Zermatt for the Sort-Of Beginner

Hello,

My wife and I will be skiing in Switzerland for a week in February of
2007 and have been considering staying in Zermatt. I have heard
comments on Zermatt ranging from "Experts find it boring" to "Ski
Zermatt only if you can ski a black diamond in the states"

My wife has been skiing for years but I am fairly new to the sport. I
spent a week in Monarch in Colorado last year and learned to ski. By
the end of my stay I was able to ski greens without any real
difficulty. Later that year I did some skiing in Utah and also had no
difficulties. I plan on going back there for a couple days this winter
sometime before our Swiss adventure.

On American standards, I feel like, with some work, I would be ready to
tackle intermediate runs in a place I was familiar with.

Given my level of experience (a beginner but not really a novice),
would I have difficulty handling the beginners runs? Also is it really
difficult to get around as a beginner? I have heard that most of the
beginners runs transition very quickly into intermediate.

"Experts find it boring" only if they don't know where to go the double
blacks or off-piste, in which case most likely not experts.

And there is no shortage of skiers in Zermatt not yet ready for black
diamond skiing.
Zermatt is best for plucky intermediates and above. You may like to
take a look at the following link which describes Zermatt's
intermediate skiing and see if this is for you, or could be if you can
pack in some confidence building tuition in Utah before you head out to
Switzerland.

http://www.ultimate-ski.com/uk/Ski_R...iate/index.htm

The same website includes a section for beginners and you'll see that
Zermatt is definitely not "ideal" for novices or early intermediates
lacking in confidence, but as you're probably aware there is more to
Zermatt than skiing. For mountain views and eating on the mountain
there is no where better.

Possibly spend a few days in each of Zermatt and neighbouring Saas Fee
which has more forgiving beginner skiing, but if you can accelerate
your transition from beginner to intermediate and are reasonably
confident, even though there are many easier places to ski you and your
wife cab have a great time in Zermatt.

Good luck

dh


wrote:
Hello,

My wife and I will be skiing in Switzerland for a week in February of
2007 and have been considering staying in Zermatt. I have heard
comments on Zermatt ranging from "Experts find it boring" to "Ski
Zermatt only if you can ski a black diamond in the states"

My wife has been skiing for years but I am fairly new to the sport. I
spent a week in Monarch in Colorado last year and learned to ski. By
the end of my stay I was able to ski greens without any real
difficulty. Later that year I did some skiing in Utah and also had no
difficulties. I plan on going back there for a couple days this winter
sometime before our Swiss adventure.

On American standards, I feel like, with some work, I would be ready to
tackle intermediate runs in a place I was familiar with.

Given my level of experience (a beginner but not really a novice),
would I have difficulty handling the beginners runs? Also is it really
difficult to get around as a beginner? I have heard that most of the
beginners runs transition very quickly into intermediate.

you can always go over the kline matterhorn
and ski cervina which is in italy.the terrain
there is all intermediate at best.
happy trails,
dick

On 5 Aug 2006 15:42:57 -0700, wrote:

Hello,

My wife and I will be skiing in Switzerland for a week in February of
2007 and have been considering staying in Zermatt. I have heard
comments on Zermatt ranging from "Experts find it boring" to "Ski
Zermatt only if you can ski a black diamond in the states"

My wife has been skiing for years but I am fairly new to the sport. I
spent a week in Monarch in Colorado last year and learned to ski. By
the end of my stay I was able to ski greens without any real
difficulty. Later that year I did some skiing in Utah and also had no
difficulties. I plan on going back there for a couple days this winter
sometime before our Swiss adventure.

On American standards, I feel like, with some work, I would be ready to
tackle intermediate runs in a place I was familiar with.

Given my level of experience (a beginner but not really a novice),
would I have difficulty handling the beginners runs? Also is it really
difficult to get around as a beginner? I have heard that most of the
beginners runs transition very quickly into intermediate.

Well you've had a couple of other replies which I'd concur with. I've
been to Zermatt a few times now and, provided your not a tentative
skier, there's few areas in Zermatt that you'll not find something
skiable for you. Here's a few suggestions for "safe" areas to check
out until you can judge for yourself how you measure up to the runs
(though as always, snow conditions can play a big part in how easy or
difficult you find it)

1. Take the Gornergrat railway up to Gornergrat (the top) and ski the
blue runs down to Riffelberg (you can then take a chair, or the train,
back up). You can ski on down to Rifflealp and, indeed, Zermatt, but
be warned that while the red runs lower down are not very difficult,
there are sections that are "road like" and may not be to everyones
taste.

2. Make your way up to Trockener Steg and ski some of the runs between
there and Plateau Rosa. There are some reds there, but from memory
they are wide and (usually) well pisted and so dont hold many
problems.

As has been mentioned, there is plenty of scope (conditions
permitting) over in Cervino, but you need to pick your days to go over
(dont go if there is a serious risk of high winds or poor visibility
as if they shut the lifts its a long & expensive way home...) Again,
from memory, the runs from the top (Plateau Rosa) down towards Cervino
can be a little bit tricky for early intermediates at the start,
depending upon snow conditions, but once down a bit it eases off a
lot. There are some great restaurants over on the Cervino side
(though if you dont have Euro, the SF-Euro exchange rate in them can
be a little bit extortionate).

Rod

On Sun, 06 Aug 2006 19:47:19 +0100, Rod
wrote:


I have to say I totally agree with Rod, a very to the point
description.
As he says, the easiest part to start is at Gornergrat. Pistes are
wide, and you are going up by train, so never a need to take a piste
you don't want. I only went to Cervinia once, I found to be honest I
could make more of my time by skiing elsewhere, unless you 'need to
have been there'.

In my opinion, Zermatt has pistes for everyone. The only 'problem' is
that you'll be gaping at the scenery and forget to go skiing

Have you already been able to find lodging?

Thanks to everyone for your replies on this.

As far as lodging goes, We have been looking at apartment rentals but
any reccomendations you would make would be great.

The discussion, and the website that dh suggested (best ski travel
website I have seen by the way) leans me toward what was our other
possible Alpine itinerary - the Jungfrau region (probably staying in
lauterbrunnen and skiing wengen). It looks like It may be a situation
where I could have a fair amount of runs I feel comfortable with and
still have enough that would challenge me and not bore my wife.

Would love to hear folks opinions about the pros/cons of either.

Thanks for all this info!

On 6 Aug 2006 13:27:56 -0700, wrote:

Thanks to everyone for your replies on this.

And just another 'I agree with what they say' post. Take a look at the
description on the Ski Club of GB site (in my sig) for more info.

As far as lodging goes, We have been looking at apartment rentals but
any reccomendations you would make would be great.

The discussion, and the website that dh suggested (best ski travel
website I have seen by the way)

Ha!. Not seen ours yet then ;-?

leans me toward what was our other
possible Alpine itinerary - the Jungfrau region (probably staying in
lauterbrunnen and skiing wengen). It looks like It may be a situation
where I could have a fair amount of runs I feel comfortable with and
still have enough that would challenge me and not bore my wife.

You may be right. Staying there means you've got the whole of Wengen
and Muerren open to you, plus most of the linked Grindelwald area, so
lots of terrain, and a surprising amount of challengins skiing, as
well as the more commonly-known intermediate cruisy runs.

Would love to hear folks opinions about the pros/cons of either.

Zermatt has some specific advntages for locals and die-hards, like
it's open from November and gives access to some more extreme stuff,
including heliskiing. It's incredibly picturesque, but tends towards
the expensive end of things, and it can often take quite a while to
get from the village to the ski area on the shuttle buses, depending
where you stay.

You'll also find better spres-ski there, although it depends what you
want of course. Lauterbrunnen is relatively quiet, although with a
decent selction of bars ans restaurants, whereas Zermatt has all the
late-night drinking/dansing venues you could ask for.

From what you say, I think it's likely that the Jungfrau region may be
more suited, but I'm sure you'll also not regret it if you stick with
Zermatt.

--
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.

In article ,
h23 wrote:
On Sun, 06 Aug 2006 19:47:19 +0100, Rod
wrote:
I have to say I totally agree with Rod, a very to the point
description.

I suspect that we are all largely in violent agreement.

As he says, the easiest part to start is at Gornergrat. Pistes are
wide, and you are going up by train, so never a need to take a piste
you don't want. I only went to Cervinia once, I found to be honest I
could make more of my time by skiing elsewhere, unless you 'need to
have been there'.

Skiing down the blue run from the Gornergrat involves a tunnel at one
point. You want to be certain that you can snowplow this or keep your
speed down with tight turns.


In my opinion, Zermatt has pistes for everyone. The only 'problem' is
that you'll be gaping at the scenery and forget to go skiing

This is very true if you have clear days.

Excepting the fact that if you use the whole vertical, this vertical can
be almost twice that of 99% of US resorts (7.500 ft. note on signs the
use of some periods and commas are reverse that of the USA).

The tree line in the Alps is about 6K ft. where as in the USA it's 10K
plus or minus a few K ft. This is not a problem unless you get
developing weather. It's not the nicest skiing (examining my bases
after a few rocks), but its pretty good for experienced skiers.
Be mindful of the piste marking poles which weather develop.
Ski over to Italy on a clear day. Faces South, different languages,
different foods, etc. Stay the night if you can (you let them know on
both sides that this is deliberate).

--

In article ,
Ace wrote:
On 6 Aug 2006 13:27:56 -0700, wrote:
leans me toward what was our other
possible Alpine itinerary - the Jungfrau region (probably staying in
lauterbrunnen and skiing wengen). It looks like It may be a situation
where I could have a fair amount of runs I feel comfortable with and
still have enough that would challenge me and not bore my wife.

You may be right. Staying there means you've got the whole of Wengen
and Muerren open to you, plus most of the linked Grindelwald area, so
lots of terrain, and a surprising amount of challengins skiing, as
well as the more commonly-known intermediate cruisy runs.

Do both.
I did on my first, and briefly, second Alpine trips.

I think I have spent enough money in Zermatt, so the next trip
will likely have more time in the Berner Oberland.

Would love to hear folks opinions about the pros/cons of either.

Do both.

Zermatt has some specific advantages for locals and die-hards,
It's incredibly picturesque, but tends towards
the expensive end of things,

apres-ski
Lauterbrunnen
Zermatt

If you want more non-skiing things to do, it is possible to get to the
rest of the country for the day from the Oberland (like I took the
afternoon off early in a low snow period to go X-mas shopping in Geneva).

All dependent on weather.


From what you say, I think it's likely that the Jungfrau region may be
more suited, but I'm sure you'll also not regret it if you stick with
Zermatt.

Definitely on your stated conditions.

--

On 7 Aug 2006 10:53:01 -0700, (Eugene Miya) wrote:

In article ,
h23 wrote:
On Sun, 06 Aug 2006 19:47:19 +0100, Rod
wrote:

Skiing down the blue run from the Gornergrat involves a tunnel at one
point. You want to be certain that you can snowplow this or keep your
speed down with tight turns.

Yes, especially the stretch before this tunnel, against the wall I did
not like when I went there the first year I skied. Especially when its
icy. And suffering from vertigo.
But then, that's where you can take the train at Hotel Riffelberg to
avoid it.