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...

Belalp - Blatten - Naters

Verbier

St-Luc

Chandolin

View all photos of Switzerland (1176)

Snow: next 3 days

Switzerland: latest snow conditions round-up

SWITZERLAND Zermatt (200cm) is the only glacier still open in Switzerland at the moment. Conditions are generally good with some softer snow lower down where it's warmest. Saas Fee opens at the end of June.

Summary of forecast snowfall and ski conditions for resorts in Switzerland. Fresh snow is forecast at 1 resorts. Powder is reported at 1 resorts and 1 are reporting good piste conditions.

Recent Eyeball Snow Reports for Switzerland

Performance Verbier Ski School
Blazing sunshine in the way to La Chaux and snow up on the Combns. [link] 78 hours ago from Verbier
Performance Verbier Ski School
Still a decent amount of snow up in Verbier... #summerskiing? [link] 102 hours ago from Verbier
Alpinemojo Ski School
Just dreaming about the winter [link] 180 hours ago from Verbier

Resorts A-I

Resorts J-R Resorts S-Z Resorts with powder (1) Resorts with good piste (1)

Ski resorts in Switzerland from A to I

Resort	On-piste	Off-piste	Weather forecast for 3 days ahead Weather report
Adelboden			Heavy rain (total 39.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Aeschi			Heavy rain (total 37.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Airolo			Moderate rain (total 10.0mm), heaviest on Fri night
Alt St. Johann/Toggenburg			Moderate rain (total 15.0mm), heaviest on Thu night
Amden			Moderate rain (total 14.0mm), heaviest on Thu night
Andermatt			Moderate rain (total 15.0mm), heaviest on Fri night
Anzère			Heavy rain (total 51.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Arolla			Heavy rain (total 60.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Arosa			Light rain (total 7.0mm), mostly falling on Fri night
Atzmännig Goldingen			Moderate rain (total 19.0mm), heaviest on Thu night
Avers			Light rain (total 5.0mm), mostly falling on Thu night
Beatenberg			Heavy rain (total 37.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Belalp - Blatten - Naters			Heavy rain (total 42.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Bellwald / Goms			Heavy rain (total 32.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Bergün / Bravuogn			Light rain (total 8.0mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon
Bettmeralp - Aletsch			Heavy rain (total 33.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Bivio			Light rain (total 5.0mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon
Bosco Gurin			Moderate rain (total 11.0mm), heaviest on Fri night
Braunwald			Moderate rain (total 11.0mm), heaviest on Fri afternoon
Brienz - Axalp			Heavy rain (total 36.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Brigels-Waltensburg-Andiast			Moderate rain (total 10.0mm), heaviest on Fri afternoon
Bruson			Heavy rain (total 49.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Bulle - La Chia			Heavy rain (total 44.0mm), heaviest during Thu night
Bumbach / Schangnau			Heavy rain (total 36.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Bürchen - Törbel			Heavy rain (total 48.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Celerina/Engadin			Light rain (total 4.0mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon
Champéry	Closed	No snow	Heavy rain (total 43.0mm), heaviest during Thu night The mild temperatures have brought rain
Champex-Lac			Heavy rain (total 46.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Champoussin			Heavy rain (total 44.0mm), heaviest during Thu night
Chandolin			Heavy rain (total 48.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Charmey			Heavy rain (total 42.0mm), heaviest during Thu night
Château d'Oex			Heavy rain (total 45.0mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon
Chur			Light rain (total 8.0mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon
Churwalden			Light rain (total 7.0mm), mostly falling on Fri night
Corvatsch-Furtschellas			Light rain (total 6.0mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon
Corviglia-Marguns			Light rain (total 3.0mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon
Crans Montana			Heavy rain (total 50.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Dallenwil Wirzweli			Heavy rain (total 25.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Davos			Moderate rain (total 11.0mm), heaviest on Fri afternoon
Degersheim			Moderate rain (total 16.0mm), heaviest on Thu night
Dent-de-Vaulion			Heavy rain (total 51.0mm), heaviest during Thu night
Diavolezza-Lagalb			Light rain (total 5.0mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon
Diemtigtal - Grimmialp			Heavy rain (total 43.0mm), heaviest during Thu night
Diemtigtal - Springenboden			Heavy rain (total 40.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Diemtigtal - Wiriehorn			Heavy rain (total 42.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Disentis			Light rain (total 9.0mm), mostly falling on Fri night
Ebnat-Kappel - Toggenburg			Moderate rain (total 16.0mm), heaviest on Thu night
Eggiwil			Heavy rain (total 37.0mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon
Eigenthal			Heavy rain (total 30.0mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon
Einsiedeln			Heavy rain (total 20.0mm), heaviest during Thu night
Eischoll			Heavy rain (total 47.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Elm			Moderate rain (total 11.0mm), heaviest on Fri afternoon
Emmetten			Heavy rain (total 22.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Engelberg			Heavy rain (total 22.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Eriz			Heavy rain (total 36.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Ernergalen			Heavy rain (total 29.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Evolène			Heavy rain (total 58.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Fideris - Fideriser Heuberge			Moderate rain (total 11.0mm), heaviest on Fri afternoon
Fiesch - Eggishorn - Aletsch			Heavy rain (total 36.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Flims Laax Falera			Light rain (total 9.0mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon
Flumserberg			Moderate rain (total 12.0mm), heaviest on Fri afternoon
Frutigen - Elsigen - Metsch			Heavy rain (total 40.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Giswil - Mörlialp			Heavy rain (total 30.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Gluringen - Goms			Heavy rain (total 29.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Goms - Oberwald			Heavy rain (total 23.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Grächen			Heavy rain (total 48.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Grimentz			Heavy rain (total 53.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Grindelwald			Heavy rain (total 37.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Grüsch - Danusa			Moderate rain (total 11.0mm), heaviest on Fri afternoon
Gstaad			Heavy rain (total 44.0mm), heaviest during Thu night
Gstaad - Château-d'Oex			Heavy rain (total 45.0mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon
Gstaad - Saanen - Rougemont			Heavy rain (total 45.0mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon
Gstaad - Schönried - Saanenmöser			Heavy rain (total 43.0mm), heaviest during Thu night
Gstaad - St.Stephan - Zweisimmen			Heavy rain (total 43.0mm), heaviest during Thu night
Gstaad/Rinderberg-Saanerslochgrat			Heavy rain (total 45.0mm), heaviest during Thu night
Gurnigel			Heavy rain (total 38.0mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon
Habkern			Heavy rain (total 38.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Haute Nendaz			Heavy rain (total 51.0mm), heaviest during Fri night
Heiden - Grub - Oberegg Appenzellerland			Moderate rain (total 14.0mm), heaviest on Thu night
Hemberg - Bächli			Moderate rain (total 15.0mm), heaviest on Thu night
Hoch-Ybrig			Moderate rain (total 17.0mm), heaviest on Fri night
Interlaken			Heavy rain (total 35.0mm), heaviest during Fri night