 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi - we are in Cervinia next weekend where, by all accounts, there is some skiing but limited due to the time of the year. Shame, as we went a few years back and enjoyed the long, easy blues for confidence boosting.
Our kids are 6 and 10 and completely fine on blues and not too shabby on reds as well although probably better off on less steep. If we venture over the top to the top part of Zermatt are we biting off a lot?
Also, arent they just drags and T's?
All inpuits welcome.
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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Peter Leuzzi, They would be able to cope with the runs at the top as their is nothing that steep. You're right that all the lifts at the top are drags and T's, but you can ski down to Trockener Steg to catch the Cable car or a chair. You will need to take a drag back up to get back to Cervinia though.
Edit: Thinking back I think you can ski back to Cervinia from the top of the cable car from Trockener Steg, rather than taking the drag.
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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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geepee, thanks. Assuming we did everything you have said skiing down to the Trockener Steg (BTW - will that all be open?) is the final drag back a poma or a T? Long? Tough? Steep?
Are the T's and drags up there easy and not energy taxing? I kind of assume that as its a glacier it won't be all too steep.
Sorry about all the questions, but rather know now rather than have a cheerful surprise there!
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Peter Leuzzi,
The T- bars are very long but not difficultor steep. I think they are all t's rather than pomas. You do have to be aware of the weather, it can get very cold and windy up there you really are at altitude. In my experience this is likely to be more of a problem for most than difficulty with the tows or slopes.
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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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Peter Leuzzi, The cable car will be open if the glacier at the top is open as it's the only way up to the top from Zermatt. I noticed on the website today that the top lifts aren't open today, must be due to the weather.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thinking back I think you can ski back to Cervinia from the top of the cable car from Trockener Steg, rather than taking the drag
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anybody verify this? I can't make that out on the Piste Map. How would you do it?
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Peter Leuzzi, I'm pretty sure there is a red and a blue from the top of the cable car across to Plateau Rosa/Testa Grigia which is the crossing point back to Cervinia. I'm sure someone will be along soon to verify.
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You don't have to use those T Bars at all. There is a chair gives access to much of the glacier area and return to Cervinia can be made via the cable car. I pretty much skied all of Zermatt last February and didn't use a T Bar once. I also had a couple of trips over to Cervinia, again without using a T Bar.
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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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Colin B, good stuff. You must have done Ventina then? How tough is that? I know its long but is it a steep one/tricky one at all for the kids?
Are the reds on the Zermatt side near the top crossing tough? If there is anything to avoid it'd be good to know in advance.
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Peter Leuzzi, Can't remember using that one. I think I entered Switzerland on the Testa Grigia Run which was pretty gentle. That takes you onto some of the main glacier runs down to Trockner Stegg or you can branch left down towards Furgg. I can't remember any being particularly steep. Entering Italy from the cable car I think it was via the Matterhorn glacier paradise run. Remember it is very high up though (highest piste skiing in Europe) and can be very cold and windy. My 13 year old daughter found the near -30C a bit challenging last February.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Peter Leuzzi
There are 2 ways you can get to Zermatt from Cervinia: the first is by using a series of 3 chairlifts from Plan Maison, just above Cervinia; the second is by taking a gondola from Plan Maison and then a cable car. Both routes drop you on the glacier that leads down to Trockner Steg in Zermatt. Using the chairlift route, there's a rather narrow steep shute that you need to take to get onto the glacier which your kids may find a bit tricky. The cable car route is fine - gentle all the way down to Trocknersteg. You do need to be careful though if it's misty on the top as it's easy to get lost.
As has been said already, there are chairlifts on the Zermatt side as well as T bars (which are not steep).
Getting back from Trocknersteg to Cervinia, you can use 2 very long but gentle T-bars to take you back to the border, or take the stunning cable car to Klein Matterhorn. It's almost 4000m so you may feel a bit dizzy walking through the tunnel from the cable car to the piste. From there it's a slightly steep but very wide red down to Testa Grigia on the Italian side (this is the sumer ski area) from where you have a choice of the Ventina run or the route via Plan Maison. The Ventina is a great run - red all the way; a little steep perhaps at the top but again very wide. People in my party who were early intermediates coped with it fine.
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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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Peter Leuzzi, just wanted to add that the Klein Matterhorn cable car can close in high winds, if it does then you will have to return via the 2 Tbars which as others have said are long but really gentle.
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Everything at Zermatt will be fine for them, given 'not too shabby on reds' being true.
All the serious stuff is yellow 'itineraires'. The black runs there aren't as hard as they make out (except by virtue of being quite busy in a few cases). You'll be fine.
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You know it makes sense.
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pjd,
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The Ventina is a great run - red all the way; a little steep perhaps at the top but again very wide
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Have you by chance skied 3V's. If so, what would Ventina compare with?
Am getting the impression the kids will be fine thanks to everyones comments and feedback.
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From there it's a slightly steep but very wide red down to Testa Grigia on the Italian side (this is the sumer ski area) from where you have a choice of the Ventina run or the route via Plan Maison
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Whats steeper - Ventina or the former?
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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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Peter Leuzzi
It's a while since I've been to 3V but the Ventina from memory the Ventina is a bit like a long version of the Creux run down from Vizelle . I'd say that both the Ventina and the run down from Klein Matterhorn are 'average reds'. Just watch the weather conditions: the top of Klein Matterhorn is not a nice place if it's freezing and windy.
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