Liam and Nick Bates, Swiss ski dream week team
This is the fifth in the Swiss dream ski week series, where Nick and Liam Bates, regular contributors to GenevaLunch, see how much great skiing at top Swiss resorts they can pack into one week. Be sure to check out the video at the end.
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Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Davos to non-skiers is possibly best known as the place where the world’s political and business leaders meet every year to discuss the state of the world. But long before it had that reputation it was a resort with a long history, popular with skiers because of its reliably good snow.
Davos basics
The combined resorts of Davos and Klosters make up one of the largest ski areas in the Alps, with five mountains, 300km of pistes, 85 downhill runs and just about every variation on winter sports you can imagine. One of the most recent additions is a “slow slope” on Schatzalp.
Two of the mountains here stay open later in the season than many Swiss resorts: Jacobshorn until 1 May and Parsenn (Davos and Klosters) unti 25 April, whereas many resorts will be closing in Switzerland and France starting 27 March.
This is a big resort area, with a very good range of prices and types of accommodation, so it’s worth getting a bit of help from the local tourism office to plan where you’ll stay. The town has hotels for heads of state and close by you’ll find farmhouse accommodation and simple B&Bs.
The town and piste maps are well done and helpful for advance planning. If you’re planning to travel from Geneva by train, allow 5 hours 20 minutes, via Zurich, Landquart and Davos.
Nick, who spent a bit of time at the hospital, reflects on life off the slopes while Liam, who fell in love with the igloo village on the mountainside, was equally impressed by the “big, big jumps” at the snowpark.
Whitepod, above the Rhone Valley in the Swiss Alps
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Another weekend of blue skies and sunshine has arrived, with clement temperatures that are good for sunbathing, but less good for the thinning snow supply. Expect some haze and occasional light cloudiness, but mostly sunny with highs of 9-11C and lows of -3 to 0C, says MeteoSwiss.
Snow conditions in all major and many other resorts nevertheless remain good and lifts are open. Check the latest snow information for all resorts on MySwitzerland, the national tourism office’s site.
Days are getting longer and the sun at the top hotter, so it’s time to pull out the sunblock and suntan creams.
Caution: slopes remain icy
Do note that there were yet more fatalities this past week, linked to icy conditions and use great caution. A 12-year-old from Bienne died when she fell off a tow bar and slid 100 metres before hitting a pylon, in Evolene, canton Valais.
A woman was killed and one of her companions injured when they slipped under a barrier to ski on an icy slope in Champéry, canton Vaud.
Two big events in the area
Two events for winter sports fans should pull in the crowds this weekend. Leysin, only 45 minutes from Lausanne, is host to the popular Champs Open snowboard competition, open to all but also featuring some of the best half-pipers around. Friday noon: it’s not too late to sign up.
The other big event is the European Cup races in Geneva/Monts Jura, just outside Geneva. See Shirley Curran’s special report and note the special offer: a very friendly €1 for the day ski pass Friday and Saturday is available from Crozet and Lélex. We’ll be adding some gorgeous skiing photos from the event later today, Friday.
If you’re looking for something different to do in the mountains this week
Luxury accommodation in an igloo-like tent in the Alps
Consider these two options: head for what MySwitzerland calls “tiny winter resorts”, some of which are real gems. They make a happy change from the well-known big name places. List from the national tourism office
Another option is to get cozy in an igloo-like luxury “tent” on top of a mountain, overlooking the Rhone Valley. For CHF550 for two (extra beds CHF80) from Friday night to Sunday afternoon or CHF400 a night during the week you can stay in one of the Whitepod rooms in Cernier, below the Dents-du-Midi, not far from Monthey.
This is not camping as you’ve ever known it before but rather the height of luxury and the luxury of height all in one.
And if you long for the kind of skis the pros have
Keep an eye on the officials at the races in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany this weekend. They will be trying out new handmade skis made by Zai, a company based in Disentis, near Davos, headed by a former UBS currency senior strategist.
Whoosh!
Previous Friday Swiss weekend snow and winter sports reports
Cool! Also cozy: WhitePod hotel rooms
You may have to go higher for the snow in Verbier, but the view is great and there is snow on those mountains!
We will be publishing our regular Swiss weekend winter sports report here Friday evening, a bit later than usual, but we can already tell you this much: the snow in most places is in good shape thanks to the cold weather, with the Jura in surprisingly good shape. And prepare for great weather for the weekend! Temperatures rising to 5-7C with sunshine and low winds in most parts of western Switzerland.
More to follow, including beautiful hot-air balloon photos, details about the Junior World Cup ski races in Crans-Montana and the Nissan Free Ride World Tour, on in St Moritz Sunday.
Brought to you earlier than expected! Lifts opening, safety, weather, cars, new radio
La Loge, Jura, November 2010 (photo, Pauline, JC Cusin)
Geneva and Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Our first real winter sports bulletin at GenevaLunch was scheduled for Friday 3 December, but the skies opened, the snow fell, the lift operators cheered, and we’ve decided to offer this to you earlier than planned. Visit us regularly on Fridays from now until April for our weekly weather and news linked to the Alpine world and winter sports.
Ski resorts open
A good starting place for information about Swiss ski resorts, if you’re unfamiliar with them, is the Swiss Tourism Office web site, which has a wealth of information. Note that historically their information about snow conditions is not up to date for all resorts, but maybe 2010-11 will see a change.
Jura
A number of ski resorts have already opened but be sure to check before you head there. The Jura, which has had snow steadily for over a week, already has a good base.
La Loge, Jura, November 2010 (photo, Pauline, JC Cusin)
The Monts Jura area issued this notice before Tuesday night’s fresh 20-plus cm of fresh snow: “Because of the recent snowfalls, the Monts Jura website is announcing the early opening of some of its installations. This weekend, there will be installations operating with reduced personnel at the Col de la Faucille and Crozet/Lélex and pistes open at La Vattay. Depending on snow conditions, these are the ones that will be running:
La Faucille: Télécombi and the Myrtilles skilift
Lélex: Catheline télécabine, the Loges six-place high-speed chairlift (if there is adequate snow at the summit), the Monthoisey skilift, Crozet Fierney télécabine, Télécorde, the Bergers chairlift
Vattay: Verte de la Vattay, Bleue de la Puthod, Petite Grand and Grande Grand, Noire de Divonne and Verte du Plateau.
Valais, Vaud
Head for the hills: Extreme World Championship in Verbier, balmy weather in the Alps, decent snow in Jura and an affordable new hut in Zermatt
This weekend we won't see fresh snow, but more green
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Temperatures are warming up nicely on the plain, but it remains cold enough in the mountains for skiers to find good snow. It’s not yet clear what conditions will be like for the Easter school holidays that start in a week, but for this weekend, the skiing is good if you stay above 2,000 metres.
If you’re still on the mountainside at 17:32 Saturday 20 March you can celebrate the first day of Spring there.
Snowpacks are weakening thanks to daytime sun radiation, says the Swiss national avalanche centre in its Friday 19 March bulletin, but avalanche danger is low to moderate.
Weather forecast, snow depth
The snow is disappearing in many areas, which the MeteoSwiss snow depth maps show.
Title: Snowshoeing by the moonlight
Location: Saint-Cerge
Link out: Click here
Description: A guided two-hour snowshoeing tour by the full moon.
Start Date: 2010-03-28
End Date: 2010-03-30
Title: Cross-country skiing race
Location: Vallée de Joux
Link out: Click here
Description: Free-style. Registration open.
Date: 2010-03-14
Title: Ski world cup Crans-Montana
Location: Crans-Montana
Link out: Click here
Description: Women’s world cup in trendy Crans-Montana.
Start Date: 2010-03-05
End Date: 2010-03-07
Title: Laax freeski open
Location: Laax
Link out: Click here
Description: A Brit-invasion that lasts seven days, including freeski competitions, and a seven-day party on the Alps.
Start Date: 2010-03-03
End Date: 2010-03-06
Title: Nescafe ski open
Location: Leysin
Link out: Click here
Description: International ski & snowboard competition.
Start Date: 2010-03-04
End Date: 2010-03-07
Title: Nendaz free ride
Location: Valais
Link out: Click here
Description: A ski and snowboard freeride contest in the Valais.
Start Date: 2010-03-12
End Date: 2010-03-17
Title: International dog sledge race
Link out: Click here
Description: Some 500 dogs will run in two heats to determine the best dog sledge team. The competition will take place in Les Mosses, Vaud.
Start Date: 2010-03-06
End Date: 2010-03-07
Title: Snowshoeing by the moonlight
Location: Jura
Link out: Click here
Description: A great way to explore the Jura.
Start Date: 2010-02-27
End Date: 2010-02-28
Title: Cross-country skiing race: at night
Location: Saint-George
Link out: Click here
Description: Participate or cheer the participants of a fun cross-country evening event in Saint George.
Date: 2010-02-17
Didier Cuche, ranked number one in Men's skiing
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Swiss Ski has announced the list of athletes who will be heading for Vancouver for the Winter Olympic Games. Among them is Didier Cuche, the world’s number one-ranked skier in Men’s events, who plans to train in a few days despite a broken thumb from Friday 30 January. The complete list of skiers rounds out announcements of teams in several other sports, made in the past few days. Details about the sports, dates, selections and the area where Swiss athletes will be competing are part of the wealth of information provided by Swiss Olympic (Fre).
Title: Horse races (with jockeys on skis)
Location: St Moritz
Link out: Click here
Description: A must-see race staged since 1907, on snow-covered lake in centre of town
Start Date: 2010-02-07
End Date: 2010-02-21
Title: Hiking and snow walking
Location: France
Link out: Click here
Description: Hike the Sur Cou and see the sunset. Then hike down and enjoy a meal. Two different hikes for Saturday and Sunday.
Start Date: 2009-01-30
End Date: 2009-01-31
Title: Snowboard world cup
Location: Nendaz, Valais
Link out: Click here
Description: January 14th: Europe Cup in Nendaz
January 15th: Snowboard Cross to Veysonnaz
January 17th: Giant slalom on the slopes of Nendaz
Start Date: 2009-01-14
End Date: 2009-01-26
Foreigners’ injuries falling, as part of whole for Swiss winter sports, avalanches biggest killers
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Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Foreign tourists are gradually becoming a smaller group among the total of those injured in winter sports in Switzerland, new statistics show.
BPA, the Swiss safety board, Monday 11 January issued its annual detailed statistics for non-work accidents: at home, doing sports, on the road.
Foreigners accounted for 40 percent of ski accident injuries, 18 percent of snowboard ones and 27 percent of injuries from other winter sports (average: 32 percent).
By comparison, the figures for 2003 were: 47, 29, 28 (average: 40 percent).
Foreigners accounted for 19 of the 39 deaths from winter sports in 2007, the most recent year noted, up from an average of 15 out of 40 deaths a year recorded for the five years from 2003 to 2007.
Knees for skiers, shoulders for snowboarders
Knees remain the most vulnerable body part for ski injuries, while shoulders and the upper arms are for snowboarders.
Moon rising above Leukerbad, Switzerland: after the rain, before the new snow, 30 December 2009 (click on image to view larger)
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Precipitation is not in short supply in Switzerland at the moment, but the picture from the mountain-tops has been mixed: heavy rain in most areas all day Wednesday 30 December, and into the night, washed away much of the snow below 2,000 metres in the Alps. The Jura was short on snow to begin with and the rain did not improve things.
But temperatures have been dropping and as of 10:00 Thursday morning snow is back in the Alps, down to 800 metres: it is snowing heavily in the Sion-Brig resorts area (Anzeres, Crans-Montana, Saas-Fee, Zermatt).
Jura report, from Shirley Curran
The Jura resorts are all poised ready for the big snow which is taking its time to appear this year. Harsh weather conditions mean that you are probably better off by a log fire with a good book this weekend.
Alpine resorts report
When the snow and snowplows look like this at 1,000 metres, you know the skiing is getting better up above!
Snowing hard at 1,000m near Crans-Montana, Switzerland, 10:00 Thursday 31 December
All regions: use care if you’re considering going off-piste: High temperatures plus fresh snow = increased avalanche danger, with the SLT (federal avalanche institute) bulletin indicating “considerable avalanche danger widespread” (level 3), throughout canton Valais and the northern flanks of the Alps, which includes the higher resorts in canton Bern.
Crans-Montana Friday night skiing, from 19:00-22:00, should be good New Year’s day, but check after Thursday evening. Cost: CHF15.
Garden, fresh snow, Saturday 12 December, Valais (1,100 m)
Aminona, near Crans-Montana, canton Valais, Switzerland, 4 December 2009
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Last weekend there was snow: it wasn’t always pretty and it was wet, but it was the white stuff. It’s mostly gone now, except above 2,000 metres, but crowds nevertheless packed the autoroute from Geneva and canton Vaud to the resorts in Valais Friday evening. Saturday morning: it’s snowing again at 1,100 metres, so the buildup on the slopes is starting!
Here is your first taste of GenevaLunch’s popular winter weekend reports, a regular feature, now in its third season.
Alps, season gradually opening
Resorts news:
- Crans-Montana’s ski web site, mycma.ch, has a new look and offers more functions, but it’s slow. This weekend the resort offers low season rates, CHF57 for the day. You pay high season rates, CHF63 for the day, starting 19 December so get out there this weekend! (Ed. note: the Telegraph, UK, just ran a big feature on the resort but missed the boat when they got it wrong when they said it doesn’t strike them as a family resort)
- Gstaad, join the papparazzi, all sitting around outside Roman Polanski’s chalet, where he has been confined by a Swiss judge. Gstaad, for all its glamour, is not one of the high resorts, so not much is open in or near the town, but you can always head for the Glacier 3,000 area nearby.
- Verbier has been open since 20 November and will have five lifts open 12-13 December. CHF23-45 for day passes right now. New feature this winter – video snow reports. Snow depth Thursday, last snowfall: 70cm at 2,200m and 95cm at 2,950m
- Zermatt has 60 km of decent skiing at the moment.
Jura: you might prefer hiking to skiing this weekend, but some good news for later
December 2008, Jura
(Ed. note: Shirley Curran is back with her weekly reports on the Jura slopes, where she has taught skiing for years)
Our Jura resorts are due to open on December 19th and, in view of the excellent seasons we have had recently, to remain open until April 5th. Unfortunately, the weather is glorious in the Jura mountains at the moment with cobalt blue skies and some green slopes. We are not too worried. A cold spell is expected next week and snow will fall. This will be the first time for many seasons that we have not had a substantial fall in November!
Good news is that our downhill resorts (La Faucille, Mijoux, Crozet and Lélex) are all now using only the magnetic ‘forfaits’ that you can recharge on-line or at the ticket offices. The bornes read them automatically, so there will be no more fumbling with the ticket strung round your neck. The card is valid for three years and now costs only 1€.
9 December 2009, Jura - bit slushy yet!
Further good news is that Jean Charles and Pauline are back for another season running the refuge at Crozet. My top tip is a mid-morning hot wine next to their roaring fire or their home-cooked speciality of the day.
Weather forecast for the Swiss mountain regions
Snow in the Jura and the Alps, although some dry stretches in the Valais Alps. High of 3C, but -8C at 2,000m. Sunday 13 December colder, cloudy, highs of 0-2C. Snow intermittent throughout the mountain regions. MeteoSwiss
Swiss skiers off to a great start
Be sure to check our Monday morning weekend sports reports to follow Switzerland’s skiers, who are off to a great start this year.
Title: Ice hockey: Red Bull Crashed Ice 2009
Location: Lausanne, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: In the heart of Lausanne one of the new events in extreme sports.
Crashed ice which features head-to-head, urban, downhill speed ice hockey skating.
An outdoor event, free.
Date: 14 Mar 2009
Lake Geneva region, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – It’s been years since the region has had a winter with such wonderful snow in the French and Swiss Alps and in the Jura.
Temperatures should be reasonable this weekend and mostly sunny skies are on order for the start of the weekend.
Carneval with its crazy costumes, confetti in the streets and marching brass bands is getting underway in many resort areas, particularly in the Catholic cantons.
At 1,000 metres above Sierre, 30cm of snow that have fallen since last weekend remains on the ground, fresh and still powdery. In the Jura, the snow base is deeper than it’s been in years.
Head for the great outdoors this weekend!
Weather forecast
From Meteoswiss: temperatures between 3 and 5C until Tuesday, with partly sunny skies Friday and Saturday, clouding over near Lake Geneva Sunday but remaining mostly sunny in the mountains on Sunday. North wind could become gusty in high areas starting Sunday.
Carving skis and speed
Switzerland’s largest accident insurer, Suva, a non-profit company, continues to visit resorts with a radar for skiers and videos that show the distance they need to stop, to help them understand the implications of their actual speeds – which in many cases turn out to be nearly fast as twice as the skiers’ estimates. This weekend, 20-21 February, they are at Adelboden.
Suva says that carving skis are partly to blame for the continuing increase in skiing accidents, which cost CHF209 million in 2006. Skiers find them so easy to use they are simply unaware of the speed at which they are moving.
Snowboarding accidents cost CHF33m in 2006. Suva’s site has a video that helps you draw your personal winter sports accident risk profile, with suggestions for how to lower your risk.
New Alpine blogger
James Cove, formerly of the BBC, is taking a year out to teach skiing in Verbier, and in the process he’s set up a web site, PlanetSki, with a blog, so if you’re looking for news from a site that’s really on-site (very few ski web sites are), we suggest you visit James.
Jura report
Small girl, large Jura skiscape
Also on site, Shirley Curran, with her weekly report for GenevaLunch: This week the unpacked snow on our upper slopes reached depths of over two metres. What more is there to say? We have frequent falls and the weather is likely to remain cold until Wednesday at least. All our lifts are running, as it is the French holiday period so queues are minimal.
My top tip is again the Refuge de la Loge, where, if you can shift the resident puss from the soft armchairs by the fire, you can enjoy the best hot wine on the mountain, or home baked cake or the plat du jour. Today it was a cheese and potato dish.
Jura: Faucille
Lake Geneva region, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – It’s nearly St Valentine’s day and you couldn’t offer a better gift this weekend than some time in the snow in Switzerland: after a week of steady snow just about everywhere the snow depth is excellent and the quality of the powder in the resorts is perfect.
Updated 19:00 30 January with resort activities, avalanche risk information and more.
Promising weather for the weekend and the great snow continues to hold up in the Alps and the Jura.
"My idea of skiing," by celestialpilgrim on flickr
Lake Geneva region, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The cold and snow continue, for better and for worse. Worse = being stuck in damp cold fog and better means reaching the sunshine, easy to find in the mountains where the cold is keeping the snow base good and deep.
Photo: celestialpilgrim’s image from a Val de Ferret, Valais ski touring trip can be seen in its original large size on flickr. His ski touring companion JC has posted a set of photos, Tête de Ferret par la Dotze on flickr from the weekend outing.
Cold is a relative term, of course, and Thursday the temperature on the plains rose above freezing for the first time in 13 days.
Read more…
Suva is Switzerland’s largest insurer against accidents, the source of most statistics on accidents in the country, including winter sports ones. Their web site offers a wealth of advice on preventing accidents but they also have a shop where you can buy a CD on preventing avalanches, based on the premise that people will ski off-piste despite danger, so they might as well be informed. And you can buy a range of safety items, from avalanche detectors to helmets (some just in German).
Skiing is one part downhill, one part thinking about it ...
(GenevaLunch) – A brief update on weather and snow:
Swiss Alps
The wild southern foehn blew hard during the night in the Rhone Valley and gusting winds from the southeast hit much of the rest of the Swiss Alps, but the weather has remained surprisingly cold, with temperatures around 2C at 1,000 metres in early afternoon. Normally the foehn melts the snow rapidly, but the amount of snow and the condition of it remains good, with an extra 10cm fresh falling in many places 24 December and early Christmas morning.
Jura
from Shirley Curran: Snow cover remains good in all our Jurassian resorts and the weather is set to remain cold over the weekend. The weather is expected to get warmer from Tuesday for a few days, so now is the time to benefit from these unusually good conditions in the Jura.
Weather forecast
and one part recovering!
Bundle up: temperatures are expected to remain below freezing everywhere for the next few days! With the bise northerly winds blowing on the plains and gusting winds in the Alps, you’ll need that extra layer. But this is good news for the snow we already have, especially as the cold weather is coming with sunshine and more sunshine: no fresh snow.
Photos, Aminona, Valais, Switzerland: Nick Bates. Click on images to view larger.
Photo: Alistair Scott, reproduced with permission
Lake Geneva region, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Rain and snow have made driving slower than usual in the region, so if you’re heading for the mountains, try to get an early start Friday evening.
Swiss Alps snowline, December 2007: it's very much a line at a given altitude!
Lake Geneva region, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Cold weather and snow have arrived in the region, just in time, with several resorts opening their ski lift this weekend and next. GenevaLunch’s very popular weekend winter sports roundup is now back: starting today, on Friday afternoons we will be bringing you a mix of weather, winter sports news, suggestions for the weekend, firsthand reports from our Jura correspondent, Shirley Curran, and, of course, a look at what the French media are publishing on the business of having fun in winter.
