jamesdeluxe
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2020
During the 2.5-hour drive back to Zurich, there were a number of possibilities either right alongside or a few minutes away from my route. Since the majority of my ski days on this trip were at larger destination circuits, I decided to go small and Grasgehren on the Germany side looked interesting with a $20 ticket that would have me done by noon.
However, I wasn't completely sold until I saw their branding on a billboard a couple miles before the turnoff -- "Grasgehren: the slightly different ski area" -- that unapologetically targets the anti-resort crowd: families, ski tourers, and snowshoers. Great pic:
Here's what you're working with: two t-bars and one double chair covering 1,150 feet. All three lifts are slow so you don't come to Grasgehren expecting to rack up big vertical. You're here to relax amidst the beautiful scenery:
I started on the looker's left. Even if you tuck and maintain speed through the connecting trail, you're still left with a few minutes of sidestepping in both directions:
Given how most downhill ski areas do their best to eliminate any unnecessary physical exertion on behalf of their clientele, they could have easily put in a rope tow on this spot to help people get up the slope; however, I'm impressed that they didn't bother:
Similar to Hochhäderich a few days earlier, there are two parallel t-bars here. Both were in operation because it was a Saturday and racers were running gates on one trail:
Diesel power (they can't be happy with the increased fuel costs due to the Ukraine war):
Sorry for sounding like a broken record, but once again -- absolutely perfect spring snow on the east-facing trails:
After a bunch of smooth runs, I moved to the skier's right off the double chair. Nice touch with the lounge chair for the liftie:
The strong sun had already melted snow in the trees. I suspect that they close most seasons by the end of the month:
Corn snow over here too on this ESE facing run with the Kleinwalsertal serving as a backdrop:
By late morning, the snow on this facet was transitioning into mashed potatoes. You can see the top of Ifen in Kleinwalsertal (upper right-hand corner), six miles away as the crow flies:
I wrapped up by 11:45 and got back on the road for my flight home. An enjoyable trip with a bunch of new-to-me ski areas and uninterrupted sun the entire week. Here's my map of the entire visit:
Pre-flight drinks at ZRH airport:
Looking out over the tarmac:
However, I wasn't completely sold until I saw their branding on a billboard a couple miles before the turnoff -- "Grasgehren: the slightly different ski area" -- that unapologetically targets the anti-resort crowd: families, ski tourers, and snowshoers. Great pic:
Here's what you're working with: two t-bars and one double chair covering 1,150 feet. All three lifts are slow so you don't come to Grasgehren expecting to rack up big vertical. You're here to relax amidst the beautiful scenery:
I started on the looker's left. Even if you tuck and maintain speed through the connecting trail, you're still left with a few minutes of sidestepping in both directions:
Given how most downhill ski areas do their best to eliminate any unnecessary physical exertion on behalf of their clientele, they could have easily put in a rope tow on this spot to help people get up the slope; however, I'm impressed that they didn't bother:
Similar to Hochhäderich a few days earlier, there are two parallel t-bars here. Both were in operation because it was a Saturday and racers were running gates on one trail:
Diesel power (they can't be happy with the increased fuel costs due to the Ukraine war):
Sorry for sounding like a broken record, but once again -- absolutely perfect spring snow on the east-facing trails:
After a bunch of smooth runs, I moved to the skier's right off the double chair. Nice touch with the lounge chair for the liftie:
The strong sun had already melted snow in the trees. I suspect that they close most seasons by the end of the month:
Corn snow over here too on this ESE facing run with the Kleinwalsertal serving as a backdrop:
By late morning, the snow on this facet was transitioning into mashed potatoes. You can see the top of Ifen in Kleinwalsertal (upper right-hand corner), six miles away as the crow flies:
I wrapped up by 11:45 and got back on the road for my flight home. An enjoyable trip with a bunch of new-to-me ski areas and uninterrupted sun the entire week. Here's my map of the entire visit:
Pre-flight drinks at ZRH airport:
Looking out over the tarmac:
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