 Poster: A snowHead
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Some friends and I have just booked for a week in Wengen, for early March. Having never been there before, I'm a little concerned by the fact that every review seems to mention slow lifts and big queues. I'm not worried about the lack of crazy apres, and am looking forward to the highest point in Europe, but can anyone quell my fears regarding the transport to the slopes?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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No real problems 1st week of March - I always go there then (well not this year due to other disruptions - 2nd week of March I hope). It is busy during Feb with school holidays season and the visit of the "flatlanders" - anyone from north of Bern as defined by a ski instructor.
There has been investment in new lifts over the last few years - the major bottleneck is probably in the morning on certain of the Mannlichen lifts so leave them until after 11am and work your way across from Kleine Scheidegg where the new lifts eigernordwand, wixi have made an enormous difference. If you take the cable car up to the Mannlichen from Wengen in the morning - I would think it is OK earlyish but can get busy at around 9.39-10am as the skiers from places like Interlaken arrive but even then a max of two passes of the car will get you up and probably only one.
Sunday, I suggest, depending on how brave you are feeling (additional travel and the pleasure of the schilthorn black) and what pass you have got might be worth hopping across to Murren - Wengen can be busy on Sunday - Saturday is the worst as they have a kids go free day for the swiss and they come form Basle etc. Murren is a nice day's skiing - some gnarly stuff if you want to but some nice cruisy, but not very long mostly, runs with somewhere like the Shilthornhutte for lunch.
There is always the option of skiing with SCGB leader for a day - I don't know whether the DHO (Downhill Only Club) have a similar system for non-members - the two are fairly hand-in-hand in the resort and hang out at the eiger hotel by the rail station - they certainly know the fastest ways around the resort.
Don't panic - a few years ago the criticism was probably true - it still is of the Grund gondola - low capacity and deadly slow but at least if you ever get down there and I recommend you do as there are some lovely long so called reds down to there just think in 2016 there will be a magnificent new flashy speedy arrangement.......and the last embarrassment of the ski area will finally have been consigned to where it deserved to have gone many years ago
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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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Callai, you will get Queues in Wengen for both the Trains and the Cablecar at 9.30 - 10 am as this is when the ski school takes most of its classes up the slope, if you can make it to the cablecar or train before 9.30 you will often find almost deserted slopes up the top and no real queues.
the Wixi lift can get busy in the afternoon as the south facing slope of the Lauberhorn that leads down to it is very popular once the sun comes out, likewise in the mornings the Mannlichen chairlift gets busy but its a fast lift with a high throughput so even though the queues look big the wait is rarely long
Some people moan about the long slow ride up on the train from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg but you need to bear in mind that this long slow ride up means you have access to numerous long (8km) runs down, if it really bugs you take the Mannlichen cablecar up which can be as little as 10 mins from entering bottom station to skiing away from the top station.
Now from a personal perspective, if you get bad weather and very poor visability avoid the Mannlichen as there are no trees to help give you contrast and improve visibility, it is in effect a wide open piste several hundred feet wide from the top down to the middle where most of the lifts are, the lower slopes are wooded but theres only limited skiing on those, likewise avoid the Lauberhorn in poor visibility for the same basic reasons.
The DHO who meet outside the front of the Eiger hotel each morning usually run a get to know the slopes day every Sunday, non members can turn up for one day of skiing and I'd advise you to choose the Sunday if that appeals.
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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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I thought this thread needed a bump, as it has been pointed out by my friends that I didn't cover the important imformation. Can anyone advise on the best restaurants, especially those serving fondue and raclette?
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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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Callai, on mountain or off (mind you, everyone does fondue & raclette!)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Logical food recommendations are Kleine Scheidegg for Rostizza, and the place by Brandegg station for Apple Fritters and Vanillesaus.
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Callai, telford_mike, says it almost everywhere will do some variation of fondue and raclette
Now are we talking best restaurants in terms of the standard of food or the cheapest or the ones with the best vue etc ?
Brandegg is very good for food both in terms of quality and price per portion, use the table service rather than self service section which can be found at the back of the restaurant but it doesn't get any sun until quite late in the day.
Eigergletscher station restaurant has great views and a nice terrace on a sunny day, good food as well.
The biggest restaurant is probably at the Mannlichen good food but slightly smaller portions for your cash and at this one you may just as well use self service.
Kleine Schidegg has several restaurants in and around it, the station one is probably the best value for money they even do sharing meals, whilst the one at the nearby hotel serves fancier and more expensive dishes.
Walk up hill from Kline schidegg towards the Lauberhorn for a couple more restaurants with good views and nice food.
Marys cafe used to be good and very popular at Inner Wengen however since they were brought out by the Regina Hotel I feel they've lost something
Wengeneralp hotel do nice food but you pay a premium price there
Jagerstubli on the run down from Mannlichen to Grund is a very small but good value restaurant just uphill from the better known Aspen Restaurant which IMHO is not as good though it is larger.
If you want to try something different for lunch on a warm day might I suggest searching out one of the places that will do you air dried meats and cheeses from the region, consume with friends, fresh bread and a glass or two of one of the local Swiss wines, the White Spiezer wine is very pleasant and also goes well with a cheese fondue having enough acidity to help break all that cheese down.
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+1 for the Brandegg apple fritters. Watch the platform at Brandegg station as it can be really icy. It's quite embarrassing to ski all the way down to Brandegg and then fall over on the platform.
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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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edmac9, voice of experience ? You are right though the brandegg platform is on quite a steep slope and can be very tricky
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It's even more slippery if you paused at the restaurant for some refreshment (personal experience  )
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| D G Orf wrote: |
| edmac9, voice of experience ? You are right though the brandegg platform is on quite a steep slope and can be very tricky |
Yep. Brandegg was the first time i'd done a run that long and although it's pretty easy (Half of it is basically the road) I felt a complete fool falling over in the queue on the platform which was covered in sheet ice. This was despite being warned that it was icy.
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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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I think anyone who still says its a pain because of the trains and the little gondola needs rethink why they're on holiday in the first place. There's enough to do on the snow thats linked to a chair or drag that you really don't need to use the trains at all, but when you do end up on a train it's actually a really good break. I just came back from a weekend there and ok, the Mannlichen cable car queue took a while (I think I went on the 4th that arrived whilst I was waiting at about 10amon a Monday), but it's hardly the end of the world, particularly if you're there for longer than a few days.
PS. The trip from Kleine Scheidegg (sp, sorry) to Jungfrau is *extortionate* if you don't already have it included in your package tour. I think you can buy a reduced ticket at 55CHF if you have a lift pass for longer than 3 days though, which is pretty much half price?
PPS. If you've only booked the hotels and will be using the trains to get there, check out the Supersaver tickets. Cost me 70CHF return from Zurich HB to Wengen - there's little or no availability from the airport, but that's just a 6.60 extra ticket you need to buy before you travel. You're on a fixed itinerary and some of the connections are, let's say.... fun, but it's a saving of 15CHF over a Swiss Transfer ticket which is a good contribution towards lunch at the other end!
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| call me dave wrote: |
| I think anyone who still says its a pain because of the trains and the little gondola needs rethink why they're on holiday in the first place. |
Exactly. Plus, if the weather is a bit nasty, you can do a lot of skiing without ever going on a freezing chairlift or drag at all. We've had plenty of good days out doing this.
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You know it makes sense.
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Jagerstubli is very nice and good value but not huge - menu is limited - tends to be full of Brits though - DHO and tea club use it regularly and can be packed out.
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