Skiing in Switzerland
Due to the fact that two-thirds of the country is occupied by mountains, Switzerland has become a real paradise for skiers and climbers. The Swiss Alps are deservedly considered the birthplace of mountaineering and skiing. A distinctive feature of Swiss ski resorts is a high level of service and comfort, and the Swiss level of slope preparation is considered a benchmark all over the world. A large number of modern lifts, their high throughput and the absence of queues even in the peak of the season guarantee excellent skiing from November to April, and in the resorts of Zermatt and Saas-Fee – even in summer. The most popular ski resorts: Grindelwald, Engelberg, St. Moritz, Davos, Zermatt, Verbier, Saas – Fe, Crans – Montana. In the ski resorts of Switzerland, although not often, there are still difficult sections: steep, dangerous, located along the edges of the glacier. For beginners and intermediate hikers, they are hardly suitable. But for professionals, extreme conditions of descent will bring a lot of pleasure. Check top-medical-schools.org for travel information in Swaziland.
Zermatt is located in the southwest of Switzerland. The highest point within this resort is Mount Klein Materhorn (3885 m). According to the quality of slopes and snow Zermatt one of the ten best alpine resorts. This is a great place for “advanced” and expert skiing. At the same time, there are excellent conditions for beginners, the best skiing areas for which are Gornergrat and Sunnega – Blauchheard-Rothorn. There are slopes of varying difficulty – 11 blue, 17 red and 11 black. The most difficult area for skiing – Trifti – has bumpy black slopes. Perhaps this is generally one of the most difficult skiing regions in the Alps. Lifts: 2 funiculars, 10 cabins, 4 gondola, 4 chairlifts and 17 tows. Skiing in Zermatt is possible both in winter and in summer. The resort completely prohibits the movement of motor vehicles and therefore the air is absolutely clean. In addition, Zermatt is famous for some of the best mountain restaurants in the world.
The village of Saas-Fee is surrounded by four-thousander mountains. In addition to 100 km of ski trails, there are cross-country ski trails, toboggan runs, indoor and outdoor skating rinks, and a fitness center. And after skiing, you can relax in one of the 60 restaurants. For its merits, this ski resort has earned the name “Pearl of the Alps”.
The picturesque resort of Grindelwald is located in the heart of the Bernese Alps. The highest peaks are the Eiger (3970 m), Mönch (4099 m), and the Jungfrau (4158 m). More than 45 funiculars, ski lifts and lifts take skiers to the top of more than 200 km of different slopes. Grindelwald – winter sports resort: alpine skiing, snowboarding (including off-piste and glacier skiing), skating and sledding, cross-country skiing. Every year, here, high on the glacier, the Festival of Snow Sculptures is held, which then decorate the city all winter.
Engelberg resort is located near the city of Lucerne. This is one of the oldest and most picturesque resorts, the name of which can be translated as “mountain of an angel”. Altitudes in this area fluctuate between 1050 and 3028 m; the total length of the slopes is 82 km, there are 27 lifts.
San Moritz is a “cosmopolitan” resort with great hotels and a wide choice of restaurants. In winter, more than 150 different interesting events are held here. In addition to traditional winter events (polo and cricket competitions on the ice of a frozen lake, the famous Engandina ski marathon, etc.), for example, the classical music festival “Snow and Symphony” is held. The total length of St. Moritz pistes is 350 km, most of which are red. There are 58 lifts in operation.
Davos is located in the southeast of Switzerland near the Austrian border. Davos holds a special place in the history of winter sports, since it was here that the world’s first towing lift opened in the early 1930s. 315 kilometers of ski runs in Davosdivided into seven zones (Parsenn, Pischa, Strela-Schatzalp, Rinerhorn, Madrisa and Gotschna), some of them are connected by lifts. The Parsenn zone is the largest and most popular. Due to the popularity of Davos and due to the fact that the lifts from Dorf and Platz are of the funicular type and cannot accommodate a large number of people, there are long queues for the lifts to the slopes. The slopes are mostly red and blue, but there are a few off-pistes for masters, including the 18 km descent to Fideris. Elevation difference – 1300 m.
Verbier is part of one of the world’s largest ski areas “Four Valleys”, uniting Verbier pistes, Nenda, Tsumaz, Veysonaz. For skiers – numerous tracks and high-speed lifts, for snowboarders – a snowpark with a half-pipe. The elevation difference is from 1500 to 3300 m, the total length of the slopes is 200 km, the lifts are 48. The main attraction of Verbier is the virgin slopes (6 ski areas). In 1994, the resort began a global upgrade of the lifts, which continues to this day. Verbier is built in the “chalet” style and attracts with the atmosphere of a traditional Alpine village.
Crane – Montana known for its sophisticated lift system. The slopes, mostly of medium difficulty, are varied; few difficult tracks. The lower sections of the trails are very picturesque, as they run through forests. These resort towns have a complete set of not only après-ski, but also the whole variety of urban recreation and entertainment. Crans-Montana has a well-developed hotel and commercial infrastructure.
