Is there anywhere in Switzerland with half-decent snow still?
 

As per subject line .... was in Hoch Ybrig, Lenzerheide and Engelberg
over a long weekend the week before the Easter weekend and snow
conditions were awful in the heatwave. Even Engelberg had pretty crap
conditions below Stand.

I was going to go to Davos over the Easter break but in the end we
all decided to cancel due to really bad reports from people who were
there ... went up to Flumserberg on Sunday just to take a visitor for
sightseeing and even at the top the snow was 'slush puppie'
consistency, glad I didn't bring my skis.

So... anywhere left where there's at least some hope of half-decent
skiing _this_ weekend? With all the snow we've had this year I was
really hoping for nice skiing right up until the end of season but the
incredible heat has put an end to all of that.

Cheers,

Gavan

Gav wrote:
As per subject line .... was in Hoch Ybrig, Lenzerheide and Engelberg
over a long weekend the week before the Easter weekend and snow
conditions were awful in the heatwave. Even Engelberg had pretty crap
conditions below Stand.

I was going to go to Davos over the Easter break but in the end we
all decided to cancel due to really bad reports from people who were
there ... went up to Flumserberg on Sunday just to take a visitor for
sightseeing and even at the top the snow was 'slush puppie'
consistency, glad I didn't bring my skis.

So... anywhere left where there's at least some hope of half-decent
skiing _this_ weekend? With all the snow we've had this year I was
really hoping for nice skiing right up until the end of season but the
incredible heat has put an end to all of that.

Despite the weather, Hoch Ybrig has announced it's closing on 1st May.

--
Neil

On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 21:43:27 +0200, Neil Swingler
wrote:

Gav wrote:
As per subject line .... was in Hoch Ybrig, Lenzerheide and Engelberg
over a long weekend the week before the Easter weekend and snow
conditions were awful in the heatwave. Even Engelberg had pretty crap
conditions below Stand.
I was last friday there. But i can't agree with that. Ok there were
some Places with hard/Ice spots and dirty snow. If you say: Other
years had more snow at this time. Than got you right.


I was going to go to Davos over the Easter break but in the end we
all decided to cancel due to really bad reports from people who were
there ... went up to Flumserberg on Sunday just to take a visitor for
sightseeing and even at the top the snow was 'slush puppie'
consistency, glad I didn't bring my skis.

So... anywhere left where there's at least some hope of half-decent
skiing _this_ weekend? With all the snow we've had this year I was
really hoping for nice skiing right up until the end of season but the
incredible heat has put an end to all of that.

Despite the weather, Hoch Ybrig has announced it's closing on 1st May.

Yup. But it seams to me more a 1. April Joke. This resort is not very
high. If the temperery warm as now, is the snow quick away.

Johannes

Gav wrote:
As per subject line .... was in Hoch Ybrig, Lenzerheide and Engelberg
over a long weekend the week before the Easter weekend and snow
conditions were awful in the heatwave. Even Engelberg had pretty crap
conditions below Stand.

I was going to go to Davos over the Easter break but in the end we
all decided to cancel due to really bad reports from people who were
there ... went up to Flumserberg on Sunday just to take a visitor for
sightseeing and even at the top the snow was 'slush puppie'
consistency, glad I didn't bring my skis.

You should have gone to Davos, it was excellent. There is plenty of snow
high up and the runs down are still do-able. The runs into Klosters are
pretty muddy, and there are some bare patches on the return to Davos
Dorf, but the run to Wolfgang was fine. Maybe by next weekend you'll
have to take the train down for the last section, but high up it should
be OK still.

We have spring conditions mainly, pretty slushy by the end of the day,
but then on Monday we had a few cms of fresh and even found some powder,
al be it a thin covering. All in all it is still pretty good skiing there.

HTH.
Steve

Gav wrote:

So... anywhere left where there's at least some hope of
half-decent
skiing _this_ weekend? With all the snow we've had this year I was
really hoping for nice skiing right up until the end of season but
the
incredible heat has put an end to all of that.

Cheers,

Gavan

Just back from Wengen over the Easter weekend. Monday was surprisingly
good at Mannlichen having snowed/rained all day Sunday and we had a
great morning between the pistes around Lager and Gummi up to Kleine
Scheidegg. Anything much lower was very slushy - we skied down to
Grund on Friday and it was pretty agricultural by the end. We went
over to Murren on Saturday and were disappointed that the long run down
from the Schilthorn area was closed so we were forced to take the cable
car down from Birg (not knowing the area well enough). I think Wengen
has a lot more to offer right now than Murren, but it is getting a bit
desperate.

So Wengen still had some good skiing in parts if you pick your areas
and times carefully and take what is on offer. A lot of people were
complaining about the slush, but I happen to enjoy cruising around on
the stuff.

If you haven't been to the Piz Gloria restaurant or Jungfraujoch then
these are pleasant afternoon/lunch time diversions if the skiing isn't
too great.

Sammy

Gav wrote:

So... anywhere left where there's at least some hope of
half-decent
skiing _this_ weekend? With all the snow we've had this year I was
really hoping for nice skiing right up until the end of season but
the
incredible heat has put an end to all of that.

I certainly wouldn't bother with Gstaad. Conditions on les Diablerets
glacier last weekend were excellent when you could see where your hand
in front of your face, but not much challenge/variety/convenience. We
had a go on the Sch=F6nried-Saanenm=F6ser sector on Saturday but after
about 30 seconds decided to head straight back down and drive to the
glacier again. Nice and quiet though.

Iain.

On 30 Mar 2005 05:50:24 -0800, "Memascii"
wrote:


Gav wrote:

So... anywhere left where there's at least some hope of half-decent
skiing _this_ weekend?

I certainly wouldn't bother with Gstaad. Conditions on les Diablerets
glacier last weekend were excellent when you could see where your hand
in front of your face, but not much challenge/variety/convenience. We
had a go on the Schönried-Saanenmöser sector on Saturday but after
about 30 seconds decided to head straight back down and drive to the
glacier again. Nice and quiet though.

What were the runs down from the glacier area to Reusch like? Last
time I was there they were much more interesting than the glacier
itself.

--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.

Gav wrote:
As per subject line ....


Just back (well, last Saturday) from Cervinia/Zermatt last weekend. Had
some snow last Weds/Thurs, so conditions on Friday were pretty good,
particularly on the Zermatt side, beginnig to get soft at Furgg. Didn't
bother trying to get over onto the Gornergrat side though.


TimP

Ace wrote:
On 30 Mar 2005 05:50:24 -0800, "Memascii"
wrote:


Gav wrote:

So... anywhere left where there's at least some hope of
half-decent
skiing _this_ weekend?

I certainly wouldn't bother with Gstaad. Conditions on les
Diablerets
glacier last weekend were excellent when you could see where your
hand
in front of your face, but not much challenge/variety/convenience.
We

What were the runs down from the glacier area to Reusch like? Last
time I was there they were much more interesting than the glacier
itself.

The red down to the top of the Reusch gondola was great, lots of
untracked snow, lots of different slightly off-piste routes down
and a quick chair straight to the top to do it again. Lots of
big new gouges in the base of my board though. The red direct
down from the glacier - which you have to then get a chair across
to the top of the Reusch gondola - was icy/slushy on piste but
great off piste higher up. The second red is a real faff though
as once you've finished you have to get two chairs and a gondola
then get across several hundred metres of flat to get back to the
top of it again. Looked as if there were some dramatic routes
down to les Diab with the services of a guide.

Iain.