Early Bird Skiing
With snow on the hills already it’s time to start thinking about visiting the mountains. We are very lucky in the Zurich area as we have so many world class ski resorts within a 2-hour drive and even better news, quite a few of them are already open during weekends. Be warned, it’s still very early in the season so most resorts only have a limited ski area open, but it’s still worth going for a weekend to start building your fitness in the legs and enjoy the fresh mountain air (not to mention the famous après-ski!).
So what’s open and where is the best place to go?
Last weekend I was lucky enough to have my first snowboard run of the season in Davos. The Parsenn ski lift was open and they had about seven runs open. The snow was very good on the piste but a bit rocky if you ventured into the powder (at the very least – not to be considered without a helmet). The slopes were not too crowded and being just under a 2-hour drive from Zurich, I would recommend making the trip over this weekend if you are looking for somewhere to go. There’s a huge variety of hotels in Klosters and Davos, from budget and family-friendly to super-luxury, and with many offering a reduction in prices for both accommodation and lift passes, it could be the perfect break before the festive season is upon us.
Apart from Davos, here is a little list of some of the bigger resorts open this weekend within a 2-hour drive of Zurich:
· Andermatt – From the 29th of November you can ski daily at Gemsstock. With Andermatt only 1 ½ hours from Zurich, with a charming village and easy access to the runs, it’s an ideal a day trip.
· Engelberg – Only and 1 ½ hours from Zurich, Engelberg has been lucky with some great early season snow including a few powder days already. Their last snow was on the 17th of November and they have 6 lifts open.
· Films-Laax-Falera – Just on the cusp of being within the 2-hour drive from Zurich. From the 29th Laax will be open daily and for freestyle skiers and snowboarders, Laax has one of the best parks in Europe as well as a huge ski area with plenty of fun and challenging runs.
Allow Me can help with all your weekend ski break bookings during the season and with over twelve years of being professionally involved in the winter sports industry we can make sure you have a weekend that you wont forget.
Don’t forget that the Allow Me Concierge service is also available for any Christmas-related services prior to the holiday season. We can help with present or food shopping, gift wrapping, catering, picking up relatives from the airport, planning ski trips and pet/house sitting – at a very reasonable price, leaving you more time to relax and enjoy your time off.