we had done this as the station was dead and there would have been no chance of getting a taxi on spec!
Re. where to stay, can't comment on chalets as only stayed in hotels, and at the Alpenstern Apartments this year (independently), the accomm was great and is a hotel too so you can get breakfast. Good value by Zermatt standards, spacious, very clean and well-equipped if a little rustic in style. We thought the location was good too as it was less than 5 minutes walk to Sunnega Express which is the most convenient place to start the day as going up this side you can ski/lift link left to right (looking at the piste map) across all the 3 areas if you want to (just about possible but not really convenient to do right to left.)
Also if you rent skis, get them from Flex Rent opposite the Sunnega Express lift or bottom of the Matterhorn lift because they will store them for you overnight which is a great bonus as Zermatt is very spread out and so it is nice not to have to carry skis and walk in boots for longer than you need to. The best thing is that they will transport them between Sunnega and Matterhorn bases for you overnight if you tell them where you want to ski the next morning! Fantastic service, top quality equipment and they don't mind you changing and trying different skis over the week.
Hope this helps! You will have a fantastic time there, it must be the best place for all round ski holiday experience! Very envious as not sure if we will get there this season - baby on the way!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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More pictures of Zermatt. Jan 2004
Enjoy
Photos
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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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RWalter, what an excellent first post on snowHeads - great photos! That's an impressive amount of snow in the Bahnhofplatz - you obviously struck lucky that week.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks. Zermatt is such a great place, my wife loved it. Have you seen the new lifts they might put in? Over on the Gornergrat side. Looks very interesting.
We were lucky by getting all that snow during the week. It was fun skiing in that snow storm and I'm glad we were in a ski class. Our instructor just lead us all around up on the Gornergrat. If we had not been in a class, I think we would have bagged skiing and gone shopping and drinking.
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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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Ok - cat amongst pigeons now.... Zermatt is very pretty - shops are great - our hotel was fab (excellent food) - mountain restaurants to die for... (dont book half board .... next time we would self cater coz the food in our hotel was so good we couldnt manage lunch up the mountain and then do justice to dinner!) buuuuuuuttttt........ We went end of season (April) and spent most of our time heading to Cervinia coz the snow was so much better. Lots of runs in Zermatt were sheet ice - but on at least two days over in Cervinia we were in deep powder..... Is this usual?????
... and if u stay in Cervinia - the ski pass is cheaper isnt it??
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Poster: A snowHead
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Jayne, if the snow is good the skiing in Zermatt far surpasses Cervinia; although it does tend to be sunnier there. The system is also contstructed so that it's easy to ski it all from Zermatt to Cervinia, but if you come from Cervinia and want to ski all of Zermatt you end up having to take a bus... The Swiss have clearly thought about this! Not to mention that Zermatt itself as a resort is just unbeatable (not my favourite ski area but absolutely favourite resort! And THAT view of the Matterhorn...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome to snowHeads,RWalter, and alicej, 
Didn't we used to know you from SCGB, RWalter ?
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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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My old copy of the Good Ski Guide said that good skiers would be bored in Cervinia after a few days, and though I've only skied one day on that side it seemed to confirm that criticism. Zermatt skiing seemed to offer much more.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I was in Cervinia 2 weekends ago and one of the locals told me that there was a new lift linking one of the other mountains in Zermatt with the bottom of the Kleine Matterhorn. It would make access easier but still a bit of a trek from Cervinia.
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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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Hi Ian,
Yes I came over from SCGB. I'm the weather man from the States.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Diarmuid, I think your Cervinia local was talking about the new 6-seat chair that goes from Trockener Steg over the glacier and up to the Furggsattel ridge. I'm not sure that you can ski on piste into Cervinia from there, although the top station is just beyond the border in Italy.
Maybe someone can answer that?
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David Goldsmith, the Furggsattel 6 man chair does indeed go right up to the ridge, you can look down and see over but you are right, you cannot ski on piste into Cervinia from there. I am not sure even if you can ski off piste from there, certainly the whole area at the top of the lift is well fenced off. You need to get higher to cross at Plateau Rosa or Theodulpass.
Re. Diarmuid's query about a new lift linking one of the other mountains to the Matterhorn side, as far as I know they have been planning to put in a link from Furi up to Riffelberg (I think) which would link Matterhorn to Gornergrat. But I think they have been planning this for a while and it is not there yet according to the Zermatt website.
alicej, wrote:
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but if you come from Cervinia and want to ski all of Zermatt you end up having to take a bus...
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You CAN come over from Cervinia and ski all of Zermatt without taking a bus...it is not that easy but it is possible..just! The trick is when skiing down from Cervinia to stop at Furi, DO NOT go below! Come into Furi mid station, go through and downstairs in the lift (elevator) and come outside again, turn right. Then you have to pole/trek round by the side of Simi restaurant (fantastic place for steak on a hot stone) and over a bridge (everyone else is coming the opposite way i.e. at you because this is the end of a blue) to pick up a walking trail. Then you can ski the walking trail down to Findelbach and get the Gornergrat train from there. It is quicker and easier than going all the way down to the bottom of the Matterhorn and bussing it all the way over to Sunnega.
Having stayed in both places it is easier to ski the whole of both resorts from a base in Zermatt rather than the other way round. But it is very easy, if staying in Cervinia, to pop over and ski Matterhorn side only.
My legs are twitching now
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RWalter, I was there during the same week!! Your photos reminded me of some of the bitterly cold and strong winds...unfortunately i choose to go to the Klein Matterhorn on that day....BBbbrrrrrrrrrr!
Zermatt's an amazing place though, I'd urge anyone to try it. I once heard someone say that the view of the matterhorn got tiresome after a while.....been 3 times and still not bored of it.
Someone commented on the snow in Cerevinia....talking to people from the resort they all commented it tends to be of better quality...and it was everytime i skied there.
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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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Rwalter, can only repeat what most others have said - great photos, brought back some great memories, Zermatt really is amazing. Going to St Anton in Feb, hope its just as good!
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biggles76, I don't think you could ever get tired of looking at the Matterhorn. I've been to Zermatt about 5 times now and it still takes my breath away every time I look at it. That view as you cross the bridge by the church...stunning!
antony, I don't think you will be disappointed by St. Anton!
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