PISTE MAP
SKI Area
- Fantastic views of the emblematic snow-capped peak of the Matterhorn follow you wherever you ski.
- Fast, modern and efficient lift system.
- Extensive challenging terrain.
- Plenty of terrain for higher end intermediates to try.
- Superb off piste – just hire a local ski guide and go exploring!
- A snow-sure ski area with superb snowmaking facilities.
The Zermatt ski area is divided into four sectors; Rothorn, not far from the main village area and certainly the most suitable for beginner skiers; Gonergrat, reached via a thirty-minute train ride; Schwarzsee area, reached by the Matterhorn Express Gondola; and the Matterhorn glacier paradise, which is exactly as it sounds and can be reached by staying on the Matterhorn Express Gondola. Conveniently, all sectors have pistes linking back to the main village so finding your way home after a long day on the slopes isn’t a problem. With some of the highest pistes in Europe, it will come as no surprise that Zermatt is generally a high altitude resort and most runs are above the treeline, this of course means that there are a limited amount of tree runs, however, you can still find a few tree-lined pistes, specifically runs back down to the village. High altitude is usually synonymous with snow-sure conditions, and Zermatt is no exception; combined with fantastic snow-making facilities, snow conditions in Zermatt are pretty good, with a regular serving of dry fluffy snowfall.
Getting around is easy; with a fast, modern and efficient lift system throughout the entire resort, in Zermatt you will spend minimal time dangling and more time pounding the slopes. Perhaps one of Zermatt’s most distinctive features – the spectacular scenery; nearly every run is served by wonderful views; in particular, the emblematic Matterhorn can be seen from almost everywhere on the slopes and will continuously take your breath away. Quite simply, we love the skiing in Zermatt here at Ski Weekends; it’s extensive, varied and profoundly beautiful. Not to mention all of the Friendly lift staff and resort workers that really are the icing on top of a wonderful cake!
Take a look below at our breakdown to find out more information relevant to your ability:
Advanced
If you’re an advanced skier, you’ll certainly feel right at home in Zermatt. As well as some pretty steep black runs - that we guarantee will get the heart racing – those that are left unsatisfied have another option; some of the Zermatt itineraries (marked and avalanche controlled, but not maintained runs) are essentially semi-off piste and provide some serious challenges, mainly due to the high gradient and fact that they are ungroomed, often enabling mogul fields to form. Zermatt has some fantastic off piste, which we certainly recommend to any experts that are up to the challenge; as always though, we strongly advise that you hire a professionally qualified local guide, especially in Zermatt where there are many rocks and crevasses – knowledge of the terrain is essential.
Intermediates
Intermediates are well catered for in Zermatt, especially the mile crunchers and adventurous skiers in the group. Blues and reds are in abundance and accurately classified. That said, generally speaking, most blue runs are ‘dark blue’ as in a little more challenging than your regular blues – good news for higher end intermediates but for lower end intermediates, we suggest that you research your routes well – a good option are some of the lighter blues from Blauherd for those slightly cautious intermediates. For those that are after a bit of a challenge, Zermatt has some fantastic reds to try your hand at; we particularly like the reds in the Gornergrat sector – whilst some are quite steep and tricky others are quite wide, meaning perfect carving territory!
Beginners
Whether you’re a complete first timer, beginning to link your turns together, or perhaps just struggling to remain vertical, we suggest that you purchase a Wolli pass and head to the best place for beginner skiers in Zermatt – Leisee, just below Sunnega an easily reached by a funicular; from here you can enjoy three moving carpets and two rope tows at your leisure (the Wolli pass also enables you to ski the interconnecting blue). Admittedly, Zermatt is not a resort blessed with copious amounts of beginner terrain and you may struggle to find runs that are appropriately progressive. Nonetheless, whilst Zermatt may not be the most ideal resort for beginners, there is certainly enough terrain to find your ski legs on.
Snowboarders
Experienced snowboarders will certainly enjoy some of the challenging terrain and extensive off piste opportunities, we recommend you hire a local guide if you want to venture from marked runs. On the other hand, on piste can potentially present a few challenges – this is mainly due to the large, frequent flat areas that can be a little frustrating for snowboarders. That said, there is a pretty good terrain park called Snowpark; this is located next to Furggsattel chair, here you can enjoy a variety of rails, kickers and a snow cross course – ideal for both skiers and snowboarders alike.
Off-Piste*
As previously stated, Zermatt is fantastic for off-piste skiing. No matter what level of skier you are, you will certainly be able to find some off-piste terrain suitable for your ability. As always, we strongly recommend that you hire a professional local ski guide whenever venturing off-piste. If you aren’t quite ready to venture off-piste completely, the ‘itineraires’ that are marked on most piste maps are essentially semi off-piste – as in they are marked and controlled to a degree, but remain un pisted and unmaintained. If you’re really feeling adventurous, then you should give heli-skiing in Zermatt a go; in fact, Zermatt is home to the Alp’s largest heli-centre.
*Ski Weekends strongly advise that off-piste skiing should only be undertaken when in the company of a professional ski instructor or guide.
To find out more about skiing in Zermatt, feel free to contact one of our friendly Ski Experts on 023 8020 6971 or email sales@skiweekends.com