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| Skiing - T K / pixelio.de |
When I checked out websites for ski resorts in Colorado I was in for a big surprise. Many were already open (with limited slopes and lifts available) but the prices for one-day-tickets were incredibly high. At least, in comparison to the prices I was used to back at home in Switzerland. A day pass at one of the high-end resorts (must have been Beaver Creek or Aspen or Vail) was around 100$ or more. At the smaller resorts it still was 50$ and up. A similar ticket in Switzerland would have been about half of what I was about to pay for a day in the snow in Colorado. It made me seriously reconsider my plans for snowboarding...
History of Skiing in Switzerland
Alles fahrt Schii, alles fahrt Schii, Schii fahrt di ganzi Nation
Alles fahrt Schii, alles fahrt Schii, d'Mame, de Bappe, de Sohn
Alles fahrt Schii, alles fahrt Schii, d'Mame, de Bappe, de Sohn
EVERYONE SKIES, EVERYONE SKIES, THE WHOLE NATION SKIES
EVERYONE SKIES, EVERYONE SKIES, MOTHER, FATHER AND SON
These lines from Vico Torriani's famous "Alles fahrt Schii" describe exactly what it was like growing up in the 80ies and 90ies Switzerland. Everyone skied. All the kids in my class skied. All their families went on the usual annual skiing vacation. All my relatives skied (or had skied at some point in their lives). It was simply normal. It was something that so Swiss that it seemed like it always had been that way.
However, skiing didn't originate in Switzerland and it weren't the Swiss who first skied in the Swiss mountains. It was actually the British who introduced skiing to Switzerland in the late 19th century. First, the mountaineers used them on their tours and, later, tourists looking for ways to entertain themselves on their holidays took up skiing in the snowy alps.
Classic downhill or alpine skiing was invented by Arnold Lunn who organised the first skiing races in Mürren. In difference from traditional skiing that involved going up or along a hill as well (much like cross country skiing today), his races were "downhill only". This meant, participants had to ski down the hill as fast as possible much like today's ski races. Still, for many years, skiing was a sport for the wealthy tourists and not for the great masses of Switzerland.
This started to change during the first half of the 20th century. During WWI many Swiss soldiers learned to ski and during WWII Swiss schools started to incorporate skiing lessons in their pre-military education. The real catalyst for a nation of skiers, however, were the ski lifts. These technical climbing aids allowed for the masses to get up a slope without the technical skill necessary to walk or ski it up.
The First Ski Lift in Switzerland
When the first ski lift in Switzerland was built in 1936 in Davos there already had been several mountain railways and cable cars in Switzerland, e.g. the one up Pilatus and on the Rigi. However, they were built and used for transporting passengers to do sightseeing and not for skiers wanting a lift uphill.
The T-Bar ski lift was a world first. Skiers were now able to get uphill fast with little effort. No more climbing uphill for an hour for five minutes of downhill skiing! Soon enough, ski lifts appeared all over the Swiss mountains. Chair lifts and cable cars for skiers followed soon after and the first real ski resorts were founded.
Nowadays, the trend is not only for more ski lifts but also for more comfortable ones. The newer generation of chair lifts for example features wind screens and seat heating.
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| Chair lift - www.werbebunker.de / pixelio.de |
Many Different Ski Resorts
Today, there are over 150 operating ski resorts of all sizes and prices in Switzerland. There are really extensive resorts with over 100 of different ski lifts (T-Bar, Chair lift, Cable Cars) and lots of kilometres of slopes like Les Portes du Soleil in the French speaking Alps of Switzerland or Arosa Lenzerheide in Grisons. Then, there are tiny local resorts with just a handful of ski lifts like Mutten with only one of them. Most resorts in Switzerland fall somewhere in the middle.
Smaller resorts are usually great for families and beginners since they don't need or want much slope km. They are also good for a one day skiing trip where you won't be able to ski hundreds of kms anyway. Plus, the prices are usually much lower which makes a big difference for families or young people as well.
Larger resorts are great for longer skiing vacations because they offer variety of lifts and slopes so you won't get bored skiing down the same hill for a week. In regards to pricing, they are usually on the upper side - especially during the high season around Christmas and in February when schools are out for the annual sports vacation.
How the Pricing System for Ski Passes Works in Switzerland
Prices for ski passes in Switzerland used to be pretty fix. Basically, this meant that a one-day-pass or one-week-pass in resort ABC would cost you XY Swiss Francs no matter when you would go skiing. The only exception were the pre- and after-season tickets which were usually sold at a discounted price.
During the last few years, pricing for ski passes has changed quite a bit. Most resorts now set their prices through a flexible ticket pricing system called "dynamic pricing", similar to the ones used by airlines to define prices for their tickets. This means that demand plays a major role in the price you'll end up paying for your ski pass.
This is how it (more or less) works: There are several different prices for the same ski ticket. For every day during the skiing season there is a certain amount of tickets of the different price categories. First, the cheapest tickets are sold, then the second-cheapest and so on. On days, where lots of people want to go skiing (because it's a weekend or the weather forecast is good), the cheap tickets are sold quickly and prices go up. On days, where not many people want to ski, prices stay low.
How to Get Cheap Ski Passes in Switzerland
Although the skiing season in Switzerland doesn't start until late November, you might be wondering already when and how to buy your ski pass. There are several strategies to reduce the money you'll pay for a day or a week of skiing in Switzerland but even so, I have to admit, it's definitely not cheap to ski in Switzerland anymore as well.
Depending on your necessities and preferences there are several ways to get a cheap(er) ski pass in Switzerland. Here are some suggestions!
A) Choose an OFF day
If you're flexible with your work schedule, can take a day off during the week or your vacation outside the school holidays, you can schedule your ski days during the week or during the off-season. There is usually less demand on those days and therefore prices are lower. Plus slopes and lifts are usually much less crowded!
B) Choose a small resort
Larger resorts offer more slopes and lifts but understandably this means also higher ticket prices. If you opt for a smaller resort, prices usually drop quite a bit. This is a great option for one-day ski trips.
C) Choose to buy early
Just like with airline tickets, early birds get the best deal. The cheapest tickets are sold out quickly - especially on the most popular dates. The only downside: You never know what the weather or snow conditions will be like on the days you pick weeks or months ahead.
D) Choose a package deal
There are discounted ski passes available at the SBB when you book one of their snow'n'rail tickets. These tickets include the train and bus ride to the resort and the day-pass. This doesn't work with all resorts but most of the popular ones are included.
How to Choose a Ski Resort in Switzerland
Now that you know how to get a good price on your ski pass, the only thing left is to choose the ski resort. What resort you'll like best is hard to predict since it depends much on your personal preferences, skills and even your budget. As explained above, larger resorts offer more variety and challenges for experienced skiers but also cost more money.
Another factor that you should take into account are the snow conditions. Most larger resorts are at higher altitude (at least partly) and you're almost guaranteed that many if not most lifts and slopes will be open. Smaller resorts might not even be open when there is little or no snow fall!
When choosing a resort, don't forget to look at the amenities in the resort and the towns nearby. Besides the actual skiing, what is there to do?What restaurants are there? What kind of hotel are you looking for? Do I want a lively nightlife or a quiet night? Is there a good ski school for the children? These questions are especially important if you're planning a longer vacation.
Last but not least, consider how much distance you want to travel for a one-day ski trip or your one-week vacation. For one day you probably sick closer to home but for a longer skiing trip it's ok for most people to drive those extra two hours.
For an overview over ski resorts in Switzerland you can check skiresort.info. You can also simply ask your local friends or colleagues which resorts they like and why.
The End of My Story
You might wonder what happened to my day in the snow in Colorado? Well, despite having to pay a pricey day pass and getting the necessary gear (which was complicated but that's another story), I decided to go for it and truly enjoyed my day on the slopes. Here is what I wrote in my then travel blog:
"I spent a day on the slopes at Loveland, CO where to my surprise the lift chairs didn't have any safety bars. One would think that with all the mass tort stuff going on in the US they would be a bit more careful to prevent accidents and avoid being sued by injured skiers but I guess that again would require too much common sense. ;) But that's just an aside..."
"I spent a day on the slopes at Loveland, CO where to my surprise the lift chairs didn't have any safety bars. One would think that with all the mass tort stuff going on in the US they would be a bit more careful to prevent accidents and avoid being sued by injured skiers but I guess that again would require too much common sense. ;) But that's just an aside..."
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© 2022 IRENE WYRSCH "A HUMOROUS GUIDE TO SWITZERLAND" ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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