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  • Klosters skiing
  • hammy7272
    Free Member

    Hi

    My good friend has been gifted use of a chalet over the February half term for his wedding present from a relative.

    Myself and partner have been kindly invited. Due to young children and work my partner can’t go but would like me to go. I’m uneasy about leaving her with kids, 3 and 5.

    I’ve skied once when 14 and loved it.

    Question is, is this a once in a lifetime opportunity as this place looks pretty good.

    Other question is, it doesn’t seem easy to get to from Leeds Bradford as I might go for around 4 nights maybe?

    Last one, I’ve no gear so I assume it can all be hired out there? Looks an expensive spot!

    Their friend is a very wealthy Swiss National so I believe this Chalet is going to be pretty nice!

    Thanks any pointers appreciated

    Rockape63
    Free Member

    Well….

    Skiing is Ace
    If you don’t do it, you’ll regret it forever
    Hire skis/boots online pre trip from nearby ski hire places.
    Fly from Manchester to Zurich/ share transfer.
    Buy second hand ski gear from EBay

    Sorted!

    hammy7272
    Free Member

    Thanks, I guess so!

    Regarding transfers, would you suggest hire car?

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    thered
    Full Member

    No, google a bus transfer company and use them, way cheaper and you won’t use a car in resort anyway.

    Try to avoid second hand boots if poss, boots are the most important part of your skiing experience as poor or knackered boots can cause extraordinary discomfort. Used boots will have moulded to the previous users feet so will either be too tight in certain places or will slop about.

    Don’t get pressured onto difficult runs, some blues, almost all reds, just cos somebody else is going. You will almost definitely hate it and may hurt yourself. Instead take a music player and enjoy a little music or some peace cos it’s possibly the most beautiful environment in this world. Nothing lovelier than sitting and enjoying the beauty and the peace. There are always places where you can arrange to meet better skiers for a beer later in the day or at lunch.

    Get yourself onto snowheads forum and ask tons of questions, they are a decent lot on there.

    mefty
    Free Member

    There is only one way to do the transfer and that is by train, the final bit as you are joined by skiers using it to get back from doing the Kublis run is part of the romance of the resort – very easy from the airport.

    Rockape63
    Free Member

    If you haven’t skied since you did once aged14, then you are an out an out beginner. I’d suggest ski lessons but they will be very expensive, so:

    Watch youtube ski lessons to understand what you are aiming to do. (Over and over)

    Try and book some group lessons on local dry slopes in UK to get something under your belt.

    Try and arrange with your friend for someone to ski with you and help you, even if it’s only for an hour or two. As already said, resist the urge to try anything outside your ability, as all you’ll do is keep falling over.

    bajsyckel
    Full Member

    Sounds like a great offer. It has a reputation, probably moreso in UK than in Switzerland, for being shit expensive (probably due to the royals’ connection) but the whole Graubuenden area has loads going for it mountain-wise both summer and winter.

    That said, although I’ve been in the mountains above Klosters, I have not even the vaguest recollection of the village or valley (I may not have been). But I have great memories of skiing off the lifts, skinning over the tops and then dropping down pastures and through the trees to various halt on demand train stops. And similar in the summer on mtb. The little bit of piste skiing I can recall doing to get there was pleasant and deserted, possibly backing up the poseurs reputation a bit. But I’d go back like a shot, particularly with free accommodation.

    RE getting there, train is pleasant and dead easy with straightforward connections. Ask your mate to help you sort cheapest tickets – usually there are some deals available for people outside Switzerland, sometimes involving lift passes etc. If you’re flying then I think swissair do luggage transfers all the way from check in to resort which might appeal. If Zurich airport isn’t your entry point to CH then Milan also works for some of the Central and SE Swiss areas too, again with rail connections, but from memory I think it’d be much more indirect to to get onto the Landquart-Davos line which you’d use. Train and postbus are really efficient ways to get about round here, and straightforward way to exploring some of the nearby villages & towns if that appeals.

    eulach
    Full Member

    Definetely go by train:

    https://www.sbb.ch/en/buying/pages/fahrplan/fahrplan.xhtml

    If you book in advance it will be cheaper. I don’t know much about skiing but it will be expesive in Klosters.

    I have had good experiences with stöckli for bike related stuff.

    https://getmyski.com/en/

    hammy7272
    Free Member

    Great stuff. Thanks a lot. Chill out easy runs with nice views is what I’m after. Not bothered about going fast.

    Really helpful thanks

    mrmoofo
    Full Member

    The lift queue at the main gondola lift up is awful in the morning. Then you have to schuss at speed to get over the ridge , to drop down to the main ski area, Which is a PITA on a snowboard. I was on a snowboard.
    The Swiss are still very much in love with T bars – again doable on a snow board/ skis but make sure you have strong thighs. Not quick as long as the pomos at Tignes but not far off.

    big_scot_nanny
    Full Member

    @mefty – damn right. did that last year with my son – Weissflugipfel – Kublis, train to Madrisa, Afternoon skiing at Madrisa (the off piste off the top one rthe back, connecting back up with the pistes then the run down the valley back to the car park) one of the best days skiing ever!


    @hammy7272
    – we live in Basel, ski at Davos/Klosters a few times a year (and bike in the summer), if you need any more tips or a chat, let me know. happy to. To answer your questions.

    Once in a lifetime? Might well be, I’d certainly jump at it, go for it!

    Travel: As others: fly to Zurich, get train – public transport in CH is very integrated, you can get anywhere.

    Renting: you can rent there, no problem. It Switzerland, so it won’t be cheap, but it will be extremely good quality kit.

    That advice may help you in general: Switzerland is expensive, but you are never (well, with a few select exceptions) being ripped off. It’s expensive everywhere, for everything, but usually high quality, so kind of fair.

    To enjoy the trip, you will have to suspend your current understanding of prices and just accept that yes, a beer can be £12 a pint, a sandwich might cost a tenner and a plain coffee 5 quid. Otherwise you may spend the whole trip as a nervous wreck as your brain flips out converting everything to pounds and comparing to UK.

    Klosters/Davos is a fantastic area and you will be well catered for. Skiing wise, from Klosters you can either head up the Prince of Wales cable car towards the skiing on Parsenn, or the gondola up the Madrisa side. Both offer a great deal of skiing for many abilities. Also high, so generally good snow.

    I would go, just go with the flow and enjoy it. If you need a buddy, let me know! 🙂

    hammy7272
    Free Member

    That’s great. Thanks so much for spending time with such a detailed reply. I really appreciate it.

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