Nov 26th in Cervinia

Hi all.
Sllightly unexpected opportunity arose to ski at Plateau Rosa and down
to the Zermatt side last Saturday.
First time I had been to Cervinia and in fact there's very little snow
below about 2800m yet, though what snow blowers there are have been
working overtime in the really cold temperatures. I think they may
have one run (Ventina) open to the village by now.

Saturday was busy, with lots of day visitors probably enticed by the
several hours of light snowfall on Friday, which turned the
mountainsides white, but wasn't much use as any sort of base - just
not enough of it.

The skiing on the upper runs on the Zermatt side, in and around the
Trockener Steg, was excellent, though some of the lower north facing
runs were getting a bit icy by the middle of the day. The wind was not
TOO strong but with temperatures from the minus teens lower down, to
minus 23 at Kleine Matterhorn, the conditions were pretty unforgiving.
A bit of sun later in the day made a big difference!



My first visit to Cervinia, and though it gave a good early season
bash for a day, I wouldn't rush back there. (I can't judge the main
runs of the resort of course, because they aren't open yet!) My own
feeling is that it's very bleak, but its best feature was the chance
to cross to Zermatt side.

Paul
Leigh
Lancs

On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 12:56:02 GMT, Paul Richardson
wrote:

snip

My first visit to Cervinia, and though it gave a good early season
bash for a day, I wouldn't rush back there. (I can't judge the main
runs of the resort of course, because they aren't open yet!) My own
feeling is that it's very bleak, but its best feature was the chance
to cross to Zermatt side.

I often feel that one of the nicest things about skiing in Zermatt is
the opportunity to ski to the Cervinia side. Quite different terrain,
to be sure; lots more 'motorway' runs, for a start, but generally the
grooming is excellent and the crowds aren't too bad.

The lift system is also much better, with chair lifts linking up with
nice 150m descents between the top of one and the start of the next,
for example. In addition the restaurants on the Cervinia side are much
nicer and cheaper too, which is nice.

--
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.

"Ace" wrote in message
...
snip
I often feel that one of the nicest things about skiing in Zermatt is
the opportunity to ski to the Cervinia side. Quite different terrain,
to be sure; lots more 'motorway' runs, for a start, but generally the
grooming is excellent and the crowds aren't too bad.

The lift system is also much better, with chair lifts linking up with
nice 150m descents between the top of one and the start of the next,
for example. In addition the restaurants on the Cervinia side are much
nicer and cheaper too, which is nice.

I agree, Ace, we've skiied in both Zermatt and Cervinia, and it's Cervinia
we prefer (as ageing "poor intermediates"). Last season, the long drag-lift
on the Swiss side broke down, so we carried our skis up for several hundred
metres. Even that effort was worth it for the motorways, sunshine and lunch
on the Italian side.

It's worth pointing out that if the wind gets up, it can prove impossible to
get back to the Swiss side (or vice versa, of course) and the taxi ride back
is (I hear) fantastically expensive! Take your passport with you in case
you get stuck.

SteveP

It's worth pointing out that if the wind gets up, it can prove impossible to
get back to the Swiss side (or vice versa, of course) and the taxi ride back
is (I hear) fantastically expensive!

More like an overnight stay? Take a tent.

http://www.viamichelin.fr/viamicheli...x=20&image.y=9

225km 3h40m

+ 22 Euro for the "Gran San Bernardo" tunnel.
I guess this is open year round?

On 10 Dec 2005 09:41:04 -0800, wrote:

It's worth pointing out that if the wind gets up, it can prove impossible to
get back to the Swiss side (or vice versa, of course) and the taxi ride back
is (I hear) fantastically expensive!

More like an overnight stay? Take a tent.

http://www.viamichelin.fr/viamicheli...x=20&image.y=9

225km 3h40m

+ 22 Euro for the "Gran San Bernardo" tunnel.
I guess this is open year round?

Yes. Although there will be times when the roads up to it will be
snowed under, they'll be cleared very quickly.

--
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.