 Poster: A snowHead
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Just back from Zermatt 30 Dec to 6 Jan. We had a wonderful holiday with friends, but I wouldn't go back over the New Year period. I found it exceptionally busy - far more Americans than at other times of year. As the above poster says, Sunnegga was a madhouse and the snow hard packed and icy. I saw so many accidents - even helicopter rescues near Chez Vrony and down near the Cervo resort. Better snow higher up but still very busy. There was a very light top-up of snow on Saturday night which improved things somewhat. On the plus side amazing strong sun every day for a week. Very cold by the end of the week down to -18C in town. Looks like some significant fresh snow on its way now we are home!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The snow is back! Fortunately I am not driving up the valley until Sunday afternoon. I have a hire car and haven’t booked chains. Admittedly I have only once put chains on to get up the valley and even then I think I’d have been OK without them. I drove up in worse conditions last year in my own car - I keep chains in that but didn’t put them on and made it up with minimal sliding.
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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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Hi all! Cervinia Free Parking
On a previous visit a few years ago we left the car for the week by the main coach station-tunnel area (https://maps.app.goo.gl/AxUTxKg6V2Ug7MWc7). Is this location still free?
And does anyone know of free parking available near Funivie Cervino/the La Genzianella Sports store?
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The big car park by Plan Maison gondola became chargeable (€20 per day) last year. The only free parking now is the one you mention just through the tunnel but you need to be careful as once a week the car park is cleared for snow clearing.
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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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| Raptor24 wrote: |
| The big car park by Plan Maison gondola became chargeable (€20 per day) last year. The only free parking now is the one you mention just through the tunnel but you need to be careful as once a week the car park is cleared for snow clearing. |
Thank you and in particular, for the reminder.
I wasn't aware of the snow clearing last time and recalled paying the fine in the village.
Is the snow clearing done on Thursday mornings?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just had a couple of days skiing here. Last week’s top up while not like the big dump the North West Alps got in France has freshened everything up very nicely. The Swiss side seemed to have done better than the Italian side (particularly down in Valtournenche) but the Italian side had been having a better season up to that point.
The pistes are lovely but the off piste is still sparse. There is not a single itinerary run open yet (although they are being used as off piste runs). Perhaps of limited interest on here (but exciting for my wife and me) is that the cross country skiing trail in Täsch has now opened.
Looks like there could be something fairly significant on its way from the weekend and early next week.
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@JohnMo,
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| Looks like there could be something fairly significant on its way from the weekend and early next week. |
which was fabulous.
Although the off piste was still a bit sketchy due to high weekend winds removing most of the new stuff (and at 4/5 not worth it) the blue skies, well groomed pistes and lack of crowds from MOnday to Friday made for a wonderful week's red cruising. And suspect with the dump that arrived when we left, the following week will be good too.
Valtourneche run to the bottom was solid and not at all soft: the rest of the domain, OK skied out in a couple of days, likewise trustworthy and good for testing / practicing / improving. On-piste restaurants good value (cf France).
Lack of blacks - even those marked as such really aren't - was surprising. Maybe the nightly piste-ing removed the jeopardy, and they'd be considerably tricker with poor light and ice. But we were using them as the first warm-up runs of the day due to their proximity to our accommodation - something you certainly wouldn't in most other resorts we've skied.
Engineering marvel to get to / from Zermatt worth the €42 pd pass uplift irrespective of any additional skiing, Bond villain-like caverns and a cathedral of a top station certainly made the journey interesting.
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@Arctic Roll, may i ask what day passes you can upgrade? We're staying in Valtournenche over half term. To minimise the cost, i was thinking of getting a 2 day VT pass, then a 4 day CV pass - then add the day upgrade if the weather is good.
Although it might be better to try and guess what days it will be good and do 2 days VT, 2 days ZM, 2 days CV? There are 4 of us on the payroll, so it's not an insubstantial amount to try to save!
Any help gratefully received.
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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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@Badbobby, sorry - we had the weekly CV passes (which included VT) and paid for the Zermatt upgrade for one day (€42). Depending on your levels, the "VT only" pass could be very limiting (and I don't think you'd be able to get a VT +ZM without the CV to get between the two.... but maybe there's a 'secret back way' of which I am unaware!)
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We have 9 and 11 yo with us so was tempted to stay local and save a few £ for the first 2 days.
I suspect we’ll end up doing 4 CV days and upgrade on the best weather day (assuming you can upgrade a 4 day pass?)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Arctic Roll wrote: |
| @Badbobby, (and I don't think you'd be able to get a VT +ZM without the CV to get between the two.... but maybe there's a 'secret back way' of which I am unaware!) |
I don’t know the answer to the Valtournennche upgrade question. However you have to use the Cervinia lift ststem to get from the Valtournench sector to the Zermatt sector.
Bit of a top up coming over the next few days. The Italian side looks to be getting the best of it. Pistes are lovely over here on the Swiss side but could really do with a couple of huge dumps to open up the itineraries and the lift accessed off piste. I was touring earlier this week. You don’t need to go very far to access some lovely untouched snow - but it does make you realise what we are missing near the lift system.
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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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Is anyone in Zermatt currently? Any ideas on good bumps runs? A friend needs to get in the bumps a film some videos, and will be around that area from next week.
Any ideas?
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Was in Zermatt last week and the only bumps we saw were to the left side of the red 65 just below Trockener Steg.
The snow was much better over in Cervinia.
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You know it makes sense.
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@swskier, I came back from Zermatt on Tuesday. I would agree with @Chicko. The early snow plus the snowmaking plus the moderate top ups have meant that the pistes are in great shape. However there has not been anywhere near enough snow to cover the rocks. There is still not a single itinerary open which is very unusual for end of Jan. It is on the itineraries that you would get the best bump runs. There are some side piste areas coming down from Furggsattel, Trockener Steg and even Gornegrat. But nothing that is going to get you too excited.
There is lots of great snow to access if you go touring. But that is not bump runs
As well as being in Zermatt I spent a fair bit of time round at a friend’s in the 4 Valleys. Their itineraries to Tortin from Gentienes, Mont Gele and Chassoure are in great shape with long bump runs. That would be much better than anything you will find in Zermatt at present. I am hoping Feb see some big dumps as I am back out at the end of the month and I love the itineraries and bump runs generally.
As has been said Cervinia has had a lot more snow. But there are no real mogul fields over that side.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Quote: |
. Winter sports enthusiasts find unconscious man off the slopes
On Friday, 30. January 2026, a skiing accident occurred in the Zermatt ski area. A man was killed, the Valais cantonal police reported.
After 10 a.m., the operations centre of the cantonal police of Valais received the message that third parties had found an unconscious skier in the Zermatt ski area outside the marked slope in the Rotenboden region.
They then alerted the Cantonal Valais Rescue Organisation.
The emergency services immediately moved out with an Air Zermatt helicopter. Despite initiated resuscitation measures, the skier died on the spot.
The victim is a 71-year-old Swiss.
The prosecutor's office has initiated an investigation |
Very sad. There is nowhere at Rotenboden that is that far from a piste. But as others have said there is no such thing as side piste, only on piste or off piste. A lot of people ski that area as off piste given the easy access. Equally the poor chap could have careered from the piste or something completely different.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Re the Zermatt upgrade to the Cervinia pass. Is it possible to buy the upgrade at the top - looking at the piste map, the lift that goes from Plateau Rosa to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise? Or do you have to buy at the bottom before you go up.
I'm assuming that this lift requires a Zermatt upgrade as that looks like the border between Italy and Switzerland.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Badbobby wrote: |
Re the Zermatt upgrade to the Cervinia pass. Is it possible to buy the upgrade at the top - looking at the piste map, the lift that goes from Plateau Rosa to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise? Or do you have to buy at the bottom before you go up.
I'm assuming that this lift requires a Zermatt upgrade as that looks like the border between Italy and Switzerland. |
That lift is closed until the beginning of March. It is not really a skiers’ lift as it was built to take foot tourist traffic (skiers can’t even use it in the opposite direction).
In any case your last chance to buy an upgrade of your Cervinia pass is at the ticket office at Testa Grigia. However the ticket office is not manned (in 13 years of living there part time I have never seen anyone use it). You would need to grab one of the lifties (they are all Italian lifties at that station) and get them to operate the ticket office to sell you an upgrade. I imagine you’d have a much easier time buying your upgrade at the bottom or at Plan Maison.
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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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Thank you. You can tell I’ve not been before! So do you ski down left from either Plateau Rosa or Theodulpass (as shown on the map) down the 80 into Zermatt and return to Cervinia by going up one of the two parallel lifts that go up to Matterhorn Paradise. Then down the 85 and into Cervinia? Thank you again.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Badbobby, Yes. That is exactly right. There will only be one of the two lifts running up to Matterhorn Paradise (aka Klein Matterhorn). Most of the time it is the big continuous gondolas. In the quiet shoulder periods (late Spring and Autumn) they run the old cable car.
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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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@JohnMo, thank you!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Badbobby wrote: |
Re the Zermatt upgrade to the Cervinia pass. Is it possible to buy the upgrade at the top - looking at the piste map, the lift that goes from Plateau Rosa to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise? Or do you have to buy at the bottom before you go up.
I'm assuming that this lift requires a Zermatt upgrade as that looks like the border between Italy and Switzerland. |
Your other option is to buy day tickets. The extra cost of an international day ticket over a local day ticket is much less than paying for an upgrade. At least, that's the case in Cervinia, so I'm assuming Zermatt is the same. I'm sure there are usage patterns where it is better to buy a multi day pass and upgrades, but for my planned usage over a week, it usually works out cheaper to get day tickets. It takes a couple of minutes in the online shop while you are having breakfast.
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Has anyone any good/bad experiences with a bootfitter in Zermatt? My 15 year old daughter has finally grown out of her Roces size-adjustable boots that have been amazing for a growing kid, so it is time to get her some new boots.
She's a recreational skier and doesn't have particularly awkward feet so it should be quite straightforward, but I thought it might be good to get them in resort when we're there in a couple of weeks rather than locally in case there are any issues that can be easily fixed there.
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Used Julen Sports to do some adjustments, Will and Tim. Good guys in a professional outfit.
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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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Anyone got any recommendations for a private lesson or three in Cervinia, friend who is early intermediate, needs some work on his basics though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@DavidYacht, thanks, good to know.
Julen sports was one on the hit list having toured around the various Zermatt shops previously, albeit not for buying any equipment.
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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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| Whitters wrote: |
@DavidYacht, thanks, good to know.
Julen sports was one on the hit list having toured around the various Zermatt shops previously, albeit not for buying any equipment. |
Yes. Julen Sport and Stoked are the two that tend to be most highly rated. They do the most work at getting the liners and boots genuinely fitted to your feet. My current boots are from Stoked and I am very happy with them. You do need to book though as they are very busy.
Having said all that my son got his current boots from Bayard and he is very happy with them.
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Not sure that Stoked are still in the boot fitting business
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You know it makes sense.
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| DavidYacht wrote: |
| Not sure that Stoked are still in the boot fitting business |
Oh dear. It looks like you are right. I wonder what happened.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Well this could be a game changer. Starting tomorrow and running through to Thursday there could be a fair amount of snow to hit. Temperatures going up but still only 2-3 degrees in the village and in any case most of the precipitation looks like it will hit at night time.
Everything could look very different by the end of the week and then there is decent hope for next week as well.
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