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IKON Adds Zermatt

ghughes20

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I believe this is their first European resort. I assume this is limited to 5 days, but not sure. I might have to add that to my bucket list. Not many places you can ski two countries from one peak (but not on the same pass, for now, anyway).
 

cdskier

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I believe this is their first European resort. I assume this is limited to 5 days, but not sure. I might have to add that to my bucket list. Not many places you can ski two countries from one peak (but not on the same pass, for now, anyway).

5 days with the base and 7 with the full Ikon...no blackouts on either as well.
 

Zermatt

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Been going the past 4 years, of course this is the year we decided not to go back!

It is amazing, but we are stuck going at peak vacation time for England and last year was a disaster. Hadn't snowed in weeks so everything was rock hard and the trails were absolutely packed, like scary packed and dangerous.

We were there in 2018 after the massive dump that trapped everyone in the village for 3 days, that was amazing skiing, but it is so rare for Zermatt.

Did you notice on the email it said their annual snowfall is only 138"! I believe it, and that is likely for mid-mountain. It really doesn't snow much in a normal year. A few big storms early in the season then weeks upon weeks of sunshine.

We decided to go to Revelstoke this year.
 

ghughes20

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Wow, 138" is very surprising. Stratton get's more, of course only interspersed with rain and a hard freeze!!!
 

Zermatt

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Wow, 138" is very surprising. Stratton get's more, of course only interspersed with rain and a hard freeze!!!

No idea where they measure this but I can't believe they actually advertised this number in their promotional email.
 

Zermatt

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138” sounds low
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It is literally in their promotional email that went out to all Ikon Pass holders. Nobody would under report their annual snowfall.

Could be the village at 5,300 feet (honestly sounds high for the village) or could be somewhere mid-mountain. With 7,500 feet of vertical significant variation in snowfall is to be expected. Just trying to grasp why they put that number in the email...not exactly a selling point.
 

thetrailboss

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It is literally in their promotional email that went out to all Ikon Pass holders. Nobody would under report their annual snowfall.

Could be the village at 5,300 feet (honestly sounds high for the village) or could be somewhere mid-mountain. With 7,500 feet of vertical significant variation in snowfall is to be expected. Just trying to grasp why they put that number in the email...not exactly a selling point.

I did some looking and surprisingly their snowfall is pretty low.


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Bosco DaSkia

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Glaciers don’t form because of a abundant snowfall. They form because what little snow does fall never melts.
 

fbrissette

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138” sounds low


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Zermatt itself does not get that much snow, but they do get a lot more at higher elevation. I've ski toured above zermat and my 2.8m avi probe would not touch the ground (or solid ice) in most places I've checked. A 2.8m snowpack transfers to roughly 25-30 feet of snow at 10:1 ratio. Despite being at 1600m elevation, Zermatt is at the lowest point on the ski domain. Lift can take you up to 3800m elevation where it is a whole different world.
 

Zermatt

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I have skied at Zermatt the past four seasons. If anyone wants beta I know Zermatt and Switzerland very well.

I encourage people to go. It is an amazing experience. It is cheaper than you think, especially with families.
 

bushpilot

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I have skied at Zermatt the past four seasons. If anyone wants beta I know Zermatt and Switzerland very well.

I encourage people to go. It is an amazing experience. It is cheaper than you think, especially with families.

Fur shure! Give us the low down.
 

Zermatt

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Fur shure! Give us the low down.

For starters, if you are thinking of going get your plane tickets now. They don't typically get any cheaper as you get closer.

Zurich is best and closest by train. Geneva is fine, but tends to be more than ZRH and the train ride is a bit longer. Last choice is Milan, but you pretty much have to drive (rent a car, drive over Simplon Pass, park in Tasch, take train 10 minutes to Zermatt).

Late January is a good mix of low crowds, better snow and longer days. When you get into February you start to line up with UK Half Term breaks for a two week peak period of very high crowds and higher hotel prices.

If we go back I'd like to see what March and April are like. I never want to go during UK Half Term again. Trails were wall to wall packed with people. Where as late January we had the mountains to ourselves in 2018.
 

abc

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For starters, if you are thinking of going get your plane tickets now. They don't typically get any cheaper as you get closer.
I used to ski in Europe every other years. Zurich was my preferred gateway airport. \

While ticket price don't go down much, it also doesn't go up much either. So there's no big rush.

I don't know if things has changed the last few years. I haven't gone lately. (I chose Ikon/MCP, which didn't have European components)
 

slatham

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I have skied at Zermatt the past four seasons. If anyone wants beta I know Zermatt and Switzerland very well.

I encourage people to go. It is an amazing experience. It is cheaper than you think, especially with families.

Might have an opportunity to head up to Alps December 16th-ish. Wondering if enough snow during a typical year? Given comments on the higher elevations surrounding Zermatt I'd expect it to be ok. Thoughts?
 

Zand

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Gotta admit I was tinkering around with what a week in zermatt would cost and its not as bad as I thought. Round trip flight from Boston to Zurich is around $500. Hotels in Zermatt are around $150 per night. Not sure how much the train is from Zurich to Zermatt but it can't be that bad.

Probably not a plausible trip for me this year but seems like if you budgeted 1500-2000 its doable.
 

ThinkSnow

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It is cheaper than you think
Obviously you are joking. Was in Zermatt last year between ski and summer seasons (most lifts not running), to hike & see the Matterhorn. Unless you have a helicopter, there is only one way in or out- the train from Tasch, since Zermatt is an auto free town. Parking at Tasch is approximately 16 Swiss Francs per day. RT train to Zermatt is then 18 francs per person. Lodging varies- I think our hotel was about 150 per night- not high end and not low end, but remember this was off-season & no food was included. Food cost is outrageous. Since 75% of the village was closed for repairs in the off season, the few open restaurants pretty much all served the same thing. One option was McDonalds, and as an example, the cost of 2 value meals was approximately $35 (yes, US dollars after the conversion).
 

jimmywilson69

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I mean considering 2 value meals in the states probably pushes $20 that's not too bad a markup to be honest.
 

abc

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Lodging varies- I think our hotel was about 150 per night- not high end and not low end, but remember this was off-season & no food was included.
$150 is pretty average in many ski destination in the northeast! See Zand's post above for "in season" pricing.

Parking at Tasch is approximately 16 Swiss Francs per day. RT train to Zermatt is then 18 francs per person.
That's another mistake. Take the train all the way from Zurich. No parking cost! (no rental car cost either)

Food cost is outrageous. Since 75% of the village was closed for repairs in the off season, the few open restaurants pretty much all served the same thing. One option was McDonalds, and as an example, the cost of 2 value meals was approximately $35 (yes, US dollars after the conversion).
In season, you'll have the option of "Half Board", which includes breakfast and dinner.

All in all, it's a flawed deduction that just because your cost during off season, renting a car, eating American food, is expensive, cost for ski season will be "outrageous".
 
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