Swiss/Austria advice

[Slippery Jim 65]

Looks likely I'll be heading to Switzerland and possibly Austria this winter . Appreciate any advice/suggestions/warnings/etc, especially re Davos, Zermatt, St Anton & Kitzbuhel.

[Mike Pow 52]

Been to Engelberg and Zermatt in CH, and St Anton in AUT.

 

Def to Engelberg and St Anton. Wouldn't return to Zermatt.

[Jynxx 4]

Depends when you want to go, and what you want.

Apres? Renting a car?

[Schneebored 0]

Also depends on whether you ski/board (or both).

 

Spent a season in Zermatt...so happy to field any questions on that one. Zermatt is expensive (due to the swiss franc CHF)... there are better resorts for the money out there. Beautiful place though. Not really a snowboarders resort.

 

Recommend St Anton ....AKA St mAnton (unless you are 18 years old and looking to hook up with the ladies).

 

Austria is much better value than Switzerland, also work permits in Switzerland can be difficult ...they are very picky, as they are not in the EU. Obviously not applicable if just holidaying.

[Jynxx 4]

St. Anton is expensive (prolly the most in Austria) but I doubt the OP cares about that. At least they have snow.

As a boarder, I'm not keen about Kitz in general.

[Schneebored 0]

Perhaps Verbier?....very popular therefore very busy resort. But great terrain, good fun town. Better transport links. Zermatt is a 3.5hr drive from Geneve....Verbier about 1.5hr.

[Slippery Jim 65]

Thanks Mike/Jynxx/Schnee.

This is a holiday trip to ski for 10-15 days. A ski pal is moving to Zurich and knows Davos, so will certainly be there for at least a week and maybe for 10 days. If we extend it a bit, I'd probably look at Davos for about one week, and another week elsewhere.

St Anton has been highly recommended by a colleague who lives in Italy and skis all over the Alps.

Will be there to ski. I like to stay off-piste in the powder, but within sight of the groomers my wife prefers -- or at least with a very obvious ``meet back at the lift'' such as me taking the old LTD run at Higashiyama while she cruises the main course.

A couple of beers and a nice bottle of wine with dinner are all the apres I need (can handle) at this point. Would prefer not to need a car.

Mike, wondering why you X-off Zermatt? The rep is great snow and terrain, but do you think it's over-rated? Poor value-for-cost? It does look like something of a PITA getting there from Davos, so it's not at the top of the list for this trip.

Again, thanks to all for the help. First beer on me if/when we meet up.

[Mike Pow 52]

I went in May and had a bad experience. Very limited terrain but still full price ticket. Found it out of the way and very expensive.

 

There's much better in CH from what I've skied and been told.

[Jynxx 4]

If you are married then St.Anton will be great. No probs with transport there. If you were single I would have said Soelden. Both are great for freeride as well as the piste. and St. Anton will have much better, more snow.

Avi gear will be a must. Probe, beacon, shovel. If you are going to be in Zurich/Davos, I would seriously consider buying a SnowPulse Airbag (made in Swiss) and I'd feel safer if I had someone with me off-piste.

 

Davos sounds cool.

I wanted to go there and Laax last season but the conditions were dodgy after Feb.

[Schneebored 0]

Originally Posted By: MikePow

I went in May and had a bad experience. Very limited terrain but still full price ticket. Found it out of the way and very expensive.

There's much better in CH from what I've skied and been told.

Cant really disagree with MikePow, the ticket prices are expensive and if going late season atleast one of the areas is closed (usually Sunnegga) causing the terrain to be a bit limited.

Saying that midd-season on a blue bird powder day the options are huge....spending the morning in Italy (Cervinia is accessed over the top of the glacier)off piste in the bowls and the afternoons through the trees back in Zermatt is pretty amazing.

The mogals down from Hohtälli are class, and the same area on a powder day is great fun.

But definately better value to be had in CH.

[SKI 15]

I remember Mikes thread from Zermatt.

 

http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubbthread...nix_May_th.html

[hellyer 216]

I can definately reccomend Engelberg for snowsure skiing with nearly 2000m vertical to the village which has great apres-ski. I was there for a while in 08 and love the place.

 

If the conditions are right it's worth hiring a guide fro a half day to take you down an awesome run called "The Laub" - 1100 metres of consistent 35-45 degree pitch. Check out the video. I never had it quite as good as these guys but not far off.

 

[Slippery Jim 65]

Again, thanks so much to you guys. Snowjunky, that video is inspiring to say the least! (next stop, google Engelberg). Mike, sounds like you did run into a ripoff scene. Zermatt probably wouldn't be on for this trip anyway, but in another season may get a look from the Cervinia side Schneebored (I definitely plan to ski in Italy sometime). Jynxx, I'm pretty sure St Anton will be the place if this turns into a longer, two-stop trip (btw, the Austrian tourism office here in Tokyo provided me with 1.5kg of great brochures on skiing in Tyrol).

[SKI 15]

Nice.

 

The Laub. On the list!

[Jynxx 4]

Slippery Jim, Italy is great when it's happening. Also good value and the food is great.

We went there the year before just before Easter, and that was the last week of good snow. (We are lucky when it comes to timing and sussing it out.) The thing with Italy is it's south facing. Last season was no good. It wasn't snowing for weeks even in Feb.

Hope this year will be good. Consistent is the word.

[Snocat 0]

Hi Jim, am new to this forum but thought I could start by offering some help ... and later hit you guys with my questions about Backcountry in Niseko ;-)

I live in Zurich and ski 50-60 days in the surrounding area (mainly Switzerland and Austria). It is easy here to access the resorts by train but if you are going to cover Austria too then I would suggest a car rental.

 

My favorites in Switzerland (it's so hard to choose):

Andermatt - 1 hour from Zurich, the village that time forgot, antique lift systems and amazing off-piste accessed by short boot packs.

Davos/ Klosters - 1.5 hrs very popular large resort but also some great off-piste routes (and few people ski the back country).

Disentis - little known area close to Andermatt; amazing untracked off-piste bowls and full range of tours from 30 mins to 8 hours.

I also like Engelberg but it can get very crowded and bottlenecks at the main gondolas. Zermatt is amazing (and has the best mountain restaurants I ever tried) but it is expensive, hard to get to and on the opposite side of the country if you are visiting people in Davos.

Re. Austria; St Anton is the off-piste (and apre-ski) capital but unless you have a guide things get tracked out there so fast it makes your head spin! I suggest the neighbouring resort Lech with equally good skiing but you can have the back country all for you. Ischgl (45 mins from StAnton) also offers huge off-piste and some great touring routes and is less expensive than StAnton.

If you have any questions or want to hook up for a beer and some turns when you are here drop me a line!

[Mike Pow 52]

Great info and welcome Snocat.

 

Have you skied Santis?

[Snocat 0]

LOL we toured Santis in May this year but skied mashed potatoes.

Just had our first 25cm on the local hills so getting ready to ride!

Another thought to Jim - if you base yourself out of Davos you can easily ski not only the 6 linked areas of Davos/Klosters but also day trip it to Lenzerheide, Laax/Flims and St Moritz. Awesome!

[frannyo 2]

Went to Davos many years back.

Loved it there, ah good memories.

My knees were in better condition then too!

[zebra 0]

Originally Posted By: Slippery Jim

Looks likely I'll be heading to Switzerland and possibly Austria this winter . Appreciate any advice/suggestions/warnings/etc, especially re Davos, Zermatt, St Anton & Kitzbuhel.

in which month of the winter?
I'm agree with andermat and davos, and i can suggest
Laax: great price both for ski-accomodation, super powder with many safe area.
if you'll come after in feb or after feb saas-fee is one of best place i've see. is a car free town.
In non commercial holydays price for sleep are very good, for skipass prices are like niseko.
You can ski up to 3600 with the last train, the up to 3900 with the last skilift.
Deep and dry powder i've rode in my life.



a pic of glacier, 6 may of the last or 2 past years ago.

[Slippery Jim 65]

Thanks, Giorgio.

It's now looking like I may put off Europe until the following season, only because La Nina is making the northern Rockies look specially good this winter. But I'm certainly logging all the good advice received here.