Im looking for a ski-resort for the summer.
I will be leaving from the U.k in July.
The 2 resorts i have found that are suitable for summer ski-ing are Saas Fee and Zermatt...
My question is, which one is better and why?
Thank you.
Oh yeah i forgot to add, I have been skiing before in America at the Sunday River. There is only going to be 1 beginner with us thats it, So according to that, could you please help me choose the right resort. thanks.
p.s sorry for any mistakes i have made, im new to snowheads.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
muj7860, I am a big fan of Saas fee and I will be as objective as I can
Ski Area: Zermatt has a bigger area but the runs are quite shallow Saas Fee has more steep and challanging terrain in the summer
Town Again Zermatt is much bigger and is a very flash harry kind of town in my experience. Saas has much more charm and carisma and has allot of skiers and boarders knocking about during the summer months. Popcorn the Alpin bar and Poisoin tend to be quite livley most days.
Afternoons. As you will be done skiing by 12 Saas has tons of stuff to do in the afternoon with its forest adventure park and bobsled track (Its on stell rails.) Zermatt has pletny to offer and more shops and cafe's
Transport Its Switzerland both have excellent public transport links
Personally I will take Saas Fee every time despite the Matterhorn being the most epic thing I have ever seen. I have a fallen in love with the town and the people and you have both Warren Smith and the British Freeski camps going on there from the end of July normally around the 20th so there is plenty going on and good fun to be had in the town.
Cost: Saas may work out a little cheapear than it larger neighbour.
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?
Fattes13, Thank you for your reply.
I think i will be going to go ahead with Saas Fee, Ive heard a lot of good things about them too.
Can you recommend any good agencies to go through and book a place at Saas Fee?
brian
brian Guest
muj7860, Swiss tourist offices are brilliant. Just send them an email with your requirements and they'll mail you back a selection of offers.
paulio, Or 1 hour 20 by train and take some of the hassel out As it only cost money to leave your car sitting at the top of the town in both either Tash for Zermatt or the car park in Saas
muj7860, Some great deals to be had there during the summer, Eskimo ski school do apartment rentals and the Du Glacier hotel is good value for money but there are plenty of options, link below for an apartment belonging to a friend of mine. Sadly it a bit of a walk from the Gondola but good location other than that.
As above local tourist office is mega for information
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Fattes13, even better, I wasn't sure if there was a convenient train route or not.
After all it is free
After all it is free
how longs the post bus to take?
or go by mtb.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
papasmurf, From Zurich total transfer including train and bus to Saas is about 2 hours 45 and Geneva is about 2 hours 30 Train to VISP and a bust 35 min up to Saas (Swiss Transfer ticket is your Friend.)
Bus and train from Saas to Zermatt is about 1 hour 20. Take a bus down to the next village on the road and jump on the Gothard Line glacier train to Zermatt. Train station in Zermatt is right beside one of the trains up the mountian.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
How long are the runs in summertime? I understand the early finish, but are the runs much shorter as well? I'm also considering a spot of summer skiing, and was thinking about Tignes, LDA, or Hintertux, how do they stack up?
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Do the areas actually close for business at noon, or is that just when people generally call it quits?
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.
Dr John, paulio, Depends on the Glacier, Hintertux keeps the lifts running most of the day where as Saas shuts the lifts at the top off at 12 ish. Trust me even if they stayed open by 1 or 2 you would be going home. As the snow will soften up very quickly in the sun
Runs are not that long but enought to keep you busy for the time you will have on them.
I stand to be corrected but as far as I know Hintertux and zermatt have the longets runs but the ones in zermatt are very shallow
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Thank you for all your replys people.
I have had a look around and im still looking around for the best possible deal. As before I said that im going to bee flying out in July. But I did not mention that i will be there for only 3 days, Which doesnt give me a lot of time to cover all the slopes.
I found another resort that looks great and its the "Les Deux Alpes"...Would you say thats better than Saas Fee?
Seeing as i only have 3 days to ski, I dont think im looking for the most slopes to be honest as i do not think i would be able to cover them all.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
While I love going to Saas-Fee, both winter and summer, the glacier there is not suitable for beginners. The summer runs are quite short and the all runs can be completed in a very short time. Summer glacier skiing is just not the same sort of experience as winter skiing - you may go to try it out, for race training or on a course, but three days is a long time if you don't have a good reason to be there.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Well i have already been winter ski-ing in America, But not in the Alps. This year i would like to try out summer ski-ing. I mean i woudnt say im a total beginner, in my group of 3 there will only be 1 new beginner and me and a freind are going to teach him how to ski. So your saying that the glaciers there are not suitable for beginners?...I mean, how bad are they?...Can you recommend any resorts with a suitable beginner glacier aswell as intermidiate preferably between Saas Fee,Zermatt, Les Deux Alpes or Tignes?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Ice like concrete first thing, mashed potato and huge puddles of water by lunchtime (from my memory of Hintertux the week after Mayrhofen shut a few years ago).
Still got to be better than a bloody fridge though. At least there's a view.
brian
brian Guest
muj7860, both my kids learned at Deux Alpes in the summer. Great holidays. Go as early in July as possible. The skiable area contracts as the summer goes on. Typically you can ski down to Signal at 2800m in early July but not below the main Glacier restaurant at 3200m by the end of the month.
Oh, and do your friend a favour and put them in the capable hands of a decent instructor. Can highly recommend Charlotte Swift, www.easiski.com . Her summer rates for private instruction are a bargain as well.
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?
I am saying the glacier at Saas-Fee is not suitable for a beginner - I can't tell you about the other glaciers. There is no beginner lift - only fairly steep T-bars. The way down to the T-bars involves a fairly long track and a red (moderately difficult) run. There are four or five runs on the glacier, none particularly long, and much of the area is taken up by teams practising for the coming racing season and this cuts down on the width of the available slopes, but can be impressive to watch. The views are great and the snow is OK in the mornings. Skiing starts early and stops about 2pm, so you have plenty of time in the afternoons to do something different. Do check out the other glaciers because they may well be more suitable for a beginner.
Derek Jackson, Skiing is Saas stops at 12 no later lifts close in the summer. Some glaciers open all day but most finish up by 12
All the glaciers have Tbars as they need to be able to move lifts as the glacier shifts over time.
Zermatt has wide cruisy shallow runs, Hintertux has a steep but wide entry run and lots of options after that Tignes is rammed with race teams and it is has been sparse on snow for the past 2 summers.
Best for Beginers in terms of slopes is prob Zermatt
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Summer skiing.
Takes ages to get up the mountain to the ski area, short runs and short opening times, race teams always hog the best part of the mountain with their little flags and gates and self-important ski couches.
Save up and go to New Zealand.
Fattes13 - Saas-Fee opens 3 July. 3 July to 28 August the glacier is open until 13:00, 29 August to 22 October it is open until 14:00.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Hmm, After reading everyones replies, I think its best if i went to Zermatt. So, seeing as the slopes are more shallow, they'll be less chance of any racers being there hogging the slopes..am i correct?
After all it is free
After all it is free
muj7860, You will still see the racers in Zermatt just not as many of them and less gates set
Derek Jackson, Past two summer visits last week of July First week of August lifts have closed 80% of the time well before 1 as snow conditions dictated.
Swiss are very protective of there glaciers and closures for poor snow conditions are not un common in Switzerland where on other glaciers in the same conditions they would be open.
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.
Fattes13, What do you mean by less gates set?
and also, Does the snow turn soft very quickly at Zermatt?
Cause i dont want to be ski-ing for a short period of time
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
muj7860, Snow will depend on the weather have been on glaciers where it is like bullet proof glass all day and then other tdays where it is like Porridge by 11 am that is the joy of glaciers.
Less gates = Steeper Glaciers like Saas + Tignes tend to have Slalom/gs gates set all over the place by race teams just look at the number of gates in this video as an example.
Just out of interest, Would it be cheaper to get to the resort by Train from Geneva?
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.
muj7860, A return ticket using a train and then a bus is £75. You will need to book the ticket in advance and have it sent to your UK address. go to myswitzerland.com/rail
to buy one. I used one to get to Saas Fee and back. Very efficient, on time, and all trains leave from the station at the airport.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
As it only cost money to leave your car sitting at the top of the town in both either Tash for Zermatt or the car park in Saas
Can highly recommend Charlotte Swift, 