 Poster: A snowHead
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Have been going around every country in the Alps including Germany. Latest favourite was Austria which wins on quality and price.
Swiss resorts have always been difficult to organised for DIY so I am making a determined effort to sample more resorts the coming January.
Just booked everything as follow
Engelberg (3 days)
Films/Laax/Falera (5 days)
Davos/Kloster (5 days)
St Moritz (5 days)
Will probably try to cover Malbun in Liechtenstein, Arosa and Savognin when changing hotels with possible a day trip to Italian Livigno while staying in St Moritz. There seems to be a resort called lenzerheide between Films/Laax/Falera and Arosa but I have never heard of it.
Purpose of the trip is to see it myself what expensive resorts look like. Engelberg was chosen as the first stop because 560 miles is relatively relax to drive from Amsterdam. Films/Laax/Falera seems to get good write-up. Davos and St Moritz are supposed to be expensive. The B&B in St Moritz is the most expensive for 190 CHF/per room for 2.
Never been any of them so appreciate any feedback.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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What are you looking to ski (piste, off piste, real back country with a few hours skinning???), apres ski, eat drink etc???
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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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Think I would stay on the piste when seeing a resort for the first time. My main interest is to try the resorts out as I heard St Moritz is very pretty with a frozen lake, Davos was the venue for the last year's G8 summit, Engelberg has long been one of the most snow-assure and Films/Laax/Faera is always in the top 10 of the Swiss resorts. Some of these resorts have been favoured by the royal families in the past so they should be quiet, not easy to get to and not crowded. It would be nice to see what they have on offer. AFAIK Swiss resorts are not famous for drinking, relative to the Austrian and the French unless I am mistaken.
Been to Zermatt, Samaun (linked with Austria's Ischgl), Wengen/Murren etc so it would be nice to see a comparison.
Apart from Films/Laax/Falera these resorts do not seem to be very well linked. Davos for example has 6 separate areas and St Moritz has at least 3.
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Only been to Engelberg.
It's fantastic. Highly recommended.
Also heard very good things about Andermatt, Leysin and Zinal.
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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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I think Switzerland has its fair share of little gems that probably aren't on most people's map and I am sure other countries have them to...but the biggest plus for these places may be that they don't/can't charge the big mega-resorts prices. Add that to the CHF-£ exchange rate over the eu-£ rate and I'd be looking to take advantage of that and not head for the more popular places.
Having said that, Engelberg isn't so cheap for Brits but for the euro should be ok... it still isn't great on-piste. In fact, if that is what you want to do, then pick somewhere with more kms and possibly Flims/Laax. Engelberg is all about the glacier and routes off the Titlis, IMO.
Andermatt is very good with good snow cover as it pretty rocky but again not for the piste. I wouldn't go to either unless I wanted to explore a few routes.
I have never made it to St Moritz and would think that is a must and I have always wanted to do Lenzerheide but the only thing I can recall from any research is that it is a spa town resort, I think.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I think I am doing at least one thing right. The resorts I have booked are not easy to get to and so not reported very often. They are decent in size as Films/Laax/Falera, Davos, St Moritz have 220, 325 and 350 km piste respectively. I am curious to see if they are worthy of the effort.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 8-08-08 9:03; edited 1 time in total
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i'd get pretty bored at Engelberg if I stuck to the pistes for 3 days. off piste is a different matter altogether
andermatt - again much better for off piste
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Arno,
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i'd get pretty bored at Engelberg if I stuck to the pistes for 3 days
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Funny you should say that. Engelberg is reported to have only 82km piste. My first night accommodation is just for travelling to the resort from Amsterdam so I have arranged to spend only 2 days there. The choice was down to the distance from Amsterdam as I would have preferred Saas Fee. I just need a place to warm up, not too far to drive for the first day and to be reasonably sure there will be snow in early Jan.
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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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saikee, Engelberg has really stunning scenery too - worth a visit even if you aren't skiing
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Flims/Laax is the second largest linked resort in CH (I'm guessing PDS counts as the largest). It's one of the few places to have designated freeride areas that are avy checked, and if you're into backcountry and touring, you can go off the back and get over to Elm.
If you're into backcountry, it might be worth dropping a PM to Powderhound as he never touches a piste if he can help it and knows lots of areas well, including a stint as a guide in Davos IIRC
Where will you be staying in Flims/Laax and when will you be there?
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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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saikee, next season I'm planning to do a number of weekends in Switzerland with a friend who lives in Amsterdam. He would drive down to Brussels and then we'd share a car. If you're interested and dates work, perhaps we can meet up. (and with three people perhaps offpiste could become an option - we're certainly considering it).
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horizon,
I am going for a 3-week sting, departing from Ijmuiden ferry terminal at 10am 13 Jan and returning to the ferry terminal on 1 Feb. My trip is a continuous one.
stanton,
Thanks for the advice on the train. I need the car as the only way to keep the cost down is to book accommodation at some distance from the chairlifts. I frequently drive 650 miles in one day and 560 miles is relaxing for me. Apart from the first day I drive very little on the other days. Due to the departure time we always spend two days to return to Amsterdam.
With a car we could also stop and try at any resort en route to our next hotel. The wife can lose interest easily and many a time I would have to escort her down, drive her back to the hotel and drive back to continue my skiing.
The Engelberg piste map show more than one location with a chairlift/gondola to a place without any marked piste. Am I correct in thinking people go there to walk or try the ski route (not grommed)?
eng_ch,
I am not into backcountry or ski touring as I have enough problem find where I am with a coloured piste map. 
My accommodation in Films has been booked between 16-20 Jan.
Originally I booked a cheaper accommodation in Chur and intended to drive the 13 miles distance to ski Flims/Laax/Falera for 2 days as I am also interested to go one day to Arosa which is only 19 miles from Chur but on the opposite side of Films. After I found out Flims/Laax/Falera has 200km piste I change my schedule to stay in Films for 5 nights. It is more expensive but more relax. Staying in a resort does allow us to enjoy the night life there.
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You know it makes sense.
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| saikee wrote: |
| The Engelberg piste map show more than one location with a chairlift/gondola to a place without any marked piste. Am I correct in thinking people go there to walk or try the ski route (not grommed)? |
Where do you mean ? If you were thinking of Fuerenalp then there isn't any skiing there. The groms have several places to hang out, but you can easily avoid them if you want.
I have been to Engelberg a fair number of times, but I wouldn't pick it as a place to warm up at skiing on 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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rjs,
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I have been to Engelberg a fair number of times, but I wouldn't pick it as a place to warm up at skiing on piste.
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You have me worried as I haven't check the details of the piste runs. It appears there is only one unavoidable black run No. 1 when coming down from the 3028m Klein Titlis to Stand at 2428m level. The rest of the black runs can be avoided if I don't want to try them in my first 2 days of the skiing season. Any detail on this No.1 black run? Is it something to be avoided?
From the piste may I couldn't make out any marked piste in the top of the Furenalp gondola or cable car. There are signs indicating people can eat, walk and sledge there but no skiing or boarding.
There is also a gondola at the base level near the Purzel Park that has absolutely nothing at the top of the station either. It makes me wonder why people build a gondola to the top of a hill with no facility.
The whole resort seems to have more dotted lines for walking (with an icon of a walking man) than piste runs and chairlifts. It is certainly different from a normal Swiss skiing resort I know of.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| saikee wrote: |
rjs,
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I have been to Engelberg a fair number of times, but I wouldn't pick it as a place to warm up at skiing on piste.
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You have me worried as I haven't check the details of the piste runs. It appears there is only one unavoidable black run No. 1 when coming down from the 3028m Klein Titlis to Stand at 2428m level. The rest of the black runs can be avoided if I don't want to try them in my first 2 days of the skiing season. Any detail on this No.1 black run? Is it something to be avoided?
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Avoid. Go back up to the Titlis top station and get the cable car back down to Stand.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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x2 particularly if snow conditions aren't optimal
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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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There is a lot of flat/walking/xcountry around Trubsee in Eberg and there are cable cars that seem to serve as supply routes scattered around the valley. You probably want to check out Titlis but follow snowbunny's advice and download again - the Tilis- Stand run is rarely pleasant and often a total disaster.
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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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| Quote: |
There is a lot of flat/walking/xcountry around Trubsee in Eberg and there are cable cars that seem to serve as supply routes scattered around the valley. You probably want to check out Titlis but follow snowbunny's advice and download again - the Tilis- Stand run is rarely pleasant and often a total disaster.
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That is the sort of information I need to know.
There seems to be a fair bit of uphill walking from the top of the highest chairlift "Ice flyer" back to the top of the Rotalr cable car at Klein Titlis or is it just a distorted view from the piste map?
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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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saikee, The run from Titlis to Stand is now an itinerary not a black, it is fairly steep but fine if you are a good bumps skier.
The other runs are narrow often with counter slopes on them and tend to be bumpy, again fine for good skiers but not the best place for a relaxing warmup.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| saikee wrote: |
| There seems to be a fair bit of uphill walking from the top of the highest chairlift "Ice flyer" back to the top of the Rotalr cable car at Klein Titlis or is it just a distorted view from the piste map? |
The map gives a false impression, it isn't all that far and is level.
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saikee, sounds like a fab trip, you get about, don't you?
Some friends of mine went to Laax a couple of years ago, they really enjoyed some epic snow conditions and made good use of them on their snowboards, seems like it is popular with Swiss & German boarders. Amazing that for such a large area it gets hardly any exposure in the UK. You must let us know how you get on.
You could do with getting hold of "Where to Ski and Snowboard" book, there's an updated version every year. I would call it a skier's bible cos it gives all the info you need about resorts and their ski areas. I got hold of a 2007 edition from the local library.
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If you do get to Malbun I'd love to hear what it's like these days. I went there in '72 and my abiding memory is of a drag lift which beginners had to get off half way up onto a very narrow and icy path. Timing of the dismount was critical to avoid either sliding back down & wiping out the following skier or overshooting and getting clobbered by a released button. It was a daily scene of carnage and my wife swore never to ski again and indeed she hasn't. (Mind you she makes an excellent chalet maid these days). Once past that point however I remember a beautiful deep bowl with lovely runs right back to the hotel. I've haven't seen Malbun mentioned in any brochures recently but presume that they have improved the lift infrastructure a bit in the last 35 years!
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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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saikee, Not been to Engelberg or St Moritz.
Flims is a great area and much of it is ski anywhere ave protected, so if you want to try some off piste it is a great place to start . Lovely mixture of below and above the treeline skiing. If you are keeping costs down be aware that there is a car parking charge at the lift station car park thoughn from memory you can park further out and get walk not too far in.
Been to Davos several times, they have actually removed two of the best blacks from the piste map and any markings on the ground which is a shame. The main area is great but can get somewhat queue bound at busy weekends when the other areas are quieter. The long reds down to Saas and Kublis are great but take a bit of time to get back from on busses or trains. The ski routes are marked on the ground and great in good snow. Pischa area has ave controlled unpisted runs. Good area overall but if you don't like T Bars it takes a bit of navigating to avoid them, not cheap.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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rjs, Thanks for the confirmation
luigi, I think we in UK tend to go to the resorts the TO selling us. Many of their resorts might have been chosen to maximize their profit and have restrictive information to the accommodation they wish to sell and not necessary for the who resort. For example Soll can be described as outstanding place while nothing is tgiven about the rest of the Ski Welt. TO selling Zermatt would not want to tell us it is a lot cheaper if we stay in the Italian side of Breuil Cervinia.
I found the Austrian site Bergex.com (also in English) has a fastic information on all the Austria resorts. They are building up the German, Swiss and Italian resorts as well.
Apart from the French resorts which are not featured at all I found the Bergex.com's information pretty comprehensive for finding the majority of the Austria, German, Swiss and Italian resorts.
Roger King, A couple years back we tried to do Malbun on a day trio from St Anton. It is tiny resort with only 23km piste. We didn't ski it as the condition was rather poor. This time we will be passing through Vaduz on our way from Engelberg to Films, which is about 125 miles apart. Thus we are keeping an open mind and will try it out if the snow is good. Malbun is so small that I don't think any UK TO would do package for it. However it is the only skiing resort in Liechtenstein, well hidden inside a valley high up so should be an experience. We took joy in finding it out.
JT, I am going with the better half and can go as far as she would go, so we are quite content with staying in the piste. By going there we could form ou view of the resort which has been consistently reported to have the best snow. We thought it would be a better bet in mid Jan than places like Wengen, Porte Du Soleil or Verbier.
T Bar, I haven't studied the Davos piste map yet but am aware the resort is in bits and pieces. Haven't up to now prepared to pay the high price accommodation to ski there when there are plenty more affodable and better choices, especially in Austria and Italy. We thought we have to try it at least once and so will spend 5 days there while we are trying out the neighbouring Films and St Moritz too. As fate has it we managed to get a recommended pension (B&B) off Davos official site and paid 618 CHF for 5 days B&B for two of us. Price for similar stay in Films and St Moritz are just under 1000 CHF. I could possibly half the cost by staying further away, no en-suite or do self catering but the wife wouldn't have it. We will be on a 4x4 and that is for avoid queues. We will give the rail a try to see if it matches those in Zermatt.
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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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saikee,
In that case, seems like a great road trip. I am an Engelberg fan so you wouldn't have to pay me to go back... 
The wengen area is about 2 hours away by car, IIRC..and much less if you are approaching from Lucerne..might be somewhere you want to keep in mind if you are flexible on or around the day
We must get over to Eastern Switzerland sometime soon.
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saikee,
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Haven't up to now prepared to pay the high price accommodation to ski there when there are plenty more affodable and better choices, especially in Austria and Italy.
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More affordable, definately, but better? questionable, Davos is pretty good in my book. 
If you are B&Bing though one thing to look out for is the price of eating out in the evening. My last trip was half board but I have B&B'd though several years ago. If you don't want to eat fast food Italian was definately the value option with a very good Italian restaurant close to the station at Platz.
Also worthwhile if you want to splash out a bit is the restaurant right at the top of the system above Weissfluhgipfel cable car (lunch obviously). Good food and a fabulous view booking usually essential.
Nice restaurant also in the Dischmatal valley at the bottom of the itinaire from Jakobshorn. May be worth driving to in the evening as it is out of town and probably a bit cheaper.
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