Beginners 

Whilst there are some great beginner areas an some gentle runs, it is fair to say that there are more convenient places to earn to ski.  The Wolli Park for novices and long gentle runs on the glaciers are the main areas for learning, and thanks to the altitude, all areas are extremely snow sure.  The real tragedy is that beginners with miss out on what makes Zermatt really stand out as a ski resort.  Yes beginners soak up the resort atmosphere, but to not be able to enjoy the long sweeping red runs after the journey up the hill, is a real shame. With as many as five main ski schools for group instruction in skiing and boarding in Zermatt and three private ski schools, beginners have plenty of ski schools to choose from and invariably all of Zermatt’s ski instructors speak good English.

Intermediates

Strong intermediates are very well catered for in Zermatt – with over 60% of the ski area being red runs.  Intermediates will also love exploring the link over to Cervinia on the Italian side of the Matterhorn – it makes for an excellent day trip in god weather.  Crowded pistes are the exception and only even begin to enter the equation in peak weeks.  This again allows intermediates to enjoy ong sweeping carves down the long descents on offer. In the Rothorn area, we recommend the long Kumme run down to Tuftern which meanders through the trees right back to the village, passing cafes and restaurants in the bottom half. In good snow conditions and on colder or windy days, this is the place to be, with easy access back to the village and some great mountain huts. In Gornergrat, early intermediates should avoid the Stockhorn/Hohtalli area and just ski on the Gornergrat instead. The blue pistes running either side of the six-seat Gifthittli chairlift bask in afternoon and offer the ultimate cruise on perfectly groomed runs. Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (Klein Matterhorn) is intermediate heaven. The fact that the shortest run from top to bottom is 16km speaks for itself. . As for the majestic Matterhorn itself, the Furggsattel six-seater give quick access to perfect carving pistes.  For adventurous intermediates, more challenging routed can be found from Trockner Steg and the Furggsattel.

Advanced 

Zermatt has its fair share of challenging black runs, but Stockhorn is Zermatt’s experts’ playground, and in good conditions with probably more powder than you can handle. There are also a number of marked off-piste itineraries and extensive freeriding outside the main ski area. Don’t be misled by the apparent lack of black runs on the piste map. Plenty of Zermatt’s red runs are of a scale and diversity that make them well worth your time. For tougher stuff, Zermatt has introduced off-piste itineraries: marked in orange on the map, these are not groomed and should be undertaken only by appropriately equipped, competent skiers, taking current avalanche conditions into account. These ski itineraries offer a classic off-piste experience after recent snowfall and for many skiers are best visited with one of Zermatt’s mountain guides. Heliskiing is also an option  – check our heliskiing tab below.

Snowboarders

Freestylers will enjoy the park in Furggsattel up on the glacier  boasting around 15 features with 2 separate rail and kicker lines. There’s a couple of learner mini-parks on the Sunnegga and Riffelberg peaks, these even have magic carpets to save you hiking up. The park in Cervinia is more impressive and impeccably maintained but minus the halfpipe.  All of the above  sections equally apply to snowboarders as well as skiers!

Heliskiing in Zermatt

The mountain guides at Zermatt’s Alpine Center offers a comprehensive programme of off-piste training, guided itineraries and day tours as well as heli-skiing. Beyond the in-bounds off-piste itineraries are more day tours than you will have days in your week, many of them involving high-altitude peak-bagging. They are best left towards the end of your stay – when you’re acclimatised to the altitude – and are only for fit and adventurous skiers. Notable for a lack of climbing – more a long traverse – and some of the best skiing in the whole region, is the Schwarztor, a 3,731 m col on the far side of the Breithorn. A huge, steep descent of the Schwarze glacier brings you onto a broad, flat section of the Gorner glacier and back to Zermatt. Depending on the state of the snow, there’s a more or less sporting drop from the snout of the glacier, deep in a rock cleft, which involves sliding down a rudimentary fixed rope. One way or another you can be sure of a day you’ll never forget. Other peaks on the Alpine Center’s regular day tour list include: Pfulwe, Cima di Jazzi, Fluhhorn, Fillarhorn and the Breithorn. These are mostly well over 3,000 m, but by using the nearest, highest lift access, most ‘only’ involve around two hours’ climbing on skins, followed by long descents – in some cases to Tasch, one village down the valley from Zermatt. For guided off-piste skiing not on this list, guides must be booked individually, so going with a group is helpful to spread costs. The only ‘turn- up-and-go’ groups are the tours. Guided heli-ski drops are made on the Alphubeljoch (descending either to Tasch or Saas-Fee), Monte Rosa, Aschihorn, Testa Grigia and the Rothorn, giving vertical drops of up to 2,600 vertical metres.