 Poster: A snowHead
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I did put this in the A - Z but thought it would be more likely to be seen by anyone interested in the area as a stand alone report.
Resort: Laax
Country: Switzerland
Domain: Flims Laax Falera
Date: Half term, 13 - 20 February 2010
Our holiday: My 14 year old daughter and myself, both reasonable skiers (my daughter more so than me now).
Website : www.laax.com
Basics : On the eastern side of Switzerland. We flew to Zurich then train to Chur and Post Bus up to resort, very efficient and economical with a Swiss Transfer Pass. There is also a shuttle directly from the airport but it works out more expensive with children (as kids are free with a Swiss Transfer pass).
Lift system : it's a big area, 220 km, and the lift system on the whole is pretty good. Mixture of cable cars, gondolas, chairs and a few drags. One or 2 annoyances with the system but couldn't really complain. Despite it being half term week and Fasching we didn't wait more than 10 minutes for a lift all week.
The terrain : Main lift stations are at Laax Murschegt (where we stayed) and Flims. Crap Sogn Gion is one of the big intersections with a huge snowpark, bars, rental shops etc. We found the best general piste skiing to be around the Nagens area and for snowy days there are several nice runs down through the trees to Flims and Laax. There is a small glacier (didn't go up as didn't fancy the long drag up) at 3000m and the run back down to Flims is 17km long.
Run down to Laax
The snow : It had snowed a fair bit before our arrival but didn't snow whilst we were there until the last night. Pistes were getting pretty icy in places and the home runs (Flims and Laax are only 1100m) were getting slushy in the afternoons.
Off-piste : This was completely tracked out. There are several lift served freeride areas which are avalanche patrolled etc I believe and a good compromise. This includes La Siala which we tried out.
The resort : Laax Murschegt is basically a collection of apartments, hotels, bars, shops, etc built up around the lift station, not a great deal of character really but really easy to get up the mountain from. Flims is a larger more traditional town with more character and plenty of hotels, bars, places to eat, etc.
Food : Laax Murschegt is limited for eating, mainly restaurants in hotels. We had a Pizza in Hotel Cristallina (pizza £10 upwards) which was fine. We ate in the rest of the week. There is a resort shuttle though which could get you to Flims for more choice. We ate mainly up the mountain in the self service places which were pleasant. We did like the Rock Bar at 2200m at Crap Sogn Gion which is a tropical themed bar with thumping music and amphitheatre style seating.
Accommodation : Booked a studio apartment (in Val Signina) which was around 100 m walk to the lift. It was very well equipped and plenty big enough (in France an extra bunk bed would have been squeezed in I'm sure).
Costs: Flights £200 each, Transfer £75 for the 2 of us, Apartment £350. Lift passes £320 (1 adult, 1 youth). Mountain meal about £10, hot chocolate £3, beer up the mountain £3.50.
Conclusion: Very good area, not too busy despite peak week, very reasonably priced trip. Be careful where you stay though if you want to be out and about in the evenings.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Colin B, thanks for the report. Flims/Laax on the list along with Klosters/Davos and Lech/Zurs/St Anton. Too much skiing and too little time-----
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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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I'm just back from two weeks in Laax. I've probably spent 5 months riding in this area in the past 15 years as I did a season there once and like the way its runs and the riding is top, perhaps not as many steeps as some places (although they are there if you know where) but the ambiance and organization blows away anywhere I've ridden in France. Everyone who comes with me says, wow, everyone can ski and snowboard here really well and the place runs so well. Enough said.
I noticed a lot more English there this trip - since the investment in Murshetg the Weisse Arena Gruppe have been advertising in the UK and there has been a few articles in the UK press about Flims/Laax/Falera. So far it seems okay, no Thompson, no Crystal etc. Powder Byrne have an operation here and I spoke to one of their staff and he seemed pretty good. Could be a decent option if you wanted showing round for your first time.
A few tips:
First thing in the morning I enjoy heading over to the piste under the Grauberg lift. You can get off the lift and if quick about it can ride down and connect to the base of the cable car before it moves (and you have to be quick). This mean you can be very economical with time vs vertical. You will find locals doing the same, its a good way to get 3000m of pisted decent in an hour and then finish off with a rest at the lovely Segneshutte next to the piste below the top of the lift station. Its normally quiet here first thing and you can rip up fresh piste. The Grauberg lift runs on the hour and then every 15 minutes (precisely) so its easy to plan around it.
The 17K decent from the top of the Vorab Glacier lifts may be long but there is a lot of traverse from the Vorab to Nagens. Better to ride from the top of La Siala down to Flims as you have better pitches and its still 10-12Km. Ride the Stretg run which is the newish piste skiers left and just above Scansinas after you pass Nagens. It used to be a slightly different route but they upgraded it a couple of years ago so they can cannon it and widen it.
At the top of La Siala, exit right, stay high and skiers left and drop over the backside to an often missed bowl that is not all south facing - you'll find easy off-piste powder here with few dangers, just a few rock bands you can easily spot. At the end of this you can remain off piste, head left and drop just below and before the Grauberg lift, you're a little exposed on a steepish 100m traverse getting back to the piste below the lift that you must make.
If you get a chance to go to the Cassonsgrat via the Cassons lift, make the effort to walk all the way along the ridge past the walkers signposts before riding off. Take the time to spot where you can drop off over the ridge from the back as you head up the cable car - you'll find some steeper and less tracked routes if you negotiate the slate and the rocks to get over. Its not as steep as it looks from the other side side. You can't connect directly back to the luftseilbahn from here but that route tracks out quickly - drop in from the top of the cable care only on fresh pow days and then work your way along the ridge.
There is a lot of off-piste available, given the topology quite a bit of it is visible from lifts so tracks out in a day or less. The top of Cassons is a good place to spot other routes (hint). After a while there you'll figure out the hidden routes that need hiking to, I keep doing new routes.
As for eating, whilst I mostly snack during the day to ride better I like the self service restaurant at the base of the Vorab, Segneshutte (it was one of the first huts in the area and has charm) is lovely as it has good views and its a family run affair. We tried the teepee La Vacca this trip and it was nice meat but expensive and a bit odd. The ambiance in the teepee with the big fire however it great. Bar No Name is fun looking over the snow park.
Every trip must include a walk up to Tegia Larnags for really good food. The Capillari place at Crap Sogn Gion (Peak of St John) is pretty good too.
Night life is limited but most people don't go to Flims/Laax for that. There are however big nights out if you're in you 20s at Riders, I'm not  I think the Flem Massiv Club has closed in Waldhaus, I enjoyed that what I was in my 20s!
The Livingruhm in Flims is a chilled out place for a drink and the butcher by it is good, they make their own Spaetzli and Pizokels and they are just great.
The Capricorn Lounge and Backpackers is a gem - its in Laax by the turn off for Laax Cons. The owner Gusti runs it well and its a proper snowboarder hang out, very good prices, good bar and lots of local knowledge available. Pop in at least for some free wifi and a beer.
If you happened to out there for a while, look at the Graubundencard - lift pass for the canton for the season is CHF1300 or so. This includes, Flims, Laax, Davos, Lenzerheide, Savognign, Obersaxen, Brigels, St Moritz, and about another 30 places. Graubunden is full of ski lifts.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Mon 15-03-10 22:35; edited 1 time in total
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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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Colin B, I am planning on a feb half term trip next year. Looking for somewhere to stay for 2 for a week. If you aren't planning to go back there next feb, can you post a link for the apartment you stayed in. Thanks.
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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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Colin B, Good report.
Laax/Flims is on my list of places to go. Early season seems the best bet given height of resort.
Sunstar hotel appealed, though I am not sure about its Waldhaus location. Shame they do not offer baggage transfer to Flims on the Swiss/Fly rail system. That always makes transfers much more pleasant.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Latchico
Sunstar is in Flims Waldhaus. Its a walk to the lifts (15 mins - mostly downhill) if they don't give you transfer. Getting back is okay as there is a dead end piste to Waldhaus, just no lift, but the hotel is only a few mins from the end of the track.
No idea what its like. You are close to Flims and I've walked around it to the lake nearby (Caumasee) and its a pretty area.
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Oh, if you're in Waldhaus then you're next to the brewery for some Surselvabrau. Nice beer n decent food in their 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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Riders Palace is a hotel for snowboarders and skiers and is part of the Design Hotels group. Laax is also known for summer sports such as hiking, downhill biking, and mountain biking. The village has views of the Signina group to the south and the Flimserstein to the north.
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La Vacca is ace - easily the best steak I have eaten anywhere in Europe.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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HI
I thought I would add my report here. I have tried not to duplicate information too much
See also Hairyboys seperate report from Feb 2009 for trip more info on Laax
Laax Feb half term 2012
The plan was a half term week holiday for me and 16 year old snowboarding son. As it was half term I thought France would be too busy. Austria – too tempting après ski for the youngster. The packages to most places seemed quite expensive so I tried a DIY trip to Laax in Switzerland.
First the flights Manchester / Zurich with Swiss. I booked the flights last May, Saturday going out was already very full and no cheap seats left but the Friday evening flights were a reasonable price, with the possibility of an extra day skiing on the first Saturday. Skis and boot bag accepted with a smile at check in and no problems.
This meant a Friday night stay in Zurich. We stayed at the Welcome Inn in the Kolten area of Zurich, which is very close to the airport They have a shuttle bus but we did not use it as it was getting late and it was very very cold. Got a taxi 20 Chf for a 3 min ride. This was a sobering introduction to Swiss prices. 1 night in the Hotel Welcome Inn excellent , clean polite staff, free wifi etc, good value for money and only 100m from local station.
Train Saturday morning, well Swiss trains nuff said…..
1.30hrs on train then bus up the hill arrived about 11.00, Luggage was a problem because no access to apartment till 4pm but there are large lockers in the “depot” under the rock resort. 5 Chf for the day, though they are large they will not take wide cases because of the multiple shelves for ski boots.
Accommodation: Criteria “value” and close to Lift.
Many of you who have been to Laax will know the swanky Laaxerhoof and the trendy Rock Resort, well our small apartment had a great view of both of them!
Found the apartment through “ Interhome” in the Val Signina apartments at Murschetg lift station. We were in House number 7 overlooking the lowest slope with the Cable car and Gondola in full view. A short walk from apartment to lifts. Excellent clean but basic apartment for 2. Recommended.
Murschetg. This area is dominated by the Rock resort Modern trendy blocks that I don’t think fit in well. Apres ski seemed quiet, though the village had a good atmosphere
Skiing – very cold for 3 days, squeaky snow, sounded like polystyrene at times but skied nothing like it, excellent conditions, then 2 days of snow (lift opening variable) then 2 milder sunny days. Varied slopes, a lot of gondolas. High proportion of boarders. Resort seemed very quiet, no queues all week, but the restaurants were quite busy at lunchtime, costing about Chf 20 -25 for hot meal and drink per person. The resort has the odd slow chair, but mostly fast lifts. From 2.30-3pm the mountain seemed deserted. The combination of fast lift no queues and empty slopes made the “minutes skiing per £ spent” very reasonable. The quiet slopes also made for a safe environment. The lifts open at 8.30, one tip – if you just miss the 8.30 cable car head to the gondola near by, the next cable car did not leave till 9.00.
Total cost, including 3 days lessons for the son., in the region of, Gulp, £2300. Not cheap but could have been worse. Whole thing recommended
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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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waltond, Same apartment we had 
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FAQ
