Åre also has deep-rooted ski culture. Annual World Cup tour race here is a tradition. One of the world’s best freeskiers, Henrik Windstedt, is born in the nearby small village, Ullådal. Åre is the home mountain for the likes of Sebastian Garhammer, Reine Barkered and Henrik Harlaut to name a few. The mountain and its skiing had also brought us major brands like Peak Performance clothing. In a way, we Finns could admit Åre has everything skiing-wise that Finland doesn’t have…(hate to say that but it is pretty much the truth)

Pics in the article: Petri Kurkiand Antte Lauhamaa (Black Diamond sponsored telemark skier) – thank you guys!

Åre Ski Resort – general resort information

Åre village has a history of tourism and skiing since the 17th century. The first funicular up to the Åreskutan was built in 1910 and first FIS Worldcup race was held in 1969. The Åre village centre has an atmosphere you can compare e.g. to the classic Alp towns like St.Moritz. The village has some 60 restaurants, cafes and nightclubs, and there is no shortage of entertaining nightlife. There are also a wide selection of specalized shops ranging from skiing and outdoors to fancy design stores.

Åre is located in Jämtland in the middle of Sweden. There are about 650 kilometers drive from Stockholm to Åre. Taking railway instead of driving is another comfy option. Nearby Östersund town has an airport and straight flights come from at least Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Manchester (read more here). Åre is far away from pretty much everywhere by central European standards but if you are e.g. visiting Sweden for a longer period, the drive isn’t that bad (Note: but if you have kids – prepare to reserve enough time…)

The resort itself is diveded into four different areas: Åre Björnen, Åre, Tegefjäll and Duved. There are about 120 different pistes and over 40 lifts, serving pretty much everything a skier or snowboarder can hope, excluding only very steep alpine style couloir descents. Åre village is the place to stay if you want to be close to all the services,restaurants, cafes, shops and people around. Another option is to rent a cabin/cottage somewhere nearby. Some of the cottages are located very close to the lifts/slopes – in the morning just click into the bindings and you are skiing. Having your own car (or rented car) is  a good option but not obligatory if you stay near the lifts.

Skiing in Åre

For a dedicated skier Åre ski resort offer a bit of everything. Only the most hard core steep skiers and seasoned powder hounds may disappoint. There are no huge continuous steeps. And the snow is usually hard and wind-blown. The term “Scandinavian concrete” is often used to describe the typical snowpack in Åre. On the other hand, many Åre based freeskiers state that the variable and cruddy snow is one of the key to their success. Anyway the fact is that low pressures coming from North Atlantic make the wind blow hard from western direction and due to the closeness of the ocean the weather varies a lot, meaning large temperature changes through the season.

If you like to carve well maintained slopes Åre is definately for you. In the high season thousands of skiers hit the same slopes though –  be prepared for some moguls and occasional bare / icy / rocky patches. Generally the further you go from the main lifts (just above Åre village) the less crowdy it gets.

For families with children I can highly recommend Åre Björnen on the east side of the area. Cabins and hotels are located basically on the slopes – it is a real “ski in, ski out”. There are tens of slopes and routes designed solely for kids, ranging from “magic carpet ride” for grommets to “mini terrain park” aimed at more skillful kids around 10 years of age. You also have shelters, fire places, child care rooms, restaurants with resting places (for eating your own picnic inside if the weather is bad), children play grounds etc. everywhere. It is not a huge overstatement to say that that the whole Björnen section is designed with families and kids in mind, really good work! Cross country skiing possibilities seemed very nice too and a trend seem to be skiing xc and pulling a kid’s sledge behind you…not bad for a work out and I guess kids enjoyed that too.

The resort has many different parks. The Bräckeparken in the main Åre area is the most famous. If you go to the black line be prepared for some serious airtime…or just to watch a line of very skilled kids hurling from the booters to all possible (spin) directions. Beat watching ski flicks on your sofa for sure! The red line is not bad either (and suits better for a middle aged office rat like me).

When the conditions are on, the off-piste skiing in Åre is not bad at all. There are very nice tree runs all over. For longer routes check out e.g. lines: backside of “Åreskutan” or “Östra Ravinen“, and be outfitted with normal avy gear and knowledge, or hire a guide, which is always recommended. If you happen to be on Facebook, check our Åre’s page and their update of March 24th. The pictures on this article show pretty ok conditions too, these shots are from exceptionally good 2005-2006 season when it snowed steadily through the whole winter.

Åre cold facts

• Pistes 100 (54% beginners, Intermediate 36%, advanced 10%)
• Lifts 47 (7 chair lifts, 34 surface lifts, 3 gondolas / cable cars)
• Summit 1274 meters
• Resort altitude 380 meters
• Vertical drop 890 meters
• Terrain parks: several, ranging from Bräckeparken’s black line (pro level) to Åre Björnen’s minipark for kids
• Halpipe: yes
• Cross country skiing: yes (56 km of trails)
• Snowmaking: yes
• Website: http://www.skistar.com/en/are/

Some background on “Lumiparkki Kivikko” (Snowpark Helsinki) project

Initially, I worked in the original project group for getting an urban jib park in Helsinki city area (“Helsinki Snowpark”). The original project started in spring 2009. The idea was based on a wide public-private co-operation. But after a very busy summer/fall of planning, scheduling, selling, negotiating etc. the project failed. This is a very long story but to put it briefly the place was just wrong (= too much neighboring houses and people living nearby = strong argument against the whole idea from the local house owners).

I left the company behind the whole idea in spring 2010 (and started to work for a launch of our own consulting company, Fiercer Media – Btw. this link is all Finnish for now). Still, the idea of the city jib park was well accepted in Helsinki municipal regime, lots of people signed petition for it,  and the project re-started all over again in spring/summer 2010. Now only the location was changed to a more suitable one.

Meanwhile Marko and I founded our own local business. Luckily we managed to get part of the Helsinki Snowpark (“Lumiparkki Kivikko“) production: we launched the whole concept in social media (Facebook, Youtube) and took care of all the communication in social media in fall 2010 (all this is in Finnish only, for now).  The launch went great and actually the user/customer feedback helped to shape the final product quite a lot – the potential customers were heard well before the park itself was built.

“Lumiparkki Kivikko” (Snowpark Helsinki) is an entry and mid level mini park for the youth and young minded!

Being involved with this whole thing from the start I can tell you that it wasn’t an easy case to get all parts done and to deal with all the bureaucracy with city administration. But now I can admit I feel really good for all the jibber kids in town. Similarly, as we have skate parks in the city during summer, now we have a reasonable priced jib park supported by the city, within the reach of public transportation, not too far from the city centre. In my opinion the best part of the whole thing is that now even the ones that probably could not afford “normal” resort skiing/snowboarding can get to know snow sliding and continue it with reasonable price. If you think how Finnish snowboarders have done in recent years, this can’t be a bad thing – I hope there is going to be probably a even wider base of potential new stars in Helsinki in the near future?

The park it self is a “mini version”. Lots of easy jibs and novice/middle level kickers. The idea is that everything is safety enough for the beginner but also fun enough for an expert. This seems to work well, thanks to guys at Soul Productions that shape and maintain all the obstacles.

Personally, I am very grateful for the city sport department and its staff and management for being open to this kind of new thinking. People didn’t believe a few years ago that this could be possible in Helsinki! There are also about 30 different people and instances I should mention here but I have done that already in person (and in Finnish media), so I won’t list all here…You know who you are, and can take it granted we are thankful here at HBS. And especially thankful in behalf of all the snow sliding young kids in Helsinki!

Keep on shredding! / HBS

PS. The author testing the kickers here …”senior freestyle skier” for sure, the next thing I need is a neck brace and a walker, based on how stiff I look at the picture, heh

When I was looking over this blog recently, it occurred to me that while we’d mentioned and recommended various ski holidays in resorts around Europe, from France to Switzerland, that we’d overlooked Andorra. Internationally recognised as one of the best value ski holiday destinations available, Andorra is just about hidden on the border between France and Spain, this tiny principality is also a tourist and tax haven. is rarely mentioned in the international travel media, and instead caters to some more specialist tourism markets, namely skiing.

How to Get There

Dwarfed by its more well-known neighbours, Andorra is probably one of the most difficult holiday destinations to get to in Europe. As there is no airport in Andorra, many visitors fly into the either Toulouse airport or Barcelona airport, and then embark on a three hour car journey, or opt to take a helicopter ride to Andorra, which can hold up to four people, and will take around 35 minutes. Another option is to take a train to either L’Hospitalet station in France, which stops 1.85 miles from the Andorran border or Spain’s Puigcerdà station, which stops 50 miles away and then take a care direct from the station to Andorra.

So Why Go?

Skiing holidays in Andorra offer an eclectic range of resorts and activities for people of all ages and abilities. Andorra’s most famous ski resort is Arinsal, a mountain village which is located at a height of 1550 metres, with the top of slopes at 2560 metres. Located on Vallnord, a ski and snowboarding resort in the Pyrenees mountains, Arinsal is linked to the nearby Pal resort by a cable car that can hold up to 50 people. Boasting a 63km ski area, 31 lifts, a varying number of slopes, including five green, sixteen blue, sixteen red and five black slopes, Arinsal can accommodate a great number of skiers, and is particularly suitable for families and groups, including intermediate and beginner skiers.

But What About Apres Ski?

Andorra, and Arinsal in particular, are just as well known for their off slope activities as they are for their on slope sports. Arinsal has an excellent amount of lively and family friendly bars, restaurants and shops to keep you busy after a hard day’s work off-piste. Several of the village’s best shops, which sell ski and snowboarding accessories and clothing, as well as several others, can be found at the top of the gondola, which is located at the base of the slopes.

Arinsal’s nightlife is also worth noting, as its bars are noted for being loud, busy and very lively. Earlier this year, the town was the venue of The Big Snow Festival, a week long musical extravaganza, organised by the people behind The Big Reunion. The festival, which is the first of its kind in Arinsal, was a huge success, and the line-up for 2011’s festival, which will take place from March the 13th-20th, includes Tim Westwood, Judge Jules and Example. With more acts still to be announced, and a St Patrick’s Day party being advertised as the event’s big theme, Arinsal could just be the place to ski next year.

Scotland’s five very popular ski resorts have all reported a rise in the number of available days for skiing and snowboarding on their slopes. It has also been confirmed that ‘Visit Scotland’ has a had a huge surge in inquiries about holidays in Scotland which have been linked to skiing.

Not only has it been having very large amount of constant winter snow, but it has been having record numbers visiting the several ski resorts, with most customers being skiers (of course) All 5 ski resorts in Scotland have apparently reported a staggering 372.782 skier days in total. Ski Scotland has estimated that these record numbers have generated a staggering £25m for the Scottish economy.

There are five ski resorts in Scotland, which are the Nevis Range, Glenshee Ski Centre, CairnGorm Mountain, Glencoe Mountain and The Lecht. Managing director for the Nevis Range, Marian Austin said: “Last year was good, the previous five or six weren’t so good. This is our best year since 2001.”

It’s reported that more than half of this year’s visitors to Nevis Range have been from outside the Scotland area. Since late last year, Glenshee has had 82,000 skiing days, compared to 43,000 between December and March in last year’s short season. A spokesman for CairnGorm Mountain said the resort had seen an increase in the number of skiers from England and that the centre had skiable snow since the middle of December.

He said: “We’ve had a significant increase in skiers from the south of England, choosing to forego their Alpine skiing holiday because they heard we had very good skiing to offer.”

Glencoe Mountain’s season has been open since December 28 and the resort has had 18,000 skiing days – an increase of 6,000 on the whole of last season. Angela Dingwall, manager of the smallest Scottish resort, Glencoe, said it had received a large number of international skiers, particularly from Ireland. This year there have been a lot of English visitors and even some Australians. She said the centre had only lost five days due to high wind.

All of the resorts have been open for at least 110 days throughout the winter season, but occasionally stopping operation when we had those awful conditions that led to the country grinding to a hault (and also the ski areas.) This was because of the access to the resorts.

Lets hope that this is a sign for whats to come and next season will be as just as good, if not better. Fingers crossed it is.

Watch this space for news on Ski Scotland’s opening season.

Boasting more than 6000 ski runs over 25,000 hectares, France is home to the largest ski areas in the world. The high altitude resorts enjoy excellent snow conditions, some of them even offer a “snow guarantee”. A number of ski areas are open from late November until early May.

The French Tourism Ministry has awarded the “Famille Plus Montagne” label to ski resorts that make an extra special effort to welcome families with children, in terms of services and infrastructure, activities and entertainments, child care and much more.  All the following seven family ski resorts have been awarded the Famille Plus Montagne label.

This article is not an in-depth review such as Krippenstein ski resort review, but a general introduction to the seven best family ski resorts in France. And yeah, this is only our opinion. If you disagree or think differently, please tell us your opinion by leaving a comment.

Family Ski Resort #1 – La Clusaz

La Clusaz has developed over the years, whilst still retaining the charm of an authentic mountain village. Respectful of its traditions, yet forward thinking, La Clusaz has built a reputation for itself that is very different to that of the other French ski resorts. Home to eight world champions and talented freestylers, with its fabulous 400 hectare ski area, a large variety of runs and vertical drops, La Clusaz is undoubtedly the ski resort of all snow sports.

La Clusaz is just 4 hours from Paris by TGV high speed train and 1 hour from Geneva. La Clusaz is an active ski resort with their around 200 free snow sport, sporting and cultural events and activities throughout the winter. As a new thing La Clusaz is going to introduce bowling on ice this season. Set at the heart of La Clusaz, the ice rink covers more than 1000 m2 of ice.

La Clusaz information

Access from airport (Annecy-Meythet): 36 km

Access from railway station (Annecy): 32 km

Heights: 1100 m – 2600 m

Number of ski lifts: 56

Number of slopes: 84 (132 km): 7 black, 24 red, 29 blue, 24 green

Cross country skiing: 84 km

Ski passes: 30 euros / day, 158 euros / 6 days

Linked ski area: Les Aravis (220 km of slopes)

Web: www.laclusaz.com

Family Ski Resort #2 – La Rosière

In the heart of the Haute-Tarentaise, at 1850 meters above the sea level, on a “balcony” facing to South, La Rosière is a friendly family ski resort built respecting mountain architectural traditions. Linked with La Thuile in Italy, it is the only Savoyard ski resort to offer an international ski area of 150 km pisted runs. With the label “Famille Plus Montagne” La Rosière offers a large choice of after ski activities and entertaining nights to spend with family.

La Rosière has several themed weeks, such as Christmas, local produce, air, retro, well-being, the mountains and children. There are also many new snow sports activities in La Rosière, such as snowkites, speed riding, snowpark, boarder cross and snow cross.

La Rosiere information

Access from airport (Lyon St Exupéry): 210 km

Access from railway station (Aime): 23 km

Heights: 1860 m – 2650 m

Number of ski lifts: 37

Number of slopes: 73 (150 km): 12 black, 32 red, 23 blue, 6 green

Ski passes: 36,6 euros / day, 171,9 euros / 6 days

Web: www.larosiere.net

Family Ski Resort #3 – Les Arcs

Les Arcs is a family ski resorts with amazing mountains and plenty of character. Generous with superb panoramic views and bags of sunshine, overwhelming and audacious with all the different styles of skiing on offer and adventures in which to indulge day after day. Les Arcs is “magical” for children by offering a huge range of activities from which to choose. Les Arcs / Bourg Saint Maurice is probably in its best during holidays such as Christmas.

As a new thing Les Arcs offers 50% discount on ski passes on Saturdays for those who have downloaded and printed a discount voucher form Les Arcs website. The resort of Les Arcs has built the largest high altitude reservoir in France (400 000 m3) to supply the artificial snow network across the whole ski area.

Les Arcs information

Access from airport (Geneva): 150 km

Access from railway station (Bourg St Maurice): 15 km

Heights: 1200 m – 3226 m

Number of ski lifts: 54

Number of slopes: 106: 19 black, 32 red, 54 blue, 1 green

Ski passes: 43,5 euros / day, 209 euros / 6 days

Linked ski area: Paradiski (425 km of slopes)

Web: www.lesarcs.com

Family Ski Resort #4 – Les 2 Alpes

This famous Isère destination at the heart of the Oisans, is part of a generation of resorts that were created from scratch. At an altitude of 1600 meters, it was built over high mountain pastures, shared between the villages of Venosc and Mont de Lans.

A dream was to become a reality here during the 1930s. The development of the plateau, originally carried out by private individuals, with the aim of creating a large winter sports resort, was achieved in 1946. 62 years later, the resort of les 2 Alpes has become a high altitude town continually developing, improving and changing for the better.

Les 2 Alpes includes a glacier at 3600 meters of altitude, which means natural snow is guaranteed. There is a kind of boom of freeskiing going on in les 2 Alpes, or at least the linked resort La Grave is known as a playground of hard core freeskiers. Les 2 Alpes is introducing a new teaching concept for ski school this season. The Ski-Voice is a radio system that enables instructors to communicate directly with their pupils (up to six people at once).

Les 2 Alpes  information

Access from airport (Lyon St Exupéry): 160 km

Access from railway station (Grenoble): 70 km

Heights: 1300 m – 3600 m

Number of ski lifts: 51

Number of slopes: 104 (225 km): 14 black, 18 red, 45 blue, 25 green

Ski passes: 38,7 euros / day, 189 euros / 6 days

Cross country skiing: 20 km

Linked ski area: La Grave (220 km of slopes)

Web: www.les2alpes.com

Family Ski Resort #5 – Les Menuires

Located at an altitude of 1850 meters, at the heart of the largest ski area in the world, the 3 Valleys, the Savoyard resort of Les Menuires enjoys an exceptional setting. Its varied ski area offers both gentle and wide open slopes that are perfect for beginners, as well as more technical slopes for advanced skiers.With unforgettable descents, fast and comfortable access to the slopes thanks to an ultra-modern network of ski lifts, Les Menuires offers pretty good skiing in good safety.

Les Menuires is a family ski resort with activities to suit everyone. There is a sports center with well-being areas and aqua club, ice rink, snow scooters, paragliding, ringo tubes, walks and snowshoe outings. It is also good to notice that Les Menuires is the most competitively priced ski resort in the 3 Valleys area. Les Menuires also offers a chance to book early for less, so hurry up..

Les Menuires is introducing a totally new 6-seated detachable chair lift, the Sunny Express, replacing three older chair lifts and a drag lift in the Reberty – Les Bruyères sector. The length of this new ski lift is 2.6 km and it climbs 700 vertical meters.

Les Menuires information

Access from airport (Lyon At Exupéry): 183 km

Access from railway station (Moûtiers): 27 km

Heights: 1850 m – 2850 m

Number of ski lifts: 37

Number of slopes: 61 (160 km): 7 black, 25 red, 25 blue, 4 green

Ski passes: 36,5 euros / day, 177 euros / 6 days

Linked ski area: Les 3 Vallees (600 km of slopes)

Web: www.lesmenuires.com

Family Ski Resort #6 – Serre Chevalier

Serre Chevalier is home to one of the largest ski areas in France, le Grand Serre Che. The area includes 250 km of runs from an altitude of 1200 to 2800 meters for beginners and experts alike. Set between the Lautaret mountain pass and Briancon, Serre Chevalier is a south-facing valley dotted with hamlets and villages ranging from the traditional to the ultra modern.

Serre Chevalier is host to a wide range of activities for the whole family, including sports, relaxation and culture. Located at the foot of the most beautiful summits in the Ecrins National Park, Serre Chevalier is bathed in light. The air and water are pure, the sky is blue and the sun shines for more than 300 days a year. What could be better?

Serre Chevalier information

Access from airport (Grenoble St Geoirs): 120 km

Access from railway station (Briancon): 6 km

Heights: 1200 m – 2800 m

Number of ski lifts: 65

Number of slopes: 108 (250 km): 14 black, 39 red, 31 blue, 24 green

Ski passes: 40,5 euros / day, 194,5 euros / 6 days

Web: www.serre-chevalier.com

Family Ski Resort #7 – Val Thorens

Val Thorens is an interesting family ski resort. It guarantees an excellent quality snow cover all winter long. With five pistes’ summits higher than 3000 meters, and 99% of the ski area higher than 2000 meters, the snow in Val Thorens is guaranteed for up to May.In fact, Val Thorens is the highest ski resort in Europe, set an altitude of 2300 meters.

The ski lifts in Val Thorens are one of the most efficient in the world. And what’s best, whatever the accommodation, you don’t have to walk more than 100 meters to access or come back from the slopes. Val Thorens is part of Les 3 Vallée, the largest ski area in the world (600 km of runs that connect the resorts of Courchevel, la Tania, Méribel, St-Martin, les Menuires and Val Thorens).

This year Val Thorens is putting efforts on providing something new to beginners as they have invested more than 1.5 million euros to create a new 40 hectare, easy skiing are that is totally free of charge for beginners. The area is equipped with four new moving walkways, 2 of which are covered and high speed (fastest in France). Easy to use, they will improve access to all areas at the foot of the slopes.

Val Thorens information

Access from airport (Lyon St Exupéry): 193 km

Access from railway station (Moutiers): 37 km

Heights: 1800 m – 3230 m

Number of ski lifts: 28

Number of slopes: 69 (140 km): 8 black, 27 red, 26 blue, 8 green

Ski passes: 37,5 euros / day, 175 euros / 6 days

Web: www.valthorens.com

More and more skiers, especially freeriders from all over the world are coming to the Salzkammergut to ski Krippenstein. They don’t really come for the view, which still is spectacular with Dachstein to the south and Hallstätter See to the north. But there is something special about this place, and that is the snow. The snow is not better than in other ski-resorts in the Alps and there probably isn’t an above of average number of days with snowfall. But when it snows, oh my…

If a snowstorm comes through from the right direction (which is northwest to north, by the way) just “it is snowing” is no adequate word for the event of incredible amounts of white stuff getting dumped in the area north of Dachstein. And in the middle of this area lies Krippenstein. I have never experienced snowfall as strong as in Krippenstein anywhere else in the Alps and I have been to places which are famous for their strong snowfalls like Arlberg, Engelberg, Nordpark or Andermatt during heavy storms. It just makes you smile even if you are not skiing or snowboarding. Combine that with some nice terrain, lack of crowds and you have a pretty good resort for powder-skiing.

Krippenstein Resort Review: General Info

Krippenstein is different to many other resorts in many respects. One reason is that the infrastructure is not designed for skiing, but for the use during summer and for the Austrian military, which has a base just a bit south-west of the ski-resort.

There is just one important lift, “Dachstein-Krippensteinbahn”. It is a tram with three sections. The first two sections were renewed in 2007 and have pretty modern, comfortable, fast and quite big gondolas. Even on busy days you won’t have to queue for long. If it is very crowded you may not make it into the first gondola which leaves after you enter the station but you’ll always make it to the next one.

The first section takes you from the valley-station at 609m above sea level to the middle station, which is called “Schönbergalm”, at 1350m. There’s a lot of infrastructure here but all the buildings are closed during winter. The second section takes you from there to the top station, which is located pretty close to the summit of Krippenstein at 2100m. The station itself is big and has been a hotel once, but it has been closed for a long time. If you step outside of the station, you can not miss the “Lodge” which is restaurant, hotel and information centre. It is a nice place to have lunch, or a coffee on the terrace with a great view towards the Dachstein or a beer after your ski-day before you make one last decent to the valley. They also serve, hands-down, the best Topfenstrudel (traditional Austrian quark strudel) I’ve ever had. The third section goes down from the top station, towards the Gjaidalm , it has no real use for skiing, but it is a nice old gondola and there are some nice views from it. The Gjaidalm is a private hut, but run in a way that resembles an alpine club hut. It is big, and can get crowded in spring since it is close to the popular skitours towards the Dachstein.

If you ski down on the piste, you will suddenly enter a little village, which is called Krippenbrunn . It consists of a few houses which are all available as accommodation for tourists, and one restaurant and a bar. Krippenbrunn is a popular place to stay at during the season so the restaurant can get pretty crowded at lunch break and in the evening but they offer acceptable and cheap food and drinks.

Tired of dropping cliffs? Try roofs in Krippenbrunn.

There is a special military gondola, which comes from Obertraun and goes through Krippenbrunn to the military barracks behind the Gjaidalm. This gondola is not included in the ski pass and it can not be used as for skiing. You can get single rides on it in the spring and start touring towards Dachstein from the top though.

There is one chairlift at the resort, at the top, which is pretty short and two beginner t-bars, one at the top of the resort, close to the chairlift and one, which chronically lacks snow, down in the valley.

Piste skiing at Krippenstein

As stated above, there is only one real piste. It is a long one, 11km in total. It starts at the top station and goes east for a while, than it turns north and continues through Krippenbrunn towards the valley. It is a nice run, manageable for beginners, but long and demanding enough for more experienced skiers. The snow is usually quite good because it is pretty north-facing and well-groomed. There is another short run from the top station towards the chairlift, which is not really worth mentioning. But you do not come to the Krippenstein to ski on-piste all the time…

Krippenstein Resort Review: The off-piste

There are three really nice and long more or less official off-piste-runs, which are marked with sticks, some shorter variants of them, and countless hidden descents, which are hard to find. Because all of them are north-facing, the snow stays nice and soft for quite some time, especially in the higher parts.

But some words on the special dangers at the Krippenstein at first. The rock in the whole area is limestone, which is heavily karstified due to millennia of chemical weathering. This means that the whole mountain is full of holes and dolines like a piece of Swiss cheese. Some of them are big caves, which attract a lot of tourists in the summer, the dangerous ones are smaller, just a few meters wide. They can be really deep (40m and more) and are basically like crevasses on a glacier in winter, except that because they contain warm air don’t really get covered with snow that well. Falling into one of those holes could be fatal, so you should be very careful if you leave the marked runs. Hire a guide if you are not sure where you can ski safely. Getting lost is also easy if you leave the marked runs.. and that would be very bad because there are huge cliffbands in the area, and slopes which look really good from above may not lead down to the valley. Only a few people ski off-piste, especially on storm days, so there may be no-one to help you if things turn bad. Because of that you should never ski alone and always carry avalanche safety equipment and know how to use it.

Off-piste runs at Krippenstein

The three main off-piste runs, which are marked, but not controlled and not checked for safety, are Angeralm, Schönbergalm and Imisl/Eisgrube (I call the upper part Imisl and the lower part Eisgrube, some people call it upper and lower Imisl).

The combination of Imisl and Eisgrube is the easiest of the three. From the top station, you follow the piste until it crosses the cables of the third gondola section. There is a sign somewhere which shows the exact starting point. The first part is more or less flat and can be bad for snowboarders if there is a lot of fresh snow. There are some sections which are a bit steeper until you reach the start of the Eisgrube, which is a bit east or skier’s right from Krippenbrunn. You can exit here to Krippenbrunn and the piste, and you can also access the Eisgrube from Krippenbrunn if you follow the piste for a few meters until it turns right, and then left pretty soon. Just head straight ahead, instead of following the bend to the left. There is also a sign.

Eisgrube is steeper than Imisl and because it gets skied a lot it turns into a mogul run more or less during the season. It is still great to ski if there is fresh snow (or if you like mogul-skiing), and it is big enough that you will find some untracked parts even some days after a snowfall. You end up pretty low on the piste, from where you have to continue down to the gondola.

Angeralm is a difficult run, especially at the beginning and at the exit. It starts at the top station, just turn left after you leave the building. You can see the upper part of the run from the second gondola section. Its steep at first with some pretty narrow areas, then it opens up in a wide and open slope with scattered trees.

There is the marked run to the left, and an unmarked one further right which requires a traverse to get there and another to get back again. If you ski down, you will notice orange “EXIT”-signs on trees at some point, which all point skiers left. You have to follow them to get to the exit. Do not ski past them. The exit is pretty bad, especially if there is not much snow or if it has been a long time since the last snowfall. It is steep, there are lots of trees and rocks, there is not much snow and it gets skied out pretty bad. If you are not a good skier or snowboarder, you will be in trouble here, at least the first few times. But it is short, and can be sidestepped if the conditions are really bad. After the exit, you come to the lowest part of Eisgrube, from where you get back to the piste and the gondola.

Schönbergalm is an intermediate run skiing wise, but it is really wide and has a lot of variations, which makes it easy to get lost there, especially if it is foggy and you leave or lose the marked run. You reach it with a traverse and a hike of about 15 minutes from the top station.

First, you ski down towards the beginner t-bar, which you cross at the upper end. From there you continue east. In general, there is a cat-track, but it takes some days after a big storm before they groom it properley. If there is no track, you should only go there if you know the way, because there are no marks until you reach the little hut which marks the start of the descent. Again, it is easy to get lost on the traverse in the fog, and there are dolines all over the area, so be careful. The hut at the start of the Schönbergalm run is open, so you can have a break in it if it’s really cold and windy and you feel like it. From the hut you ski more or less directly to the middle station, from where you can get the gondola to the top again. There is a bigger cave a little bit skiers left of the marked run which you can easily visit on your way down. You can see it from the gondola, which makes it easy to find. It may not be really big but it gives a taste of what can be seen at the Krippenstein in summer when the big caves are open for the public.

As stated above, there are lots of runs which are not marked, like Himmeleck, Minigolf, Little Face, Gelber Stein, Gamsjäger nein danke (which is my favourite at least in its name), Krippenbrunn direkt and a lot more. Some shorter stuff from Imisl towards the piste can be seen from the third gondola section, but in general most of the runs are hard to find and not always in good condition. I would recommend hiring a guide if you want to see more of the terrain that Krippenstein has to offer.

Avalanche danger could be considered low in general on the marked descents since they get skied regularly after each snowfall and the runs aren’t very big or steep. They’re also mostly protected from strong winds. But you can never say that anything is safe, so make your own conclusions, or get a guide. Here are just a few things I’d like to point out:

• Be careful at the Start of the Angeralm and Schönbergalm routes right after a storm, there is always windblown snow and the terrain is fairly steep.
• Stick straight to the markings at the beginning of the descent of the Schönbergalm. There are dolines and holes all over, especially to the left.
• Do not ski close to the cliff-faces skiers left in Angeralm and skiers right in Imisl/Eisgrube (especially at the start of Eisgrube), even if it looks pretty good and there are tracks. There are avalanches coming down from the top of the Krippenstein regularly, especially after or during storms, and when temperatures rise.
• Do not ski Schönbergalm late in the afternoon. If you miss the last gondola, you are in trouble, because you can not get down to the valley from the middle station on skis.
• Do not follow tracks which go straight instead of following the EXIT-signs at the end of the Angeralm. There is one possibility to get down there safe (except the normal exit) and it involves a 3m drop. And there is always just enough snow for one or two skiers. You will not find it if there are no tracks, and if there are tracks it is already skied and you have to downclimb it, or to go back up to the normal exit. Both of those options suck, believe me.

Here are the links to the local avalanche-bulletins (you may take a look at those from Salzburger Land and Styria too, because Krippenstein is located very close to the border):
Upper Austria
Styria
Salzburger Land

Ski-touring near Krippenstein

A lot of people ski-tours in the area, especially from Krippenstein towards Dachstein. As nice as the tours may be landscape-wise, most of the classic ones do not offer great descents. There are some nice ones, for example down to Hallstatt if there is enough snow, but the plateau between the Dachstein and the Krippenstein is pretty flat, and you skin from the Gjaidalm to the Dachstein ski-resort on a cat-track most of the time. In spring, lots of people take the gondola up to the Krippenstein, skin from there to the Dachstein (you can not reach the summit with skis), ski back to the Gjaidalm on the cat-track and continue from there on the piste to Obertraun.

Krippenstein accomodation/après-ski

You can stay in Obertraun or in Hallstatt, but I would recommend staying at the mountain, at the Lodge, the Gjaidalm or in Krippenbrunn. Unlike at other resorts, it is not really expensive (especially in Krippenbrunn) and you will not have to drive to the mountain in the morning. There are ski-buses, but you can not reach the first gondola with them. There is also a kind of a hostel in between Obertraun and the ski-resort.
There is no real après-ski at the Krippenstein. You will meet lots of people in the Lodge, after the last ride up with the gondola and sometimes there are nice spontaneous parties in the Bar in Krippenbrunn. Obertraun is a small village with less than 1000 inhabitants, but if you really want to party you can try the Haifischbar…

Best times to visit

The season starts in mid December and ends at some point in April. I would say that in general, February is the best time to ski the Krippenstein. Since the terrain in the upper parts of the mountain is quite rough and rocky it requires a lot of snow to be really skiable; I would say at least 2m base is needed at the top station. This amount can be reached in January, but not always. In a normal season, there are between 3 and 5 meters of snow at the top station by the beginning of March. Later in the season, it can get pretty warm at the lowest parts of the resort, but still be chilly enough at the top. I had one of my best skiing days in Krippenstein at the end of March, even when I had to carry my skis back to the gondola through pouring rain for about 15 minutes after each run. The higher elevation bit was still really great and you can always avoid going down into the valley by skiing Schönbergalm.

How to get there

You can get to the Krippenstein by car or by train. Do not forget to check the road-conditions if you choose the car! The nearest bigger airport is Salzburg and some cheap flights exist. From Salzburg you have to drive over the Pass Gschütt which can be difficult in heavy snowfall! If it really snows a lot, which it does sometimes in the area, the road from Hallstatt to Obertraun will be closed because of avalanche danger. Very rarely the train connection gets cut off also.

Stuff to do without skis

Hallstatt is definitely worth a visit. It is a really nice village with a long and rich history and culture, lots of nice old houses, some parts of them are build on wooden piles into the lake.

Hallstat during snowfall

The famous big caves in the area are closed during winter, but you can see the small cave in the Schönbergalm descent and you can visit the old salt mines in Hallein and Bad Aussee.

Got a comment or a question that wasn’t answered in this article? Go ahead and drop a note!

Stubai Glacier offers a lot for a piste skier

The Glacier offers a wide variety of pistes, mostly aimed at beginner to advanced skier. There are only a few black pistes available. Compared to a lot of other resorts the pistes are usually well groomed and taken care of. Piste-carvers will be happy to note that the pistes are also nice and wide. The base of the resort is at 1750m while the top lift takes you to 3200m. Here’s the slope map for a general idea about the area:

The offpiste area in Stubai is fairly easily observed from lifts. There are not many runs that won’t be easy to spot from the lift. The terrain is not very steep, it’s a glacier after all. A very serious offpiste skier might want to look into other options such as Chamonix or Verbier but for a normal skier Stubai Glacier will do just fine. On a powder day it’s usually best head straight up to the four-seater chairlift “Rotadlbahn” and have a look at the options around and under the lift. If you’re more into mellow glacier-skipping then the new “Daunscharte” T-bar is worth checking out. Be aware of the hidden crevasses lurking below the snow, especially in autumn, early winter and late spring! There are plenty and falling into one wouldn’t be nice. Consult locals or hire a mountain guide and carry proper equipment and know how to use it. For the experienced the touring options around the resort are plentiful, including the highest mountain of the Stubai Alps, Zuckerhütl. There are also many alpine huts that offer great skiing (see photo below) within a days tour.

Getting to Stubai Glacier resort, accommodation & best times to visit

Stubai Glacier is some 25 kilometers away from Innsbruck and its airport. The flights to Innsbruck can be expensive so another option is to fly to Munich, which is 2 hours away from Stubai if the roads are clear. From Munich you can get to Stubai valley by either renting a car, getting a flight taxi or taking the train to Innsbruck and a bus from there.

The busiest times at Stubai Glacier are the European school holidays but especially the last weeks in the end of November and beginning of December when other resorts normally haven’t opened yet but people are already getting into “ski-mode”. The lift lines during this time can be very long, and if you do decide to come during the high autumn season then take my advice and take the lift down from the glacier before 3pm. This will save you a long wait in a line. But really the best time to ski Stubai would be during the late season, the weather is usually great and snow still plentiful. Crowds are also non-existant during the late season.

The base of the ski area is not in a village. There’s just a big, ugly parking lot and one hotel. Most of the guests skiing Stubai stay further down the valley, in villages such as Neustift or Fulpmes. There’s a free skibus running from the villages to the glacier quite often. The ride takes about 20-30minutes depending on which village you stays in, but during high season the bus can be very packed. If you’re staying in the Stubai valley there’s couple other resorts that are included in the Innsbruck Superski pass and are close by, such as Schlick and Elferlifte. Stubai Glacier is also part of the Snowcard Tirol.

For more information about the Stubai Glacier click here. For an article about skiing close to Innsbruck check Ville’s Resort Review of Innsbruck Area and more information about the villages and accommodation in Stubai Valley check out the tourist information site Innsbruck and its holiday villages.

Got questions about Stubai or was something not mentioned? Drop us a comment!

After doing some web-based research and chatting with some Finnish guys who know Scandinavian resorts well (thanks go to Jan-Erik “Blumi” Blumberg and Petri Kurki), I became interested in the Ramundberget ski resort in Härjedalen, near the Norwegian border, some 600 km from Stockholm. The location is quite far away from any big cities but after checking some snow statistics I made the decision to go. The place (and surrounding valley area, Funäsdalen ) is one of the most snow secure in the whole Scandinavia. The fact that the Ramundberget area doesn’t (and doesn’t have to) use any artificial snow on the slopes tells quite a lot – and real snow is always better than artificial, no matter in which form (powder, packed, spring corn, slush…)

About the surroundings of  Ramundberget  – Funäsdalen area

Ramundberget ski resort is located in the fell highlands of Funäsdalen, average height of the surroundings is about 750 meters above sea level and the whole area is protected from the west by the ridge of the Norwegian Scandinavian Mountains. The nearby Helagsfjället (1797m) offers great views, the southernmost Glacier in Sweden and also some heli-skiing opportunities. There are a few other sharper mountain tops like Skarsfjället (around 1500m) and the ridge of Skarvarna near Bruksvallarna fjell resort (the home of snow cat operation and a location for several freeskiing comps too).

Ramundberget has had tourism since the 1930s and the first lifts were installed in the 50s.  People have lived in the fells for at least 4000 years. In the fellmuseum of Funäsdalen one can enjoy the local history. Nearby Sami (Indigenous Northern European) villages Tännäs and Mittdålen still gain their livelihood (at least partially) from reindeer herding.

The days tourism is certainly the biggest economic activity in the area. What is neat though is that the hotels and lodges are located quite sparsely around the valleys and there are no signs of mass tourism anywhere. The vibe is pretty mellow and most of the visitors seem to be either Swedish families or somewhat older people who like to spend their holidays in the peaceful, quiet fells.

The skiing in Ramundberget resort

For a small-scale resort Ramundberget has a very wide variety of skiing: from lazy blue cruisers to 700-800 vertical meter heli-ski runs down Helagsfjället. The only complaint could be that the lifts itself only offers some 350 meter of vertical (that’s about 1150 feet). But much depends on personal preference. On quiet weekdays that vertical was enough to get my legs burning and I got some pretty enjoyable corn snow turns in perfect steep glades (I usually spent the afternoons with the kids and my wife went for her snow fix).  So, it is not always in the sheer numbers…

Most of the runs in Ramundberget offer variable, mid-level (blue and red runs) skiing in beautiful fell surrounding. The upper part of the mountain is pretty flat and offers a few nice green runs even for absolute beginners and small kids. That’s a nice change since usually the green runs are located at the bottom of the resort. I took my five year old daughter to the “upper hill” and we enjoyed some delicious hot chocolate in the “Tusenmeterstugan” (“Thousand meter hut”), and I count it as one of my all time ski-experiences when my daughter learned to link some proper turns on the green run of ”Ängarna“. There is also a nice, well prepared terrain park on the upper hill with clear and smart signs of green, red and black lines. The park had a lot of fun-looking, creative jibs (I am too old for that stuff…) but a few well sculpted kickers too. And the black line starting monster booter is surely “black” (think JOI size step-up jump!).

Kids have their own “ski land” (Lill-Ramis) which has a clever philosophy of not encouraging parents to leave their children there alone but instead being with them and having good time. So, the idea is that someone (parent, grandparent, relatives…) is always there with their kid, playing and taking care of him/her. The area has all kinds of activities and services (small ski lift, drinks and small snacks, pens and papers, staff that have some scheduled program for kids etc.) but it is not a “kindergarten” by any means. Very Swedish and very smart at the same time, I have to admit. There is a thing or two we Finns can learn from the Swedes, and let’s not start with how to win hockey games…

However, the skiers who like to turn, and most likely in steep conditions and soft snow eventually end up to the lookers left side of the slopes, in an area called Osthang. With good snow even the most experienced and demanding skiers will have some fun there. The runs are steep, narrow and moguls form easily. Couple of the steepest runs can’t be operated by the snow cat – so prepare for moguls and occasional scarse snow paths in the spring or if it hasn’t snowed for a while.  The trees also offer several different routes, some easier and some more demanding – all of them only for experts though, it is steep and the forest is relatively tight everywhere.

The backcountry in Ramundberget and Funäsdalen

Here I have to admit a slight disapointment. But this was not certainly because of the geography or amount/quality of snow - I just hadn’t checked anything properly in advance. The last two weeks of April was very late in the season and for example the heli-ski operation was closed for the winter. The reason for this was that due to some laws about reindeer herding, the Helagsfjället and Skarsfjället (two of the biggest tops) areas were off-limits to heli from the beginning of April. I was informed that the high season for heliskiing is the whole month of March (well, maybe next time…). I also consulted some locals who advised me to hire a snowmobile. Well, I hate to admit but I have never even rode one (not the thing to do in Central Europe by the way), and I only had half days reserved for backcountry trips anyway. So I chose to use good old leg power and climbing skins and did some half day mini-trips to the nearby small tops. Skiing-wise that was nothing really spectacular but I enjoyed the views and the peace and got a few nice spring corn tele-turns here and there. In fact, the rolling terrain the area offered got me thinking about how  lighter, skinnier touring/cross country oriented tele-set up would be very enjoyable here.  I must be getting old, heh. But think about doing a day tour with great views, on perfect non-breakable corn snow, just flying on the snow, both up and down the hill, enjoying a cup of coffee in perfect silence, your only companion being the odd Rock Ptarmigan (Snow Chicken)…

Near the end of the trip I also found out that a place called Bruksvallarna,some 6 kilometers to the south of Ramundberget, offers snow cat operations to the nearby ridge at around 1000m high. And, yes, I also found that they had closed for the season about five days earlier.  That was slightly frustrating, but all in all we were having such a good time that in the end it didn’t bother me too much. Based on what I observed from the nearby road, the cat operation would have lead to some interesting terrain with a couple of decent-looking (around 250m vert) couloirs, although from the end point of the cat track (1050m, a top hut/lodge called Kariknallen) you would still have to do some serious hiking to get to the steeper, good skiing terrain. No wonder the locals tend to use snowmobiles! If you are serious about backcountry and/or want to log some more vert than Ramundberget or other Funäsdalen ski resorts offer, I recommend to take the heli-skiing option or hire a snowmobile. And contact these guys http://www.offpistcenter.com/ for information and backcountry packages.

Ps. Despite the very enjoyable trip, we also had some bad luck. On our return trip, while we were checking into a hotel in Stockholm, our car got robbed. I was away from the car for max fifteen minutes, couldn’t get all the luggage in one go, and my cell-phone, computer and a borrowed helmet-cam set-up were all stolen (and some sweaty old clothes too). Anyway, what pissed me off was that I had some decent helmet-cam footage from the forests. Without flattering myself too much I’d say that the stuff looked pretty damn cool…helmet-cam POV, my new rockered Armada JJ’s and some tight, steep glades with superb corn snow…oh well, you got my point – now the only footage is saved in my brains only. And of all the places in the world, we got robbed in Stockholm, the place I’ve always though of as one of the safest big cities in the world (which it is not anymore and that is quite sad actually).

Quick facts of Ramundberget ski resort:

Altitude: around 700m – 1050m (in the backcountry up to 1797m)
Location: Härjedarlen, Sweden
Season: Alpine skiing -December – May; cross country skiing – October – early June
Languages: Swedish (Almost all the people speak okay English too)

Annual snowfall: circa 5 meters

Snow covered days: usually from late November to early June

Freestyle snow park: yes

Halfpipe: no

For more information visit:

http://www.ramundberget.se/english/5177.winter.html

Because Andermatt ski resort is a dream destination for hardcore skiers and snowboarders who prefer alpine excitement, easy accessible backcountry, great snow (most slopes are north facing) and a laid-back, uncrowded atmosphere.

There are only a few lifts, but they give access to some of the most spectacular runs in the Alps. In the past I used to go to Chamonix, but now I have found my favorite destination in the Alps. It is Andermatt ski resort – a hidden jewel.

Orientation to Andermatt ski resort review

This small mountain town with only 1312 inhabitants is located 67 km southeast of Lucerne and 140 km from Zürich. The bigger resort of Engelberg is only about 30 km away. The town sits at an altitude of 1444 meters near the junction of four alpine passes: the St. Gotthard, Grimsel, Susten, and Oberalp. It is tucked beneath towering mountains on the St. Gotthard Pass and it is said to have the heftiest snowfall in Europe, with an annual average of 13 meters.

Andermatt is a genuine alpine town and is not actually a ski resort itself. Old wooden houses and alpine decorations are very common sights. Those who have only visited in party & showoff-oriented mega-resorts, will find Andermatt quite the opposite. There is no nightlife, and you won’t  see any women in chic furs nor crowds of drunken teenagers. Skiing is THE thing here. There is also a big Swiss Army base near the railway station. Andermatt was once the key of Switzerland’s defense strategy. If an invasion had happened, the military and government would have taken refuge within a network of bunkers and barracks cut beneath Andermatt mountains.

Andermatt’s role was downscaled after the Cold War but the army’s presence has remained a key source of jobs for its locals. It is also very common to see soldiers in the backcountry training. Funny to see men in all white gear with a rifle doing some nice turns. The base also has a good hospital where our child Alvar was also stitched!

Skiing and snowboarding in Andermatt

I myself am a snowboarder who likes to ride free with skiers, so these tips apply to both, I think. The skiing area is spread over three mountains but the best action is focused on the highest, Gemsstock, 2963 meters. Its top section is a glacial bowl jammed with steeps, big banked walls and powder fields. The glacier is small, but it contains some crevasses which are unmarked.

There are only two real pistes and the whole terrain is served by one cable car. There are also a couple of chair lifts in middle station and a terrible Lütersee t-bar which reminds me of Finnish horror t-bars in Pyhä (one of Finland’s best ski resorts). Behind Gemsstock lies Andermatt’s treasure which I (and, I think, you too) am interested in: a giant area of backcountry filled with easy access powder opportunities..

Ticket prices are very cheap in comparison to the area you can ride with it, a week ticket is around 300 CHF and at the end of the season they will sell season tickets for a very low price.

If you want to do pistes, I would recommend the following:

The black Russi Run (named after local Olympic downhill champion, Bernhard Russi). This piste is the whole north face of the mountain, it is basically an in-bounds off-piste type bowl. The Russi run descends below the middle cable car station, so you need to catch the chair up to middle station again. Most people head here after a good snowfall, but the area is vast so it does not get moguled out too quickly.

Sonnenpiste (the sunny slope) goes round the mountain and back to the middle station. The first section is great with good slope angle but the latter part is rather dull as it goes too flat in some areas and you have to do straight line to get enough speed.

There is also the Lütersee t-bar horror lift that gives access to another red piste and you can do very quick warm up runs here as the vertical is only about 400 meters. There is also a funny Gäda bar at the Lütersee station that is built only for the winter season; in the summer it is a place for cows.

From the mid station there are also some nice blue runs that run to the chair lift, there is a small fun park and an Avalanche Training Centre (ATC) where you can practice searching for avalanche victims. This is very good as avalanches are very common in Andermatt.

The backcountry of Andermatt ski resort

The main reason to come to Andermatt is, however, the backcountry. To ride the real backcountry here you don’t have to traverse or hike too much. Of course you can do it and ride very pristine areas and visit backcountry huts, but if you are an average guy like me, you will love these nearby places.

Giraffe

This is a classic 1500 meters of altitude difference backcountry run. The starting point is Gemsstock top station from where you should follow the cat track to their turning point. From there the tricky part begins: an open face with a little traverse at about 200 meters altitude from the ground. Goofy snowboarders should take extreme care here as this is a heel side to them and falling down will cause sure death.

After this the Giraffe is just splendid. The route descends to a little plateau over a huge series of bowls. These bowls are so nice, sufficiently steep with a good variety of exits and normally very untracked. The bowls end in a 500 meters high couloir, which gathers all the avalanches so extreme caution is recommended. The couloir itself is a great run and takes you to a river which you have to follow down to Andermatt.

You may also do the Giraffe without the tricky part but then you have ride more down and hike a bit back.

Felsental

A funny roller-coaster ride that ends in the valley, starts from the top station of Gemsstock towards Sonnenpiste. It has many different routes to choose from and it is not too difficult. Keep in mind that there’s a huge gully near the bottom and you have to decide which side of it to go. The upper part of the gully is normally swept by avalanche so be quick while passing this area. In the end, keep right to get enough speed to reach the bottom station.

Guspis

A beautiful long ride to the neighboring village of Hospental. Drop off the back of the Gemsstock, then boot-pack up to the saddle on the right, which is visible from the top station. Guspis is a very mellow but open run in very beautiful terrain. The last part is on the almost flat road which can be a tough job with a snowboard if the snow is soft.

Winterhorn

This used to be a separate ski area but the lifts haven’t been working for a couple years. So if you are fit enough, you may hike from the bottom to the top of Winterhorn mountain and choose your own runs near the lifts and be sure that you won’t get lost. Guaranteed fresh tracks.

Rossbodenstock 2835 meters

This mountain towers west of Gemsstock and has a cross standing on the top. It is a popular hiking mountain as you can take the train to about 2000 meters and hike the rest on the ridge of the mountain without fear of avalanches. The ride itself is about 1400 meters long and has a stunning view with whole Andermatt in the bottom. Please consult the local guides for more instructions.

This was a small selection to whet the appetite of those interested in Andermatt ski resort. As you get more hungry you might start doing some real backcountry riding from Vermigel hut at 2042 meters, which is a good starting point for reaching Pizzo Centrale at 3001 meters. The hut is also open during the wintertime.

Andermatt is a place for beginners, however. Although the south-facing slopes of Nätschen area offer some less challenging blues and reds they are not ideal as they are not so wide and have a lot of turns.

Lodging and eating in Andermatt

Andermatt is not a typical package tour destination. There are a limited selection of hotels and apartments which tend to fill up during weekends as Swiss people from Zürich and Luzerne come to spend their weekends. Hotels which have been recommended to me are Hotel Kristall (rather ugly house compared to others in town, but a great breakfast), Hotel Drei Koninge and Hotel Monopol. The apartments can be booked through Andermatt Tourist Center or at www.andermatt.ch.

If you want to stay at nearby village of Göschenen, the one and only place to go is Chalet-Hotel Krone, which has rooms and apartments to rent. The owners, Kai and Alexandra are the warmest and friendliest hotel owners I have ever met and they also have a great sauna! Kai is a good skier too and knows the backcountry area very well.

Most of the good restaurants are at the main street Gotthardstrasse. We haven’t dined much in the restaurants as we have always had an apartment. But I have heard that the restaurant at the Schweizerhof hotel does great steaks and meat fondue, and the restaurant Toujours is the place if you want some fine dining.

Andermatt After ski

The Spycher at Gotthardstrasse 65 is the place to be after a day on the mountain. The pizzas and warmed terrace with a good pint of beer are a great way to share your powder experiences. The place is small and is normally fully packed after 16.00 until 23.00. For nightlife there is not much to do in Andermatt. Only the Gotthard bar is open late, and the others close around midnight.

I hope you got a picture of skiing and life is in Andermatt. For me the place has provided so many good memories.

Quick facts of Andermatt ski resort:

Altitude: 1444-2963 meters
Location: Central Switzerland
Season: November-May
Population: 1312
Languages: German (main), Rheto-Romanic, Italian
Annual snowfall: 13 meters
Snow covered days: about 180 per year

For more information, please visit:

www.andermatt.ch
www.gemsstock.ch
www.slf.ch (snow and avalanche info)
www.sbb.ch (Swiss Traincompany)

P.S.
The army has been stationed here over 120 years, but now it is selling its land. The buyer is an Egyptian billionaire, Samih Sawiris, who plans to develop the town into a luxury resort for the super-wealthy. Luckily this project ”The Andermatt Resort” has slowed as the worldwide recession is running. Lets hope Andermatt maintains its unpolished charm in the future too.

Photos © Antti Zetterberg

Ylläs saunagondola is the first one in the world

I conversed with Aki Rundgren, the marketing manager at Ylläs ski resort in Finland. According to Mr. Rundgren, the saunagondola at Ylläs is the first one in the world and probably in the entire universe. There are four seats in the saunagondola and passangers can spend a maximum of 2 hours in the sauna. During these two hours passengers enjoy two rounds from the valley to the summit and back. One round takes about 15-20 minutes, and the distance from the starting point to the summit is two kilometers. During one round the saunagondola climbs 430 vertical meters.

You might think that it doesn’t sound so nice to be naked in a gondola while others are skiing all around you. Guess again! You don’t need to worry about being naked in the saunagondola because the windows are covered with dark shields. This means that the passengers in the saunagondola can see outside, but skiers outside cannot see inside the saunagondola. So you can be totally naked and enjoy a traditional Finnish sauna…

Actually, the saunagondola is not used during regular skiing hours. It is used only after skiers have left the slope, which in Finland is 7pm – 9pm in the winters and 4pm – 6pm in summer time. If it becomes too hot inside and you start feeling ill, just open the small window and breath fresh arctic air.

Unique ride in Saunagondola requires a bag of cash

So, how can you get a ride in the Saunagondola? First of all, you need to find your way to Ylläs ski resort in northern Finland. After that, reserve the saunagondola by calling +358 40 544 7743 or by sending email to yllaskammi@iso-yllas.fi. Next, enjoy the hot ride!

Notice that you cannot reserve only the Saunagondola. Instead you have to reserve the Café Gondol 718 sauna department located at the summit of Ylläs hill. The sauna department includes regular sauna services such as showers, a sauna and a fireplace. The price of the sauna department is 500 euros (maximum 12 people).

The price for the Saunagondola is 1000 euros, but as mentioned above, in order to get a ride in the Saunagondola you have to reserve the sauna department as well, which has a price tag of 500 euros. So the total price for the Saunagondola ride and the sauna department is 1500 euros, which might sound pretty high. The reason for the price is that the Saunagondola requires at least three people to operate it. And hey! It’s the only Saunagondola in the frigging world, so you got to be ready to pay for the unique ride.

Saunagondola. Oh man… This is pure Finnish craziness! Damn cool idea.

If you have tested the Saunagondola, please leave a comment and share your experience with us!

But Matterhorn is not the only awe-inspiring thing in Zermatt. In February 2009 I had the good fortune of spending a week in this resort, and it left me with a desire to go back. I hope this review can give you an overview about skiing in Zermatt, and perhaps even convince you to give it a shot, and book your holiday there during the winters to come.

General Resort Information

The town Zermatt is located in a valley in the altitude of 1620 m. The relatively high altitude of the resort guarantees good snow conditions and a long season. Some of the pistes at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise are even open throughout the whole year.

The town itself is by far the most beautiful mountain town I’ve visited so far. It is located in the end of Mattertal-valley right under the Monte Rosa massif. Zermatt offers its residents a spectacular view of the north face of Matterhorn. This, of course, is good news for the thriving tourism industry, whose importance to the town can only really be understood by looking at the population demographic of Zermatt.

While housing it’s 5500 inhabitants, Zermatt’s various hotels offer approximately 15000 beds for the tourists to fill. Walking around the city, these numbers become obvious as the vast majority of all the buildings are hotels. Fortunately they are built with good taste as most of them resemble the traditional swiss chalet style architecture.

Zermatt takes its main livelihood so seriously, that in order to prevent air pollution from disfiguring the town’s view of Matterhorn, the whole town is combustion-engine car-free zone. Local commerces handle their transportation needs with small electric vehicles.

The most important sights in the town include the Alpine Museum as well as the Climbers’ Graveyard both of which are located in the city center. The climbers’ graveyard, as the name implies, serves as the final resting place for some of the more than 500 alpinists who have met their destiny trying to reach the summit of Matterhorn ever since the first ascent that took place in 1865.

Skiing in Zermatt

As I mentioned earlier, the town is in the altitude of 1620 m whereas the highest lift-station, Gobba di Rollin, is in the altitude of 3899 m. The total vertical height difference is therefore a respectable 2279 m. Furthermore, its possible to ski all the way down to Zermatt from Gobba di Rollin, if one so wishes. Matterhorn Ski Paradise and its 197 km of marked pistes are naturally divided into three distinct areas:

1. Sunnegga Paradise
2. Gornergrat area, and
3. Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Schwarzsee Paradise

Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is also lift-linked with the neighboring Cervinia resort, which is on the italian side of the border. Including Cervinia, the total number of piste-kilometers reaches 313 km.

All three distinct areas are served by their own transport system from the town. The fastest one is the Sunnegga Express train that takes you to Sunnegga Paradise (2288 m) in just 8 minutes. There’s also a ski-lift station on the outskirts of the town from where you can get to Schwarzsee Paradise. The last alternative is to take the Cornergrat Bahn cog-wheel train with which you can travel all the way up to Gornergrat (3089 m). The ride takes a little over half an hour. The lift system in Zermatt is quite impressive. There seemed to be no bottlenecks anywhere, and the overall capacity of the lifts seemed to be sufficient to say the least. Our vacation took place in the beginning of february, which should be the busiest time of the year. Nevertheless, we never had to stand in a lift queue for more than a few minutes at a time. The other side of the coin is that Zermatt apparently has the most expensive skiing tickets in the alps. We paid CHF 421 for 6 1/2 day tickets including access to the italian side.

While there are several ski schools and plenty of beginner areas, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that Zermatt would be a good resort for the beginner. There are not too many blue pistes to begin with – only about 9% of all the pistekilometers are blue. In addition, not all of them are very easy. Especially the ones descending down to Zermatt are, in fact quite challenging. This of course means that there’s a huge selection of great runs for the intermediate / expert skier or snowboarder. In addition, Zermatt offers a variety of freeride runs for the experienced skier. If this is not enough to satisfy your appetite you can always hire a mountain guide for a day and go off-piste. Unlike in France, heli-skiing is also possible. There are in fact two companies offering heli-skiing services.

As mentioned earlier, Zermatt is lift-linked with the italian ski resort Cervinia. However, because of avalanche danger the access to Cervinia was closed for the whole duration of our holiday. This was no biggie since there’s lots and lots of skiing to do on the Zermatt side as well. But if this happens to you, it’s good to know that in this case you are entitled to get some of your money back. So better hold on to that receipt.

While skiing you will occasionally see signs about Matterhorn Ski Safari. The safari is a route that has been put together by the tourist office. It’s basically a day-long trip that gives you the chance to ski the whole international ski area without using the same lift or run twice. If you’re planning on staying only a few days, the ski safari might be a good option for you. The safari route is also presented on the piste map.

Tips for planning your holiday in Zermatt

The first thing to mention here is: book early!! The hotels with the best value for your money are the ones that get fully booked first. I’d recommend booking your hotel at least half a year in advance. We stayed in an apartment hotel with basic cooking facilities in the room. Thus we were able to cook by ourselves, and didn’t need to eat out every evening.

If you plan to go skiing on the italian side, its very important to remember to come back before the lift-link closes for the night. If you miss it, you either have to find a hotel room in Cervinia, or take a very expensive 6 hour taxi ride back to Zermatt.

The runs 52 and 51 from Schwarzsee Paradise to Furi earn a special recommendation. They take you so close to Matterhorn that you’re basically a touching distance away. As an added bonus, probably because of the relatively remote location of these runs, there were very few skiers on them. Especially in the late afternoons you can pretty much ski just by yourself.

For the occasional bad weather day, there are also other things to do in Zermatt. You can go visit the alpine museum, or relax your muscles in one of the small spas. There’s a nice small spa in the Style Hotel. If you want to swim laps, you should head to hotel Christiania. It has a 25 m pool, a sauna and a fitness-room.

In order to get the most out of your stay, I’d highly recommend getting a guide book. Prior to our holiday, we bought the Mad Dog Ski Resort Guide to Zermatt. It proved to be especially useful in choosing both on- and off-piste restaurants. Indeed, there are around 30 on-piste restaurants scattered across the skiing area plus several more on the italian side. We had some really good meals thanks to Mad Dog’s recommendations. The mountain restaurant Marmottes deserves a special recommendation due to their beautiful restaurant, delicious food and excellent service.

It’s good to know that the weather, especially on the highest peaks, can occasionally get quite extreme. We experienced temperatures down to -27°C accompanied by a strong wind.

Conclusion

If it’s not obvious yet, I really liked the place. Zermatt is a beautiful resort with some excellent skiing to be done. It’s a place that every skier should experience at least once in their lives. I’d love to go back, and I definitely will at some point. And when it comes to Matterhorn, I know that we’ve all seen an endless amount of photos of it’s north face. But believe me, when you’re actually there looking at its majestic appearance, you will be impressed. It’s a sight you just won’t get bored of.

Marko’s list made me ponder where I would like to ultimately use that set-up. Where would I go if I could choose any destination and do some ski touring? Let’s exclude lift/heli-assisted stuff for the time being…

These days I am more of a resort/”slackcountry” skier.  My wife and I have two small children. This means family trips, and  my wife likes to ski too on the holidays. So, my backcountry/ski touring days are pretty limited at the moment. However, some years ago I skied quite a lot more: I guess I have some 500 days under my belt spent skiing and snowboarding  in the Alps/Slovakian Tatras/Northern Finland or Norway during the years 1996-2004.  Marko and I met in Chamonix – the European backcountry skiing/mountaineering “Mecca”, and I probably have had some of my very best days there and have made all sorts of great ski/snowboarding friends. However, if someone were to ask what the most beautiful place where I have ever skied is, the answer is pretty clear: The Lyngen Alps in Northern Norway. And Lyngen is all about man-powered ascents – Norway has strict rules of no helis, no big lifts, no sleds on Lyngen Peninsula unless you are a local reindeer farmer, etc., which in my opinion is pretty cool – that policy keeps most the crowds away for sure!

The yearly Lyngen ski trip has became almost obligatory for some Finnish freeriders and ski tourers. After all, the place is located only about 60 km from the Finnish border. I haven’t paid much attention to articles on Lyngen skiing in recent years (a defensive reaction, knowing that those trips are pretty unaccessible for me at the moment) but last Saturday I happened to see a  TV clip that definately got my attention. You can watch the clip on this site – it is in Finnish but wait a while and there is an interview of Graham Austick, the owner of the Lyngen Lodge, in English.

Lyngen Lodge offers something different

Lyngen Lodge is a touring skiing/outdoor sports center located in Djupvik i Lyngen on the shore line of the eastern side of the Lyngen Fjord approximately 2.5 hours east of the city of Tromsø along route E6. The lodge offers all modern luxuries and acts a a base camp for client’s adventures.

The real deal is the boat reserved for client ski trips. The motor boat, the Spirit of Lyngen, will provide transportation to the ski locations, making several lines possible that aren’t accessible on any other vehicle (see more here). How cool is that?

Skiing in Lyngen Peninsula, Northern Norway

To quote Lyngen Lodge’s site:

“With over 60 summits over 1000m flanking the Lyngen Fjord’s shores, skiers are provided with an incredible choice of terrain. Lyngen Lodge is located 500km inside the Arctic Circle and due to the high Northern latitude the sun’s glancing rays have less effect on the snow. By mid February the polar nights have been already replaced with 7 hours of sunshine by mid May it’s the midnight sun.

Avergage summit heights are around 1000m to 1200m but on the high glaciers of the main Lyngen Peninsula there are summits over 1400m with Jiehkkevarri being the highest at 1834m above sea level.”

Well, I have to admit that at this age and in this life situation a ski touring trip with all the modern comforts of Lyngen Lodge and the luxurious boat transfer to the start of the lines sounds pretty damn tempting. Maybe in a few years when the kids are a little older and maybe, just maybe, if the economical situation allows…heh. Tents and camping in the mountains are cool but you must remember that in Norway it can be pure rain at times and the weather will change every fifteen minutes or so. Call me a lazy old fart but at least I can defend myself with the fact that you still have to walk uphill with your own legs…

So, to summarize: Lyngen Lodge sounds like a dream ski touring trip to me!

All pictures by Antti Zetterberg, used with permission