Ski Switzerland

Welcome to the Ski Switzerland page, providing a regular round-up of the skiing conditions and current snow reports for the main ski resorts in the Swiss Alps. Over recent years some of the most consistent good piste conditions have been reported at Saas Fee, Davos, Zermatt, Klosters, Andermatt, Verbier, and Engelberg showing a mix of high glacial resorts and those most exposed to the prevailing north westerly storm tracks. However, in any given week or season the best slope conditions may be found at any of the numerous other high Swiss resorts or at lower elevation ski stations in poor weather amongst the trees.

For off-piste powder, resorts such as Zinal, Grimentz, Davos, Les Diablerets, Arosa, Andermatt, and Engelberg have proven among the most consistent over several seasons either because of regular heavy snowfalls, favourable sun aspect, or in some cases because they are high and quite so they don't get tracked out quickly. In terms of accumulating snow depth throughout the season, Andermatt and Engelberg excel and are a regular match for anywhere in Europe, however every season is different and there are no guarantees. Slope conditions change day by day so check out the reports summaries below for the latest news and of course the snow forecasts we produce for summit, mid-station and resort level elevations at every major ski station in Switzerland.

Switzerland is for many people the country most immediately associated with skiing. Known for its spectacular mountain scenery, efficient infrastructure, high quality and yes, high prices, the country does have the world’s longest history as a winter sports tourism destination – with the very first holiday taking place in St Moritz one and a half centuries ago, shortly before downhill skiing was invented in Norway, in the Telemark style.

The Kulm Hotel St Moritz was the first hotel to be built in St Moritz, the Kulm opened its doors in 1856 and immediately became popular for summer spa and painting holidays, particularly among the British who comprised around 75% of the hotel guests.

The owner of the Kulm Hotel, Johannes Badrutt, initiated winter holidays to St Moritz from 1864, when he laid a bet with his last departing summer guests that the local weather was so good they could sun themselves on the hotel’s terrace even in deep December; if not, he would cover the cost of their holiday himself. He won the bet and within two years, the hotel was fully booked with guests staying for the entire winter season. The Kulm Hotel St Moritz can, therefore, take credit for starting the trend for winter sports holidays which developed in to Swiss ski holidays and the Kulm itself is now a huge five star hotel – one of five in the famous resort – is still in business to this day.

Since then around 400 Swiss ski resorts have opened in every canton including many of the world’s best known destinations. Europe’s highest ski lifts are here at Zermatt, 3899m up, which is one of only two resorts in the world open 365 days a year. As well as St Moritz there are glitzy resorts like Verbier, Crans Montana and Gstaad; resorts with long histories and particularly stunning mountain scenery like Grindelwald, Wengen and Murren in the Jungfrau – a favourite British destination for more than a century - or Davos, where Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a ski pioneer.

Architecture can be more problematic in Switzerland’s ski resorts. Although there are none of the entirely concrete-block developments that have blighted some areas in the French Alps, many of the bigger Swiss resorts contain a few similar ugly buildings as they do not have the same building restrictions as Austria, where a traditional chalet style design is normally required for all new buildings. There are however unspoilt villages to be found such as Grimentz.

Switzerland offers skiing in resorts in the West of the country where French is spoken, the East where it’s German and in the southerly canton of Ticino, Italian. There are ski areas of all sizes including the 350km cross-border area shared by Zermatt and Italy’s Cervinia and the 400km of the 4 Valleys. Thanks to the glaciers and high altitude skiing of many resorts including Engelberg and Laax, snow cover is rarely a problem and sunshine is a strength, particularly for St Moritz again, which claims more than 300 days of it each year.

Another idea pioneered by the Swiss is car-free ski resorts. There are about a dozen including Saas Fee, Wengen and Zermatt. In some cases they have been so successful that permitted hotel electric buggys throng the streets making them almost as busy as they would be with motor traffic, but the noise isn’t there, nor the polluting fumes, making these very special and relaxing places to stay.

Spectacular mountain restaurants are yet another forte, be they the revolving restaurant built with money generated by the James Bond film crew that filmed On His Majesty’s Secret Service at Murren in the late 1950s, or similar establishments above Leysin and Saas Fee, or the ultra-cool Botta restaurant at Les Diablerets.

Switzerland is expensive although just how expensive depends on the strength of the Franc against other currencies. In the 1990s its strength made Switzerland the most expensive destination in Europe for skiers, but through the first decade of the current century prices gradually dropped below those of the Euro, and the French 3 Valleys around Courchevel became more expensive than the Swiss 4 Valleys around Verbier. That changed with the global economic collapse in 2008 when investors seeking a safe haven invested in the Franc and by autumn 2011 the currency was riding so high that one version of Zermatt’s international pass became the most expensive lift ticket in the world – overtaking the usually ‘most pricey’ in Western USA for the first time in decades. The Swiss national bank intervened to limit the strength of the franc and prevent the collapse of Swiss tourism.

Many fans of Swiss skiing do say that the higher costs are worthwhile anyway, so long as they are affordable, for the higher quality experience. Swiss Airlines provide a high quality service to skiers which is continually recognised in user polls and industry awards and, once you land in Geneva or Zurich, many resorts are accessible by an ultra efficient rail and bus network direct from the airports.

It’s also worth noting that, although lift tickets for adults can be expensive, Switzerland offers the best prices in Europe for children. Indeed more than 50 resorts don’t charge for children at all until age 8 or 9 and then offers at least 50% off until adulthood at age 16 or 18 and even then there’s usually a 15-30% discount for young adults or students to their early 20s. This compares to France where children usually pay from age 4 or 5 and then 60-80% of the full adult price, which is payable in total from age 11 to 13. So some family configurations may find that, even with a higher adult lift pass cost, overall they pay less. read more...

Switzerland: latest snow conditions round-up

Ski resorts in Switzerland from A to I

Resort	Webcam (click to zoom)	Top and bottom snow depth	On-piste	Off-piste	Forecast snow in next 3 days (click for forecast)	Weather forecast for 3 days ahead Weather report	Last snow
Adelboden		210 cm 70 cm	Excellent	Varied	0 cm	Mostly dry Overcast skies	5 cm on 3 Feb
Aeschi		40 cm 20 cm	Good	Powder / hard	0 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 10 Feb
Airolo					0 cm	A dusting of new snow
Alt St. Johann/Toggenburg		170 cm 70 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 10 Feb
Amden		200 cm 80 cm	Fresh	Fresh	3 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 9 Feb
Andermatt		350 cm 182 cm	Excellent	Varied	0 cm	Mostly dry Light clouds dotting the sky	1 cm on 2 Feb
Anzère		325 cm 175 cm	Good	Varied	0 cm	Mostly dry Another glorious day	5 cm on 31 Jan
Arolla		200 cm 120 cm	Packed		0 cm	Mostly dry	on 31 Jan
Arosa		210 cm 150 cm	Excellent	Varied	0 cm	A dusting of new snow Overcast skies	2 cm on 2 Feb
Atzmännig Goldingen		240 cm 160 cm	Good	Powder	3 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 7 Feb
Avers		80 cm 85 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 9 Feb
Beatenberg		100 cm 10 cm	Packed		0 cm	Mostly dry	on 8 Feb
Belalp - Blatten - Naters					0 cm	Mostly dry
Bellwald / Goms		240 cm 140 cm	old		0 cm	Mostly dry	on 30 Jan
Bergün / Bravuogn					0 cm	Mostly dry
Bettmeralp - Aletsch		192 cm 142 cm	Packed		0 cm	Mostly dry	on 31 Jan
Bivio		85 cm 130 cm	Powder	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 9 Feb
Bosco Gurin					0 cm	Mostly dry
Braunwald		240 cm 160 cm	Packed		1 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 7 Feb
Brienz - Axalp		190 cm 100 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 10 Feb
Brigels-Waltensburg-Andiast		300 cm 200 cm	Packed		0 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 25 Jan
Brunni - Haggenegg (Mythen)		60 cm 50 cm	Good	Powder	1 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 9 Feb
Bruson		150 cm 90 cm	Good	Hard	0 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 30 Jan
Bulle - La Chia					1 cm	A dusting of new snow
Bumbach / Schangnau		110 cm 55 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 3 Feb
Bürchen - Törbel		150 cm 90 cm	Packed		0 cm	Mostly dry	on 30 Jan
Celerina/Engadin		118 cm 95 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 1 Feb
Champéry		200 cm 120 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry Clear blue skies, all lifts open	10 cm on 2 Feb
Champex-Lac		380 cm 180 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 31 Jan
Champoussin		380 cm 150 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 4 Jan
Chandolin		220 cm 80 cm	Powder	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 31 Jan
Charmey					1 cm	A dusting of new snow
Château d'Oex					0 cm	A dusting of new snow
Chur		200 cm 5 cm	Powder	Powder	0 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 2 Feb
Churwalden					0 cm	A dusting of new snow
Corvatsch-Furtschellas		122 cm 70 cm	Packed		0 cm	Mostly dry	on 1 Feb
Corviglia-Marguns					0 cm	Mostly dry
Crans Montana		385 cm 155 cm	Excellent	Varied	0 cm	Mostly dry Another glorious day	2 cm on 3 Feb
Dallenwil Wirzweli					0 cm	A dusting of new snow
Davos		230 cm 140 cm	Excellent	Wind Blown	0 cm	Mostly dry Cloudy skies, light snow expected	2 cm on 9 Feb
Degersheim		45 cm 30 cm	Good	Powder	3 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 9 Feb
Dent-de-Vaulion					0 cm	Mostly dry
Diavolezza-Lagalb		120 cm 80 cm	Packed		0 cm	Mostly dry	on 1 Feb
Diemtigtal - Grimmialp		140 cm 70 cm	Packed		0 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 1 Feb
Diemtigtal - Springenboden		80 cm 60 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 31 Jan
Diemtigtal - Wiriehorn					0 cm	A dusting of new snow
Disentis		165 cm 50 cm	Powder	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 10 Feb
Ebnat-Kappel - Toggenburg					3 cm	A dusting of new snow
Eggiwil		30 cm 30 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 3 Feb
Eigenthal					0 cm	A dusting of new snow
Einsiedeln					2 cm	A dusting of new snow
Eischoll		150 cm 90 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 4 Feb
Elm		295 cm 83 cm	Good	Powder	1 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 9 Feb
Emmetten					1 cm	A dusting of new snow
Engelberg		470 cm 50 cm	Excellent	Varied	0 cm	Mostly dry Light clouds dotting the sky	5 cm on 31 Jan
Eriz					0 cm	Mostly dry
Ernergalen					0 cm	Mostly dry
Evolène		150 cm 90 cm	Packed		0 cm	Mostly dry	on 4 Feb
Fideris - Fideriser Heuberge					0 cm	A dusting of new snow
Fiesch - Eggishorn - Aletsch		190 cm 86 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 31 Jan
Flims Laax Falera		390 cm 115 cm	Excellent	Varied	0 cm	A dusting of new snow Another glorious day	2 cm on 2 Feb
Flumserberg		190 cm 140 cm	Powder	Powder	3 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 2 Feb
Frutigen - Elsigen - Metsch		143 cm 143 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 3 Feb
Giswil - Mörlialp		130 cm 5 cm	Closed	No Info	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 7 Feb
Gluringen - Goms					0 cm	Mostly dry
Goms - Oberwald					0 cm	Mostly dry
Grächen		115 cm 80 cm	Excellent	Varied	0 cm	Mostly dry Clear skies providing great views	10 cm on 24 Jan
Grimentz		211 cm 80 cm	Excellent	Varied	0 cm	Mostly dry Light clouds dotting the sky	5 cm on 31 Jan
Grindelwald		226 cm 48 cm	Excellent	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry Clear skies providing great views	2 cm on 3 Feb
Grüsch - Danusa		250 cm 80 cm	Powder	Powder	1 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 2 Feb
Gstaad		360 cm 60 cm	Excellent	Varied	0 cm	Mostly dry Lovely weather, perfect ski day	20 cm on 31 Jan
Gstaad - Château-d'Oex					0 cm	A dusting of new snow
Gstaad - Saanen - Rougemont					0 cm	Mostly dry
Gstaad - Schönried - Saanenmöser		210 cm 95 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 1 Feb
Gstaad - St.Stephan - Zweisimmen		200 cm 50 cm	Good	Powder / hard	0 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 1 Feb
Gstaad/Rinderberg-Saanerslochgrat		210 cm 95 cm	Packed		0 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 1 Feb
Gurnigel					1 cm	A dusting of new snow
Habkern		170 cm 110 cm	Good	Powder	0 cm	Mostly dry	on 3 Feb
Haute Nendaz		280 cm 50 cm	Excellent	Varied	0 cm	Mostly dry Light clouds dotting the sky	5 cm on 1 Feb
Heiden - Grub - Oberegg Appenzellerland		60 cm 50 cm	Good	Powder	1 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 10 Feb
Hemberg - Bächli		55 cm 25 cm	Good	Powder	3 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 10 Feb
Hoch-Ybrig		180 cm 80 cm	Powder	Powder	2 cm	A dusting of new snow	on 10 Feb
Interlaken					0 cm	Mostly dry