Snow Conditions

It has been snowing regularly since our last update, with a further cumulated total of 85cm falling on the Plateau Rosa, giving a current snow depth of 255cm. It has also been milder, so the snow is settling well. Almost all of the runs in all 5 ski areas are now open, as are all the resort runs. Indeed, the Sunnegga – Patrullarve resort run opened on December 15th, which is the earliest opening in its history.

The Ried restaurant on the Sunnegga resort run:

A further 60cm of fresh snow has fallen over the last two days in Zermatt, and it is snowing again. Snowfall totals so far this season – village: 94cm, upper slopes: 295cm. All ski areas are open and the conditions are epic.

Zermatt's main street in a snowstorm on December 4th

This is an extraordinary start to the season – we have had our fourth major snowfall, resulting in the following new snow depth / total depths in cm:

– Zermatt village level: 25 / 25

– 1,800m altitude: 48 / 60

– 2,800m altitude: 55 / 132

– 3,500m altitude: 80 / 240

Another 50cm of snow has fallen on the upper slopes (and 80cm on the Monte Rosa), giving a depth of 140cm on the top slopes of the Matterhorn area and 73cm at Gornergrat. This is the third substantial snowfall in a month. As you can see from the live webcam image below, the ski pistes are being actively prepared and many are already open.

The ski season has started! 60cm of fresh snow on the slopes, and 35cm in the village. Zermatt got the most snow of any resort in the Alps! Conditions are outstanding (we skied bottomless powder the day after), seven lifts including the Furggsattel six man chair are already running and the link to Cervinia is open.

Here is an image from the Zermatt Ried webcam on Monday October 29th:

And some shots taken by our Gourmet Ski Guide on the same day:

25cm of fresh snow!  With a snow depth of 125cm on the top slopes, conditions are outstanding and the season is off to a great start. The high ski area and link to Italy are open.

Gornergrat ski slope webcam – first fresh (mountain chamois) tracks…

The really long run from Klein Matterhorn all the way down to Trockener Steg is open: 1,000 vertical meters and 3km long! The lifts on the glacier are also all open, as is the snow park and the link to Cervinia in Italy. It's the best and biggest summer ski area in the world.

The summer skiing season is now open on the glaciers: with 1,000m of vertical Zermatt has the most extensive summer ski slopes in the Alps and is the only ski resort in the world offering 365 days of skiing. Currently the Furggsattel chairlift and the Gravity Snow Park are open.

With yet more snowfalls, the snow on the Klein Matterhorn slopes has reached its greatest depth of the season with 390cm. This means that the base for summer skiing is exceptional and conditions will be good from now until October. Snow depths: village – 0cm, middle – 236cm, top – 390cm.

Gornergrat Ski Slope Webcam on May 3rd, 2012:

Over the last 15 days, more than 150cm has fallen on the top slopes, and 100cm lower down. We have been tracking deep powder continuously throughout. These conditions are typical for April in Zermatt  – for those in the know, it is the best month to come skiing here. The Zermatt lifts close on May 2nd, while the link to Cervinia (whose slopes are open 1 more week) is open until May 7th. Thereafter the summer ski slopes on the glaciers open: Zermatt is the only resort in the world with 365 days of skiing.

Snow heights April 25th: village – 2 cm, middle – 262cm, top – 340cm. The most snow there has been here all season!

Below is a photo taken mid-April of Mountain Exposure clients admiring their tracks on the Stockhorn area in Zermatt: