Winter and Mountain Sports in Zürich and Switzerland

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Winter and Mountain Sports in Zürich and Switzerland

Below is information on:

While mountain sports are possible year-round in places, the 3,000 Km² of glaciers are decreasing at a rapid rate and their instability means many are closed to the public. 

Switzerland is home to some of the world's most chic winter resorts: Zermatt, Saas Fee, Klosters and Davos and the Matterhorn on the Swiss Italian border is one of the most famous peaks in the Alps. The Swiss ski resorts vary in altitude and facilities.

Weather & Snow Reports

• To find the snow conditions in a resort: Click here and select the region
• Snow reports and weather forecasts from Snow-Forecast
• See the AngloINFO Weather for a ten-day forecast

English radio station, WRS, provides updates on the state of the slopes, which can be listened to online.

As well as checking the weather forecast and snow conditions before skiing it is also important to check the UV index. The sun is very powerful at altitude and the thinness of the air and the reflection from the snow can cause skin to burn very quickly.

• Check the UV rays index with uv-index.ch

Getting There

Access to the mountain resorts is relatively easy via transport links around the country which include cog railways, cable cars and trains. 

• Public transport is available to most ski resorts, see the Swiss Railways website for timetables and destinations
• See the AngloINFO Maps for road directions and route planning

Insurance

Not all basic health insurance covers all winter sports activities; check the exceptions on the policy, for example, some may not cover off-piste skiing or tobogganing.

Before skiing for either a day, a season or a holiday make sure that insurance coverage includes the following:

• Search and rescue
• Hospital costs
• Repatriation
• Third-party liability
• Criminal and civil proceedings

Snowcare pass

Snowcare insurance provides top-up insurance cover for any accident on the slopes in Switzerland (and Italy). There are various Snowcare packages for day, or a full season's insurance and it can be bought with a ski pass at any participating resort. 

Snowcare insurance only covers on-piste accidents. In the event of an accident, an emergency rescue must be requested on the run as proof that the accident took place on a run. The claim must be submitted within 10 days. 

• Further information form the Snowcare website

Piste Guidelines

Ski slopes - or pistes - are graded by difficulty:

• Cross-country skiing - langlauf 
• Snow shoes - die Schneeschuhe
• Chair lift -  der Sesselban
• Ski lift - der Skilift
• Snowboard - das Snowboard
• Mountain map - der Pistenplan

Resorts & Passes

All resorts use a lift-pass system. A ticket to use the resort's lifts and telecabins must be bought and the price of the pass will vary depending on the skier's age, competence, choice of sport and the resort. Passes can usually be bought in the resort with the minimum being a ½ day and the maximum being a season pass. They can also be bought by pedestrians and non skiers for lifts which bring passengers down the mountain.

• See The AngloFILE for Ski Resorts & Stations in Switzerland 

Ski-schools

There are ski schools in every resort and individual and group lessons are usually available. There are crèches and snow play areas for children too young to ski. Lessons can be full day or shorter.

• To find a ski school: Click here (in German)
• See The AngloFILE Ski & Snowboard Schools & Lessons

Equipment rental

Skis, snowboards boots and racquets can be hired from specialist shops in resorts. Rates are determined by the standard of the equipment and the duration of the hire.

• See The AngloFILE Ski, Snowboard & Equipment Rental 

Winter Sports, Switzerland

Many snow sports are possible in Switzerland during the winter; the two most practised are skiing and snowboarding, and advancements in technology have seen these sports change dramatically over recent years. Carving, freestyle and off-piste skiing have all grown in popularity and accessibility in recent years. 

Winter sports in Zürich

The International Ski Club of Zürich is a social and skiing club for people living in the Zürich area. They also organise a ski school in association with the Swiss Ski and Snowboard School (Flumserberg Schweizer Skischule & Snowboardschule). The ski school is suitable for children aged four and over and for adults of all levels.

Snowshoeing

Snowshoeing (Schneeschuhlaufen) is becoming more popular and many resorts in the Alps have created special routes with different grades of difficulty. The technology used in the shoes is advancing to make the equipment more efficient for going up and down hills and walking on the flat.

• For information on snowshoe trails in Switzerland: Click here

Ice skating

Ice skating is a popular winter pastime in the region with both indoor and outdoor skating rinks.

• For a list of ice skating rinks (Eisbahnen) in Zürich: Click here  

Night skiing

Floodlit pistes can be found in many resorts and mountain restaurants stay open into the evening so customers can ski home from dinner. (Note: Snowcare insurance does not cover accidents involving alcohol.)

• For an overview of night skiing resorts in Switzerland: Click here (PDF) 

Tobogganing

Many resorts have toboggan runs where sledges can be hired and there is a lift or train to get back to the top. Some of these runs are not suitable for young children. Check that insurance covers this type of sledding.

• For an overview of tobogganing in Switzerland: Click here (PDF)

Snowtubing is also popular. An inflated tyre or tube is used instead of a sledge.

• For a list of resorts offering snow tubes: Click here (PDF)

Dog sled and mushing

Mushing, or dog sledding, involves a team of mountain (Nordic) dogs pulling a sledge or skier through the snow. Some ski resorts in Switzerland can organise husky tours, including Gstaad and Crans Montana.

Disabled Skiing

Disabled skiing is a popular sport and instructors are located in resorts around the country. Disabled athletes can register to compete through the Swiss Paralympic Committee website (in French or German). 

• Swiss Paralympic Committee
  At: Krattigstrasse 48, CP 274, 3700 Spiez
  Tel: 033 654 88 30
  Fax: 033 654 88 32
  e-mail
  Website

The Ski 2 Freedom Foundation is a non-profit company providing a growing extensive directory of information on the facilities available at snow and winter sports stations and resorts for people with special needs and disabilities.

• Ski 2 Freedom Foundation
  Tel: 076 466 14 17 
  e-mail
  Website

Environmental Awareness

The Swiss Environment Office, (Bundesamt für Umwelt - BAFU) issues guidelines and warnings about the effect of snow sports on the environment. Skiers and snowboarders are destructive to the natural environment as the infrastructures required to build pistes, lift and resorts harm existing nature.

Suggestions for environmentally sensitive skiing from the BAFU:

• Stay on piste
• Respect nature's limitations, for example, light snowfall or lack of snow
• Follow the signs on the mountain, if a piste is closed do not try it
• In woodland and forests do not leave the marked tracks to ski in the powder
• Use public transport to get to and from the ski areas

One of the most harmful effects to nature is back country or off-piste skiing. Making tracks through powder creates a high risk of causing an avalanche and land slip, damaging flora and fauna beneath the snow. Marked pistes are specifically designed to leave areas of the mountain for animals to live in their natural habitat; skiers and boarders disturb the fauna during the winter which is often an important time for hibernation. The greatest disruption to the environment is caused by the volume of traffic transporting tourists to their destination.

In it's report on the threat of climate change to Alpine ski areas, the OECD states that a 10 percent decline in the number of snow-reliable areas in Switzerland is anticipated in the next few years.

• Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research Davos
  At: Flüelastr. 11, CH-7260 Davos Dorf
  Tel: 081 417 01 11
  Fax: 081 417 01 10
  Website

Related Information

Swiss-Ski: the official national ski and snow-sport association in Switzerland is recognised by the FIS. Swiss-Ski has offers for members and a list of affiliated clubs is available.

• Swiss-Ski
  At: Worbstrasse 52, 3074 Muri bei Berne
  Tel: 031 950 61 11
  Fax: 031 950 61 10
  e-mail
  Website

Swiss Snow Sports: a governing body representing various sporting disciplines. It regulates and represents ski schools and instructors across Switzerland.

• Swiss Snow Sports
  At: Hühnerhubelstrasse 95, Case Postale 182, 3123 Belp
  Tel: 031 810 41 11
  Fax: 031 810 41 12
  Website

Seilbahnen Schweiz: an organisation which brings together the 650 different ski lift operators in Switzerland to work towards a safe and modern lift infrastructure.

• Seilbahnen Schweiz
  At: Dählhölzliweg 12, 3000 Berne 6
  Tel: 031 359 23 33
  Fax: 031 359 23 10
  e-mail
  Website

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