 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi folks
I want to try this area...it is supposed to be reasonably easy skiing, but v picturesque. Any advice re which places are best, where to stay...stay in one place and drive around, or dump the car and take the mountain railways? Hotels?
Help appreciated!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You won't really find people on this board who know much about the area 
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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 would (will) dump the car at Gatwick and make extensive use of the excellent railways in that area (shortly).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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ibendzeeknees, Dump car and take the trains, it's actually faster than the car and you can't take cars to Wengen or Murren anyway.
Wengen is more or less in the middle of the ski area, essentially you could consider the area to be W shaped, You have on one end First, this drops down to Grindelwald and then goes back up to the ridge running between Mannlichen and Kleine Scheidegg, then back down (via Wengen which sits on a plateau) to Lauterbrunnen (you can only ski down to Wengen on this side) before going back up the other side (via Murren on another plateau) to the Schilthorn
If you want scenery I'd suggest Murren or Wengen as a base, Wengen because it's in the middle would be my choice as it makes it easy to go from there to both Murren and Grindelwald sides and because the largest section of the ski area is accessed from here
If you want nightlife there is supposed to be slightly more in Grindelwald, but quite honestly you don't go to the area for nightlife which may be one reason it's still very popular with young families.
Hotels wise, it depends what you want Lauterbrunnen down in the valley between Murren and Wengen is probably the cheapest place to stay although I've not stayed there myself, in Wengen I'd recommend the Hotel Alpenrose for very good food and nice accommodation but its a steep walk uphill in the morning to get to the center of Wengen and the train station/ cablecar, if you want smart (I think they still dress for dinner) there's the hotel Regina 2 mins walk from the Station, for more price conscious try the Falken (next to the Regina) or the hotel Bernerhof at the other end of the high street.
For ski hire I'd recommend central sport and they have a very good range of equipment, but all hire prices are more or less the same whichever shop in resort you go to.
For some nice places to stop for lunch if you are so inclined, the Mannlichen restaurant net to the top station of the Gondola is a nice spot on a sunny day, either self or table service, likewise the restaurant at Brandegg though the sun gets there late in the day (very good apple fritters), the Station buffets at Eigergletscher is good but gan be busy, the one at Kleine Schidegg is always busy but has lots of table space so you rarely need to wait long.
Any more queries about the area feel free to ask or PM me, I've been going there since I was born more than 40 years ago in both summer and winter.
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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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With far (far, far) less experience than D G Orf, I would also endorse Wengen over Grindelwald. It's a pretty long haul up and down at the ends of the day to the latter. Probably hard to get a better mountain village than Wengen, though it's quite small. You have to leave the car at Lauterbrunnen and go on the mountain railway (a plus, IMV). I stayed at the Victoria-Lauberhorn which is right opposite the cable car and also very near the station. The room was very small though (there may be bigger, I chose the cheapest) and the food average. They were flexible with my mid-week requirements.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| laundryman wrote: |
| the Victoria-Lauberhorn which is right opposite the cable car and also very near the station. The room was very small though (there may be bigger, I chose the cheapest) and the food average. |
You didn't mention the fabulous indoor pool with hydro-jets, whirlpool effect, jacuzzi bubbles and still plenty of room to swim! And all the other spa facilities available there.
We paid extra for a bigger room. I do agree the food was average, though.
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Very Easy skiing apart from off the top of Piz Bruin which is where the James Bond (OHM Secret Service) restaurant is. Even the World Cup Downhill (Lauberhorn) is a very easy black when set up for the tourists. A couple of snow parks but nothing challenging. Realtively easy to get around and I'd agree that the ebst place to stay is Wengen. Ideal for families and intermediate skiers and more than enough for one weeks snow fun. Grindelwald is one of those places you ski to say "done that" but not really worth the long trek over and walk from one side of the town to the other. If you stay in Lauterbrunnen and want to go to Grindlewald, go by train towards Interlarken and change two stops down. All on the lift pass and quicker (much) than skiing across.
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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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panaga52, I think you mean Piz Gloria, Oh and it depends how fast you ski and where you stay, it's possible from Wengen to go up to Mannlichen in the cablecar and ski down in Grund in under 30 Mins without any problems, which is much faster than doing the train, Ski pass is (or at least was last time I looked) Valid on the bus service around Grindelwald/Grund which means you can ski down to say the Aspen Restaurant have a drink and then get the bus which I believe goes via Grund Railway and Gondola stations up past Grindelwald Station to the Bottom of the First Gondola.
Piz Gloria down to Lauterbrunnen is skiable when there is snow at lower altitudes which generally means Jan/Feb but not always, as mentioned above only the top of Piz Gloria is really difficult, however as with many places some of the black runs can become rather nasty in less than ideal conditions, Oh God can be a sheet of ice covered in death cookies, the short black Gummi Nord is often shut because you need enough snow to ski over the boulder field (some of which are 6 foot high) and the Lauberhorn race track can be challenging if you try skiing it shortly after the race has been run when it to is like a sheet of ice and full of ruts.
What the area has are many Long easy Red and Blue runs 6km or more in length which are ideal for intermediates and beginners with a tiny bit of stamina. There are also several nursery slopes so even if the villages have no snow beginners can still learn higher up.
It's probably not the best resort to learn snowboarding in, there are a number flat sections on the blue runs which on skis are not really a problem but snowboarders find difficult.
You must also bear in mind that the trains are not fast, but they are taking you quite a distance.
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We are staying in Lauterbrunnen and got the area ski pass today for 6 days for 157 CHF. It seems too cheap. Does the ski pass include the trains up from Lauterbrunnen etc, Or are these extra?
Thanks
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Jerby, If you look at the Jungfrau website, the normal adult price for a 6 day Jungfrau skipass (which covers both the Grindelwald/Wengen and Murren/Schilthorn ski areas is 314 CHF, so if it is the pukka liftpass you've got it for half price! Even the smaller restricted area Grindelwald/Wengen and Murren/Scilthorn 6 day skipasses are 283 CHF and 266 CHF respectively. Care to tell us where you got the skipasses from?
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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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Jerby, That's the price for a child, how old are you?
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You know it makes sense.
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ibendzeeknees, A very beautiful area, not terribly difficult skiing.
I'd second Wengen as a base although we have an annual trip to Murren but that's for different reasons.
If you do stay in Murren, Eiger guesthouse is charming if not terribly sophisticated, Jungfrau is well located, Eiger hotel is very posh.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Alastair Pink, Result. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| geepee wrote: |
| Jerby, That's the price for a child, how old are you? |
Sh@t: No double checked and it's adult and 157 CHF.
Does the ski pass include the trains from Lauterbrunnen?
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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Looking at the site they are only offering discounts on 6 day passes for adults. There is no discount for 6 day senior ( 62 and over ) passes which seems odd.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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riverman, True, but it's still worthwhile taking the halfprice adult liftpass at 157CHF rather than the standard price Senior liftpass at 283CHF, even if you do qualify for that...
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Alastair Pink, I am going for two weeks from the 25/01/2010 which would cost me 157CHF for the first 6 days and 251CHF for the second 6 days plus what ever they charge for a 1 day pass. This would then total the about the same as the 13 day senior pass which is 450CHF.
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sorry 2012
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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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wrong again 2013
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Cat66, same here -- although it's CHF251 for the new year's week.
Six of us going, so total saving £400.
I'm CHFed.
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Actually, another question: it won't let me buy a "Hiking and Sledging" pass for a senior.
It says it's 0 CHF—is it because it's free for seniors?
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You know it makes sense.
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awf, I think others have found with the discount that it's cheaper to get a ski pass than it is to get the hiking pass
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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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I have just looked for my 1st ski holiday in february and im only saving CHF15 but its better than a kick in the nuts !!
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Poster: A snowHead
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If I have a trip out on the train from Hasliberg, should I go to Grindlewald/Wengen or Murren, or is it possible to do it all in a day?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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musher, Assuming you want to ski the area rather than just go up a few mountains you could go up via Wengen get off the train there and take the cablecar up the Mannlichen, ski across (via several lifts) to KleineSceidegg or perhaps Eigergletscher, ski down to the Wixi lift, up the Lauberhorn and do the racetrack all in a couple of hours, but realistically you need to think of it as three distinct areas, First (between Grindelwald and the Lake of Brienz, the Mannlicchen to Eigergletscher area between Wengen and Murren and the area from Piz Gloria down to Murren (or if there is enough snow Lauterbrunnen) each area has its own attractions but the travel time between each area means it's unlikely that you'd be able to ski all three areas unless it was literally Arrive in Lauterbrunnen, go up to Piz Gloria via Murren, ski back to Lauterbrunnen, train to Wengen, Cablecar to Mannlichen, ski to Grund, bus to First bottom station Up to top, ski back to Grindelwald, you could probably do that in a day easily enough but you'd not see much of what the area has to offer.
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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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D G Orf,
Thanks for the info. We're there for 8 days, so was thinking of the usual 6 day pass on Hasliberg, and a couple of days exploring. Sounds like I might get the 2 day Jungfrau pass and have couple of outings. Do you know if they have to be consecutive days?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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musher, I think so for the ski pass
Although Meiringen is only really the next big valley over it's still a 90 min train journey, if you have a car however it's only just over half an hour to Lauterbrunnen as you don't have to go the long route along the other side of Lake Brienz, either way it's a pretty journey, if you took two days you could take one day to go to Lauterbrunnen and maybe one to go to Grindelwald
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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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D G Orf,
No car so will probably use the train. Is Mrs M right in thinking that the post bus doesn't run from Merringen to Grindelwald in winter?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| panaga52 wrote: |
| Easy skiing apart from off the top of Piz Bruin which is where the James Bond (OHM Secret Service) restaurant is. |
The famous suntan lotion run............ 
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Pretty certain she is, I think the road over the Grosse Schidegg pass is probably shut during winter months which is the road it needs to take
At least it's a pleasant journey by train, all down the side of the lake  Though as it's winter the Brienzer Rothorn will (I'm also pretty sure) not be working its steam trains as you go past .
I think my advice would be to do as I suggested earlier and try out the Wengen area on at least one day, Wengen has a number of left luggage lockers so you could arrive in normal boots, change at the station and then ski around for the rest of the day skiing back to the station to pick up boots and any other kit at the end of the day. I'm pretty certain Lauterbrunnen station has similar lockers so you could change into ski boots there before going up to Murren
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We took Junior up the Rothorn when he was little as he was a Thomas fan (and Mrs M is too). He loved it at the time but sadly can't remember anything about it. Mrs M is still jealous that we got to ride the Innertkirchen Flyer up front with he driver.
It's taken about 5 years, but I'm finally going back when there is some snow there
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FAQ
never been to wengen.... maybe its time I tried it... 
Once again the power of Snowheads rules. 
