 Poster: A snowHead
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As we are now at metrological Autumn seems like a good time to start the 2025/26 thread.
The big lift improvement is the replacement of the Riffelberg up to Gifthittli (just below Gornegrat) chair. With the exception of the village station, this is probably the only place on the Swiss side where there are regular bottlenecks and hence longer queues. If the new lift significantly reduces the queues that will be great news. The Gifthittli down to Riffleberg blue slope is very popular with beginners (there are not that many beginner friendly slopes on the Swiss side).
There has been a lot of publicity for the super duper new €200m Cervinia to Plan Maison / Plan Maison to Plateau Rosa lifts - “Cevinia: The one” (me neither). Unfortunately, there is no timetable yet but this is going to be a game changer. It is intended to triple capacity and promises travel times from base to Plateau Rosa (highest point on Italian side and the border with Switzerland) to not much more than an incredible 15 minutes. It cuts out the stage from Plan Maison to Laghi Cime Bianche, which is the lift most prone to wind closure. It will also cut out the queues for the big gondola from Laghi Cime Bianche to Plateau Rosa.
For a number of years now Zermatt has been linked with the North American IKON pass. IKON pass holders get 7 days skiing in Zermatt (those of us with Zermatt annual passes get 7 days at IKON resorts). It has increased the number of North American visitors, which I think has been good for the resort. One frustration for IKON pass holders is that they couldn’t go over to Cervinia (unless they bought a Cervinia pass). However, Cervinia has now linked up with IKON and so now both sides of the border will be open to IKON pass holders.
Obviously, no snow is settling below glacier level yet. But it has been a good summer skiing. I was up there a couple of weeks ago and was very pleased with the conditions. The huge dumps in April set things up well and there have been a few nice top ups through the summer. We are now getting to the stage where snow falling on the lower glacier might hang on for the new season. Below is a screenshot from Trockener Steg yesterday looking up at the Theodul glacier. By late summer this is bare ice and coloured blue grey. As you can see it was a nice white colour – the first hints of what is to come.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Chose a good day to start the thread. A big storm came through yesterday. It was rain even at 3000m but produced a good top up of snow on the summer skiing area. This morning’s skiers getting some turns in the fresh stuff:
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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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Nice! Given Hintertux is closed they are one of the few people enjoying turns
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| Quote: |
| Nice! Given Hintertux is closed they are one of the few people enjoying turns |
Looks great that! Surprised to see it looking so good! Hintertux is looking nice and white too - shame it's closed 
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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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Yeah got a bit last few days but I suspect mainly cosmetic. Was to open in September but hasn't yet it seems.
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Decent amount of precipitation coming through on Tuesday and Wednesday. Zero degrees line is at 3500m during the day. So snow line will be a couple of hundred metres below that. The whole of the summer ski area will be snow but it will still be rain at Trockener Steg at 3000m (that is the lower lift station for the Autumn ski area which opens some time in October - exact date depends on conditions).
Some impressive possible upper levels of snow showing up at Klein Matterhorn.
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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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I daren't look at the winter prices!
£2,130. 
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| JohnMo wrote: |
Some impressive possible upper levels of snow showing up at Klein Matterhorn.
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As you were. It turned out to be at the lower predicted levels. Ah well, every little helps. Next possibility is Saturday. Not huge but temperatures fairly low.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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It’s always reassuring to have the new season thread running!
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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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| Quote: |
| Taking two of the grandchildren down to Snozone Castleford for lessons next week. If I wanted to get in a few turns myself it would cost me £44 for one hour. |
We were there for the last day of the summer special prices on 1st Sept - 3hrs for £25  No moguls though.
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| andrewzero wrote: |
Hello, good morning all, I need some advise please about Cervinia/Zermatt.
I will be skiing in Cervinia December 6th-13th, and then I need to transfer to Zermatt, with my luggage, on December 13th, where I'll be meeting family for more skiing (lucky man...)
I'm told I can take the Matterhorn Express, which will take my luggage too, and even deliver the luggage to my hotel in Zermatt.
But I'm also told that my reservation would be subject to weather conditions.
I've skied in Zermatt many times, and find that, more often than not, the link (Matterhorn Express) over to Cervinia is closed for a day or two or three due to wind.
So I seem to have a dilemma.
If I rely on the Matterhorn Express running, but on the day it's closed due to wind, I'd be stuck in Cervinia, with a displeased family skiing in Zermatt without me. And it could be too windy on the 14th too!
But the alternative is to make my way from Cervinia (Valtournenche actually) to Milan Malpensa (or possibly Turin airport), fly from there to Zurich, then get the train from Zurich to Zermatt. Which is a lot of travelling and a lot of expense. Or take a very expensive taxi. And if book all that travel, then find the Matterhorn Express is running after all...aaagh!
What do I do? Does someone know the likelihood of of the Matterhorn Express running on the morning of 13th December? What, no crystal ball?
Last point: Someone told me that the difficulty, when there's too much wind, is crossing from Zermatt to Cervinia, and not from Cervinia to Zermatt. But how can that be? Surely it's circular, and it must be working either both ways, or neither way?
Any advice much appreciated... |
I have answered your question on this current year thread – you had posted on last year’s thread.
As @mountainaddict says the link is open a lot more than it is closed. Because they are (understandably) angry about it you tend to hear more of the stories of when people have gone for a week and it has been closed all week – but that is rare. Having said that at the time of year you are going the odds would be short on the link being closed at least once in the week.
The journey over costs about €160 (one way).
If you book a taxi you’d be lucky to see change out of €500. It would be cheaper to get a taxi/minibus to Geneva Airport and then get a train from there. But still pretty expensive.
Going to Milan (there are no flights from Turin) and flying to Zurich and then train down would probably cost as much as getting a taxi to Geneva airport and train from there but more hassle.
Personally I would take the gamble that it will be open on the day of travel. Your hotel will keep an eye on the wind forecasts and could probably hazard a decent guess if the link is going to be open. If the link was closed on your day of travel (and looked like it would be closed the next day) I would take the taxi to Geneva airport (there are several outfits that do transfer minibuses) and get train from there.
For completeness, while I like @mountainaddict’s idea of skiing over with your gear on your back, either the link is open for foot and ski customers or it is closed. It wouldn’t be open for skiers but not for foot passengers.
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You know it makes sense.
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That's very helpful, thanks for taking the time to post, and also for putting me onto this year's thread.
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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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Always a noteworthy day. On Monday they started laying farmed snow on the track from Trockener Steg to the end of the lower section of the Theodul glacier. This is what allows the opening of the Furggsattel lift in October. Obviously the actual opening date in October depends on real stuff coming down.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Next storm arriving Sunday and going on for a few days. Last one didn’t amount to much so fingers crossed for this one. Good news is that the storm is bringing in much colder air so the snow line could drop to below the Autumn lower lift station (3000m). The precipitation projections for the top of the ski area are still all over the place: from 10mm (approx 10 cm snow) to 200mm (approx 2m of snow!). The fun is in the finding out.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| RetroBod wrote: |
| I know snow dependant but when does Cervinia generally open.....with more than one lift running... |
The winter season starts on 25 October. What that means is that the lifts back up to the border at Testa Grigia start running again. At this stage it is probable that the only slopes open will be on the Swiss side (which you can access from Testa Grigia). The summer ski area off Klein Matterhorn lift will be open. It is probable that the Furggsattel lift on the lower glacier will be open (the runs going down to Trockener Steg). These latter lifts open in October whenever conditions are ready. There is no guarantee but in my 15 years of going it has always opened by end October.
The Italian side are pretty flexible and will open up whenever they can. So for example last year they opend the Testa Grigia down to Laghi Chime Bianche on 9 November. They then opened up the two top lifts down from Theodulpass on 20 November.
The main season opens this year on 29 November. All sectors will be open (barring a disaster of no snow) but not all pistes.
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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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Snow down to 2000m last night and really good coverage higher up. The bands of precipitation and low temperatures are continuing until at least the weekend. Winter is here.
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Nice. They have the chairs out on the Furggsattel lift, giving them their pre-season testing. The earliest that lift would open would be 4 October (although I am not sure I have ever seen them open on the earliest possible date). Nevertheless it is another encouraging sign that the season is getting closer.
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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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This is more relevant to walkers (winter and summer) than skiers (although you can stop when skiing from Schwarzsee to Furi and walk over to it). The restaurant Jägerstubbe at Zmutt burnt to the ground last night. Very sad to see.
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So that was a good week for precipitation and with temperatures pretty low there was snow down to 2000m at times - there is still some stuff on the ground below 2500m.
In the photo below on the far right is the Autumn skiing area which will open some time in October, to the left it it is Klein Matterhorn which is where the summer skiing area is (still operating). Then running down to the bottom left corner is where the pistes and itineraries that lead down to Furgg will be. They will open end November.
So a good start for September. The next week looks very dry but temperatures are staying low. While they will be some melt the upper level snow is probably now with us for the season.
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After last week’s precipitation it has been a dry week. However, temperatures have been low so the snow up top has held on in the main. There is a decent band of precipitation coming in from the north west Saturday evening with some low temperatures hopefully meaning a fairly low snow line. After that there is no more in the reliable timeframe so we go back to hoping.
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@JohnMo, Thanks for these updates. I have a week booked in Zermatt in March but may also try to get a pre-season few days to get the legs going again. Really helpful to see how the base is forming.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| DCG wrote: |
| @JohnMo, Thanks for these updates. I have a week booked in Zermatt in March but may also try to get a pre-season few days to get the legs going again. Really helpful to see how the base is forming. |
One good thing this season is that the pre main snowfalls temperatures are low. So the ground on which the base will form should (fingers crossed) be cold. A couple of times recently the ground has been warm when the base has started forming. More of a problem for the off piste and itinerary runs but not helpful for early season pistes either.
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Just booked last night for a week in Cervina 11th Jan, staying at the White Angel. Really excited, Cervina has been on my list for a while now.
Any tips or tit bits of wisdom would be welcome especially for non skiers as my wife is unable to ski this year.
Cheers
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Poshprop, check on white Angels position, especially if your wife is not skiing. From recollection it’s not very central.
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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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Just booked for the Swiss Vaud school holidays half term end-February.
Can't wait....been umpteen times but overall it's just about our favourite, a great all rounder as my wife is an 'occasional' skier so the town & scenery are a big factor in all our enjoyment for days when she'd rather just have a non-ski day
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| Poshprop wrote: |
Just booked last night for a week in Cervina 11th Jan, staying at the White Angel. Really excited, Cervina has been on my list for a while now.
Any tips or tit bits of wisdom would be welcome especially for non skiers as my wife is unable to ski this year.
Cheers |
That is a fairly broad question. A few things:
1. Have a meal at Chalet Etoile. It is just a short walk up from Plan Maison and is well worth going to.
2. From a skier’s point of view don’t neglect Valtournenche. The link between Cervinia and there is now very good and it is a nice little area that is often quieter than Cervinia.
3. You also should do the trip over to the Zermatt side on at least one day. Unfortunately the Alpine Crossing lift will be closed from 7 Jan until end Feb so your wife would not be able to get over on foot (having said that is ridiculously expensive for foot passengers so maybe not a big loss).
4. Would your wife be OK snowshoe walking. There are some nice routes in both Cervinia and Valtournenche.
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You know it makes sense.
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Could do a tour down to aosta if she can get there, i think there are nice roman ruins down there
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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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After a very hopeful back end of September, October has been really dry. Still nothing in the reliable timeframe - all the hope is for next week.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hurrah! The Furggsattel lift is opening tomorrow (Saturday 1 . So there will be skiing down those excellent pistes to Trockener Steg. Plus the runs down from the summer ski area and the border down to Trockener Steg will be open. From the end of the glacier will be runs on farmed/artificial snow but the stuff on the glacier looks good.
The dry spell seems to be coming to an end with bands of precipitation coming over from the West from Monday. How much actually hits us is pot luck at present but there should certainly be some and possibly quite a lot. The snowline is falling to about 2000m (ie the height of the lowest lifts scheduled to open end November). This time next week the mountains could look rather different.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Are there any nice bars and restaurants open this early in the season in Cervinia? I've lucked in with a very early season weekend not this weekend but next, and was wondering if anything will be open beyond my hotel... Any recommendations gratefully received.
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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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| twoodwar wrote: |
| @Poshprop, check on white Angels position, especially if your wife is not skiing. From recollection it’s not very central. |
We took this into account prior to booking. Its a 20 min walk downhill and a 30 min walk back but the hotel runs a shuttle every 30 mins during the day and hourly until 11 pm.
@JohnMo
Thanks for those tips. That's the kind of things I'm after. I think my wife would love to have a o at snowshoeing so we will have a look into that
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Good to hear. I obviously was unaware, but was worth a heads up just in case.
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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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First snow of the season in the village (quite a lot up top). Very cold temperatures and some more stuff to come over the next few days.
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@JohnMo, Good to see that!
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Winter is coming
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According to the Cervinia website ‘Glacier Ride 2 closed for maintenance from 7th January to 27th February 2026’. I’m looking at Cervinia for the last week of February. Will this be an issue if I want to go to Zermatt for a day?
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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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| Raven wrote: |
| According to the Cervinia website ‘Glacier Ride 2 closed for maintenance from 7th January to 27th February 2026’. I’m looking at Cervinia for the last week of February. Will this be an issue if I want to go to Zermatt for a day? |
Not if you are skiing. That only affects foot passengers. Skiers can’t use that lift (during the ski season) on a ski pass. It is weird but as a skier you can ignore it.
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| JohnMo wrote: |
| Raven wrote: |
| According to the Cervinia website ‘Glacier Ride 2 closed for maintenance from 7th January to 27th February 2026’. I’m looking at Cervinia for the last week of February. Will this be an issue if I want to go to Zermatt for a day? |
Not if you are skiing. That only affects foot passengers. Skiers can’t use that lift (during the ski season) on a ski pass. It is weird but as a skier you can ignore it. |
That’s the info I’m after. Thanks! I’ll be on skis
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FAQ
