Patrick's Streak, Ski Travel Priorities

[Tony Crocker]

Even if we ignore our FTO nit-picky commentary on trip choices, the fact is Patrick has a ridiculously long ski streak. How many people in the world can say that?

Many, but in North America nearly all of them are backcountry skiers in the Pacific Northwest. Once Patrick got to even 100 I opined somewhere that he was only one living in in Eastern North America, and now he's at 241.

"Unique" bucket and has required some unique choices to keep going even when injured and etc...

Bob Peters and Ron Cram continued streaks ~59 days after major injury/surgery I think.

Most of us ski fanatics have exerted unusual efforts in pursuit of ski objectives. Critiques of Patrick are mainly about the decades of

opportunity cost.

with no end in sight.

 

[ChrisC]

Patrick likely has decent glacier options due to Halloween Storms. It's been dry since then, but it looks very active starting Monday and continuing through the next two weeks. There is snow above 2500m.

Hintertux

Stubai

Solden

Saas Fee

Zermatt - high winds restricted some piste openings at summit

 

[Tony Crocker]

Patrick is in France with family near Lyon. Austria is not practical on this trip. He might get to Zermatt. He's looking at Glacier 3000 also.

 

[Patrick]

Patrick is in France with family near Lyon. Austria is not practical on this trip. He might get to Zermatt. He's looking at Glacier 3000 also.

Temps finally dropped. Most lifts at Zermatt closed today due to low vis and snow. Since I arrived in France on Nov 4, we haven’t gotten further than 7km from the village where my mother-in-law’s home is located. Lyon is 35km east, Alps 2 hours West.
Places that will go or eyeing.
Glacier 3000, SUI (closest)
Zermatt / Cervinia (ikon)
Val Thorens and Les 2 Alpes are opening this coming weekend which would become the closest. We’ve been both areas, but not together. My wife skied there when she lived in France prior to prior to her mid 20s back in the previous millenium.

 

[ChrisC]

He's looking at Glacier 3000 also.

Glacier 3000, SUI (closest)

One of my UK friend's sister lives nearby, so I asked him about skiing there. He said something along the lines of: Oh hell no - it's a mind-numbing flat glacier! Likely with more expletives.

Although it looks like a much better setting than indoor skiing.

Although the front-side off-piste looks impressive, as well as some of the routes in the bowls beneath the glacier. Note: Flat glacier to the right.

The Powderhounds spent a day just skiing the front side and the bowls.

Glacier 3000

Glacier 3000 ski resort between Les Diablerets & Gstaad has a long winter season & huge terrain providing epic freeride descents! See Powderhounds for info, photos & reviews...

www.powderhounds.com

 

[Tony Crocker]

it's a mind-numbing flat glacier!

From Google Earth, the terrain served by those 3 upper surface lifts on the glacier is under 1,000 vertical and probably more like 700.

 

[Patrick]

3 upper surface lifts on the glacier is under 1,000 vertical and probably more like 700.

Someone told me about the flatness, but told me scenary is great + we would stop in Lausanne and/or Montreux.
From experience, I think Les 2 Alpes was the flatest i’ve skied.

364m =1,194 ft

I love many of these interactive maps, live updates for open lifts and trails (open):

Tsanfleuron

Capacity	:	1200 People / Hour
Travel time	:	16:45 Min.
Lower mountain station	:	2576 m a.s.l.
Upper mountain station	:	2932 m a.s.l.
Height difference	:	356 m
Route distance	:	2322 m
Producer	:	Habegger
Number of pillars	:	24

Dôme

Capacity	:	800 People / Hour
Travel time	:	7:20 Min.
Lower mountain station	:	2805 m a.s.l.
Upper mountain station	:	2940 m a.s.l.
Height difference	:	135 m
Route distance	:	1020 m
Producer	:	Borer
Number of pillars	:	7

Glacier Scex Rouge

People / Chair	:	4
Capacity	:	1212 People / Hour
Cabs: Number	:	36
Travel time	:	3:30 Min.
Driving speed	:	1.8 m/s
Lower mountain station	:	2826 m a.s.l.
Upper mountain station	:	2935 m a.s.l.
Height difference	:	109 m
Route distance	:	373 m
Producer	:	Doppelmayr
Number of pillars	:	4

 

[ChrisC]

Someone told me about the flatness, but told me scenary is great + we would stop in Lausanne and/or Montreux.

I would agree; it's a beautiful area of Switzerland. One day, I would like to stop at Gstaad, Glacier 3000, and Les Diablerets ski areas.

The glacier does look a bit vertically challenged.

The Les 2 Alpes glacier was not that bad. However, I did not get any sun breaks like I did the rest of the day while skiing it from the summit - no views.
Les Deux Alpes April 2 2025

"A Flat Glacier in Flat Light" below

 

[ChrisC]

I love many of these interactive maps, live updates for open lifts and trails (open):

The problem with the interactive maps is that, outside of ski operating hours, one has no idea what might be open - lifts or pistes. (Some ski resorts have an 'orange' category, meaning 'planned' or 'in preparation'.)

Zermatt-Cervinia. You can guess what lifts might be open, but pistes are a mystery.

 

[Patrick]

The problem with the interactive maps is that, outside of ski operating hours, one has no idea what might be open - lifts or pistes. (Some ski resorts have an 'orange' category, meaning 'planned' or 'in preparation'.)

Zermatt-Cervinia. You can guess what lifts might be open, but pistes are a mystery.

View attachment 48107

Agree.

What Glacier 3000 gives on its map is detailed lift specs which I just notice that Zermatt doesn’t on its map. Based on what I’ve been seeing (on the maps) in the last few days is that Cervinia lifts has more skiing options that Zermatt right now (top of Zermatt as well as 2 of the 3 Glacier 3000 lifts (10:05am - local).

 

[Patrick]

Cervinia lifts has more skiing options that Zermatt right now (top of Zermatt as well as 2 of the 3 Glacier 3000 lifts (10:05am - local).

Decided to drop Glacier 3000, we’ll focus Ikon places. Not many days left on this trip with all the work left to do here.

 

[ChrisC]

Based on what I’ve been seeing (on the maps) in the last few days is that Cervinia lifts has more skiing options that Zermatt right now (top of Zermatt as well as 2 of the 3 Glacier 3000 lifts (10:05am - local).

There is a lot open on the Cervinia side. Although the link between Zermatt and Cervinia is always a bit tenuous. Cervinia is relatively mild, glaciated, and has good snowmaking. A bit like Targhee - mild terrain, but high snowfall.

You will have to let us know how the Zermatt-Cervinia ticket works. Can you get an 'international' pass at a Zermatt kiosk/ticket station? Or do you need to fish for a Cervinia ticket once in Italy? It didn't look like it would be the easy route for accounting reasons.

 

[ChrisC]

Decided to drop Glacier 3000, we’ll focus Ikon places.

Grands Montets' opening was delayed a week. I am not sure there is much 'Ikon' outside of Zermatt-Cervinia.

You do have love, how the Swiss develop their glaciated peaks. More environmentally considerate DisneyLands (wrong term) on some of its highest mountains - Glacier3000, Engelberg-Titlis, Jungfrau/Schlithorn/First, Zermatt-Klein Matterhorn. And Aguille du Midi in France.

 

[Patrick]

You will have to let us know how the Zermatt-Cervinia ticket works. Can you get an 'international' pass at a Zermatt kiosk/ticket station? Or do you need to fish for a Cervinia ticket once in Italy? It didn't look like it would be the easy route for accounting reasons.

Skied 2 days on Dec 8-9 last year.
Day 1, wind and no vis higher so upper Zermatt and connection was closed.
Day 2 with the Ikon (only good at Z last season), paid extra (at Z ticket counter) to ski over to the Italian side with terrain for Cervinia and Val Tourmanche open.
Not sure how it will work this year, will it count as one day used on each side? Will let you know.

Grands Montets' opening was delayed a week. I am not sure there is much 'Ikon' outside of Zermatt-Cervinia.

I was mostly thinking Cervinia and
which is schedule to open Nov 29.
I also just found out that the Mt Blanc is closed until Dec 15 for renovations.
There is an alternative route via the Frejus tunnel, but it further south.
Another drawback is that winter tires and/or chains are mandatory in the Aosta valley from mid-October till late Spring. Mother-in-law still has her car, but no longer drives, her brother occasional uses it.