 Poster: A snowHead
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I am considering going to Zermatt for christmas next year, and I have heard that the lifts take a long time to get to the ski areas 45mins - 1h 30min? is this true.
Everything else sounds great but I am concerned how much skiing time will be lost on the lifts?
Also has anyone stop in the Chalet Genapy before? as it looks quite resonable and is only 10mins from most of the lifts.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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acanno, no it's nonsense. The Sunnegga-Blauherd system (funicular+gondola) will have you skiing in under 30 mins from the base station. The Furi-Schwarzsee system (continuous gondola, goes through Furi station) gets you skiing in around 20 mins from the base station. The longer connections (Gornergrat railway, cablecars up to Klein Matterhorn or Rothorn) obviously take longer, but you'll be skiing from 3000m or 3800m in around an hour from the village.
Yes, it pays to be near one of the base stations, but there's an electric bus between them. It's true that there's been long-term criticism of the spread of the village, difficulty of walking to lifts and the fact that the lift system is split into 3 distinct zones, but that's part of the deal with Zermatt - you're skiing vast mountainscapes with deep valleys between them - big vertical, lots of variation in terrain.
Welcome to snowHeads!
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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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Thanks for your quick reply
Looking forward to skiing at Christmas
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There you go - two different skiers, two different opinions! My main gripe with Zermatt is how much time is wasted on (or waiting for) lifts.
Like everywhere in Switzerland, transport is punctual but slow.
The size of the town means that youll always be some way from one (or two) of the three uplift points. Standing like a sardine around the town on an electric bus isnt what youre on holiday for.
The Sunegga furnicular is indeed rapid but go any higher and it means one if not two seperate gondolas with all the unbinding of skis, walking clunking along with skis and sometimes queuing that entails.
Equally the gondola thru Furi is indeed continuous but from the station at the top to the really high glacial area at Kleine Matterhorn needs a cable car. In itself thats a bore but ok, but in busier times youll inevitably have to wait whilst the next one fills up, 20 mins or so.
Links between Sunnega and Gornegrat areas again linked with gondolas rather than continuous chairs.
The train up Gornegrat is one of the wonders of the skiing world, but frustrating if youre waiting for it at the bottom or at one of the halts on its journey up.
Dunno how much will be open pre/during Xmas, but if it is busy there is inevitably a lot of waiting.
The Zermatt lift system whilst extensive just isnt as efficient as it could be. Sometimes you can accept this as part of its charm, other times its just irritating.
The piste map for 2004/5 does show 2 new lifts planned.
Either way, youll have a wonderful time in Zermatt. Itll be lovely at Christmas, but then anywhere in the mountains is!
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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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If you time it right at Sunegga (trains every 10 minutes, 5 min journey), and no queues, you could be on skis in 15-20 mins, if this is important to you. You could ski to Patrullarve and get the chair to Blauherd. If you wanted to go to Klein Matterhorn and copped for some big queues I could believe 1.5 hours, but there are other routes to the glacier via Schwarzee, Furgg and chairlifts/T-bars. At least you would be skiing rather than standing.
The Sunegga-Blauherd gondola is being replaced this summer by a combination lift that alternates gondola cabins with 8-seater chairs.
Sharing a taxi at CHF3 per person (last time we used it) worth considering over free ski bus if you are pressed for time.
Enjoy!
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Look - christmas is busy everywhere. The time it takes to travel from the village up to
the mountain - is not something that keeps me from going back to zermatt. you can get plenty
of skiing done in a day - irrespective of whichever mountain you pick - sunnega, gornegrat or
Klien matterhorn. the fact that there are very few chair lifts (mostly gondolas and trains) -
is a little inconvenient becos you have to keep removing your skis. but - hey - that's part of
zermatt and its faster. christmas in zermatt - should be amazingly beautiful.
the only thing that makes me think twice about going back to zermatt is the travel from geneva to
zermatt and then from zermatt to milan. its a little bit of a pain having to change trains in Brig/visp -
especially with luggage and kids. yeah - i know - we checked our bags directly in geneva but still -
you have to change platforms.
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I went to Zermatt for the first time this year, and I loved it, it really is an amazing resort.
The skiing is very good, but just not quite to the same level as L'Espace Killy or the Arlberg, IMHO. There are lot's of cable cars, and it isn't possible to get around the slopes without using them, but it does add to the atmosphere - James Bond never used a chair lift! A bonus of using the cable cars is that it gives you a lot of verticle height very quickly, so the runs that are served by them are absolutely massive. When I went there was never a problem with getting on the mountain in the morning. If you choose to, you can use the cog railway to get up the mountain, it's a real experience, but takes a long time.
Finally, the mountain restuarants in Zermatt are amazing, making lunch something to look forward to. If you are a keen skier, one of your main problems will be negotiating with your group, exactly how much time is allowed for lunch every day.
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I stayed in the Ambassador which is very near the Banhof and the Grongrat but I never minded a walk of 10 mins or so from any of the other two lifts, it must have been something about the town as I only caught the bus once.
The only long lift would be up to Klein Matterhorn which is 3800 and another drag to 3899. But you can get around this last part by taking the long drags for the link to Cervinia. The Klien Matterhorn is still the longest lift up the mountain because it is at least 3 stages. But then you are going from 1850 to 3800 its a long way in anyones book
Zermatt is one of THE great resorts - not at all suitable for beginners IMO - and the lifts are worth it.
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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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Acanno, I've skied in Zermatt twice, and I have never thought it takes too much time getting up the hill. To be sure, the Gornergrat is fun but slow, and the line for the Klein Matterhorn cable car is long and slow, but if you avoid those two, or ski them once or twice during your stay just to experience them, you should be ok. It doesn't take long to get up to Trockener Steg, and then you've got a nice ride down.
My free advice to you is pick an area for the day. If the sun's out, go to the Klein Matterhorn side, and if it's windy and cold, go to Rothorn. It would indeed take a long time if you were to ski, say Klein Matterhorn in the morning, and Rothorn in the afternoon. That would not be good. Lastly, if you want to go to Italy, plan the trip early in your stay. If the weather is nice, do it. If you plan it for the last day, the weather can potentially be good for the first part of your stay, and bad for the last part of your stay, and then you would have missed the opportunity.
And don't forget to make reservations for lunch. Your hotel should be able to help you with this.
I have some Zermatt photos on my website if you're interested. http://cacavas.com/Zermatt2003/home.htm
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Some of you may have read my thread on GAP Courses-i asked which resorts would be best for a 10 week course out of Val D'isere, Courchevel and Vail. However, i was not aware that BASI also do a course to Zermatt.
I had decided to go to Val D'isere, but now think i might choose Zermatt instead. Have any of you been to both of these resorts, and if so how do they compare. I realise the skiing is probably not as extensive in Zermatt, but it must still be pretty good. What other resort is it comparable to in terms of skiing?
Thanks 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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VD is a bigger area but has a lot of motorway skiing. If you there for 10 weeks you should be able to get to all the off-piste gems which is what VD should be about.
Zermatt has it all but the off-piste to compare to VD would take a lot of effort, like guides and helicopters. 10 weeks in either of them would be no hardship at all, both world class resorts but Zermatt scores on the village and scenery. VD scores on miileage and lift system.
St A would also be on par with VD for off-piste and would shade it for apre-ski.
No problem with any of them....probably still Zermatt for me
The thing about being anywhere for 10 weeks is that you should see miles more than a weekly tourist would ever get to see ski-wise..!!
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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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More than a thousand years ago, the Bishop of Sion gave the Zermatt region to the Church of Chanson and three powerful families in his patronage. Beginning in 1538, the fiercely proud Zermatters started working to buy their independence at a wage of a penny an hour for 100,000 hours. While other Europeans fought for their independence from serfdom, the original Zermatters toiled to purchase theirs—and it took them five generations. This speaks volumes about the tenacity and business-like Swissness of the people who established and, in many ways, still run Zermatt today.
Tucked into southwestern Switzerland's tradition-steeped Valais canton (a canton is the Swiss version of a state), Zermatt is one of the world's most beautiful ski towns. Scattered throughout its small downtown core are enclaves of picturesque 500-year-old chalets. These are tucked along Zermatt's narrow, car-free streets, in between elegant sport shops, multistory lodges, five-star hotels and numerous cuckoo-clock-and-army-knife purveyors and scattered up the mountains alongside ski runs in the shadow of the 14,691-foot Matterhorn. These 16th century cabins are unusual in that the second story is perched on stilts above the first floor, and each stilt sits on a large, flat rock. This building technique was designed to repel rats, and apparently worked very well until a better mousetrap came along.
Zermatters would doubtless like a similarly clever way to rid themselves of the lift-management problems that have troubled the resort in recent years. Last winter, the four private companies that own the ski resort's 74 lifts announced they were losing money and couldn't afford to invest any more capital into their infrastructure. While Zermatt's numerous high-speed lifts make it one of the most modern systems in Switzerland, the lack of funding for maintenance and upgrades is viewed as a threat to the ski resort's future—and is somewhat puzzling in the context of Zermatt's popularity.
"The lift companies are owned by the burghers, the old-time families who owned most of the land here," explains Daniel Luggen, the marketing director for the Zermatt Tourist Office. "And the companies have been overpaying those families for years. They have also been borrowing money and paying too much interest. But now the burghers are loaning the companies money back at better rates, so that will help."
Zermatt is a stunning resort that is among a handful of the best known names in the Alps. And it's surmounted by what is arguably the most famous mountain on the planet. The soaring, shark's-tooth shape of the Matterhorn has lured climbers since the 1700s and almost single-handedly established Zermatt's first tourist trade in 1820. Today, the remote, dream-like environment of its pedestrian-only village, the opportunity to ski and hike on a truly gargantuan trail network into Italy and the magnetic appeal of the region's mountains have combined to attract 1.7 million overnight visitors a year. These robust numbers, for a town of only 5,600 (roughly the size of Aspen), have been growing since 1996.
The cog train takes skiers to the Gornergrat. Photo by Henry Georgi
With good reason. This alpine oasis is so physically removed from the mainstream that it still has its own incomprehensible dialect, but it's only a few hours from a number of major airports. To get to Zermatt, you must park your car in Sion and then take a train. From the small rail station in the center of town, you are shuttled to your hotel by tiny, toy-like electric buses or horse-drawn sleighs. The absence of traffic and exhaust in the car-free village is extravagantly relaxing, and is what inspired countless other pedestrian- oriented resort villages around the world.
The steady streams of agog tourists who pour through the Heidi-goes-chic warrens of Zermatt come from all over the globe: Germans, Japanese and Americans make up the majority of international visitors. The busy, prosperous and stolid locals are leavened by numerous enthusiastic and friendly Eastern European seasonal employees.
Kirk Davis, a 51-year-old Californian, came to Zermatt in 1971, married a local girl in 1975, and became a full-time resident two years later. Being married to a Swiss national enables him to remain in Zermatt and own a business there. It would have been hard for him to put down roots had he not met Sibylle Perren. "Within the last couple of years, it has gotten harder for Americans to work here," Davis says. "You have to be specialized, like a ski instructor or tour operator rep, in order to get a nine-month permit."
Davis hadn't planned on settling here, but has come to love Zermatt for numerous reasons. "The lack of autos is obviously something I enjoy immensely. And the skiing is unbelievable. A lot of people don't know that," he smiles. "You've also got extremely wealthy people and ski bums and everything in between, all exchanging with each other, which I like a lot. It's more who you are than what you've got."
What helps keep it that way are reasonable prices. Grocery stores and other general retailers are forbidden by Swiss law to charge more for their merchandise in Zermatt, or any other resort, than they do in Zurich. You can get a good sandwich, pizza or fondue for five bucks and a room for as little as $29 a night.
And then there's the skiing. Set Snowmass and Aspen's other three mountains on top of Colorado's Summit County areas and surround them with all of Colorado's 14,000 foot peaks, and you begin to approximate the scope of Zermatt's terrain. The behemoth's slopes ramble across two countries (Switzerland and Italy), with more than 7,000 vertical feet and untold volumes of gorgeous off-piste. Thirty-six mountains higher than 13,000 feet loom over Zermatt like a mighty tribe of wild gods, daubed by glaciers, pearly blue ice seracs and the brilliant sheen of snow so deep it was old when Zermatt was young.
The distinctive Matterhorn stands guard over the twinkling alpine town. Photo by Henry Georgi
The three interconnected areas on the Swiss side rise theatrically to 12,532 feet, with excellent skiing sweeping across a series of big panoramic ridges, basins and glacial valleys, mostly above timberline. Every piste has a unique sense of place. One minute you're gliding through centuries-old summer farming villages on the long, alpine-idyll cruisers of the Rothorn and Gornergrat; the next you're pounding down the steep bump faces of the Stockhorn past idly grazing chamois, always alongside the distracting eminence of the Matterhorn. On the Klein (or little) Matterhorn, several lifts on the upper glaciers are open most of the year.
Max Julen, the 1984 Olympic gold medal slalom winner, is from an old Zermatt family. "For me the mountains of Zermatt are very important. I loved growing up here, where I could ski even in summer," he says. "And it's a good place to raise my own children. Clean air, no traffic. It's perfect." When you go to Zermatt, you'll be urged by everyone to ski into Italy.
Trust them. You'll be dazzled by the far-flung slopes and the adventure, as well as the fun-loving Italians and their decadent cuisine. And when you return to Switzerland, give yourself plenty of time to enjoy a 7,000-vertical-foot run down great billowing glaciers, through lee-side powder fields of the Matterhorn and all the way to the valley floor.
It's a dizzying, epic journey well worth more than 100,000 pennies on its own.
Almanac: Zermatt, Switzerland
by Jay Cowan
Population 5,600
Elevation 5,315 feet
Median Price Of A Single-Family Home By law, only Swiss citizens can purchase property in Zermatt. Nice two-bedroom apartments have sold recently for between $700,000 and $1 million.
Main Businesses Tourism and construction.
Public School Population 684 (1st-9th).
Local Ski Areas Four interconnected areas access 155 miles of maintained slopes, plus expansive off-piste. Vertical Rise: 7,217 vertical feet. Average Annual Snowfall: 220 inches (and glaciers).
Season Pass: adults, $900; children 9-16, $450; children under 9, free. Lift Ticket: adults, $40; 9-16, $20; children under 9, free; 65 and over, 25 percent off.
Best Event The annual International Zermatt Symposium for five days in mid-January brings in the likes of Maya Angelou and Mario Vargas Llosa for lectures, workshops, panels and concerts.
Locals' Favorite Restaurants Fondue at the Restaurant Stadel; Backerei Fuchs for great sandwiches; enjoy excellent regional cuisine at the Hotel Christiania.
Locals' Favorite Hangouts The Hotel de la Poste taught Zermatt how to rock nearly 30 years ago and is still going strong. Family-size pastries and a wooden bowl of "grole" (the local rum drink) are an après-ski tradition at Max and Gretl's Zum See Restaurant.
Best Places To Stay (Dial 011-41-27 before all numbers; rates are for two people per night, including breakfast and dinner.) Luxe: the five-star Grand Hotel Zermatterhof (966-6600; www.zermatt.ch/zermatterhof; $250-$500); the four-star Schonegg with stunning views (966-3434; www.reconline.ch/schonegg; $200-$400); family-friendly Christiania (967-1907; www.reconline.ch/christiania; $150-$300); the budget two-star Touring (967-2863; www.touring.buz.ch; $85-$135).
How To Get There Numerous airlines fly direct to Geneva and Zurich, which are four and five hours, respectively, from Zermatt by train.
Information Zermatt Tourism, 011- 41-27-967-0181; www.zermatt.ch.
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AKR, Welcome to snowheads!
Quite a florid piece.
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This alpine oasis is so physically removed from the mainstream that it still has its own incomprehensible dialect
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Incomprehensible except for those who speak it I presume! 
One important inaccuracy is the advice to leave your car at Sion. Ideally take the train all the way from airport of entry to Zermatt using the Swiss Transfer Ticket which is about 100CHF, but has to be purchased outside CH.
If you have to drive, don't leave your car at Sion, which is about 90 minutes by train from Zermatt and has no long term parking. Drive to Tasch, where there is plenty of designated parking and take the 20 min shuttle train up to Zermatt.
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You know it makes sense.
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Within the last couple of years, it has gotten harder for Americans to work here
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Not having a go atAKR, but "Gotten" drives me mad. Is it a real word? I know there are many language experts in snowheads. 
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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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Great info. AKR....
I have decided to do the course in Zermatt and have now booked it-can't wait now though! 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Chris_5000, Start saving your pocket money now then
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Frosty the Snowman, 'gotten' is arguably the correct English. At least it was in Shakespeare's day - but I agree with you it does grate on the ear.
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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'd be more concerned this is possibly copyright material from "Ski Magazine" and it's possible it may have been a breach of that copyright to reproduce it here unless that was the copyright owner or "Ski Magazine" have waived the copyright.
The original links are here and here.
As it happens, I was in Zermatt last week. Nice and I didn't think the lifts to the glacier area were particularly slow.
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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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Thanks for the advice ski!
I know it is quite expensive in Zermatt, but the course in Val D'isere was £300 more expensive and it did not include flights or transfers (the Zermatt course does), and so i think that kind of makes up for the fact that Zermatt is quite expensive (and Val D'isere is hardly cheap!)
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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'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Chris_5000, I woz thinking about beer................
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I know ski....but i wouldnt have thought beer will cost me £500 more in Zermatt than Val D'isere 
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Acanno,
You'll love it.
Zermatt is simply the best ski resort in the world.
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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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Thanks everybody for your info, holiday now booked for Christmas in Zermatt
Can't wait
Hopefully with going early in the season she can be talked into going for a second holiday in later in the year
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FAQ
