Skiing in Switzerland
I have to start this by saying that I’m not a good skier, so take everything I say here with a grain of salt. Before moving to Switzerland I’ve only skied for a weekend in Pennsylvania.
The first thing you’ll see is that Swiss are EXTREMELY good at skiing! Most of them learn it as kids, so as adults they’re very comfortable on skis. In two days of skiing in Davos, I overtook only 2 people, when in Pennsylvania it was definitely more! Also, you’ll not see green slopes in Switzerland, most of the mountains start with blue! My reaction was therefore “I have to go down THIS SLOPE?”. Also node that there are usually no walls around the walls, so there’s a legitimate scare of falling off slopes. Usually, however, most steep cliffs have some kind of barriers, and I’ve never seen or heard of anyone falling off. I also haven’t seen any accidents ever — and in Pennsylvania I saw 3–4 just on the weekend that I skied there!
Another thing to note is that a ski getaway can be quite expensive — hotels in ski resorts aren’t cheap, and you have to pay for ski passes and ski equipment. You’re doing to definitely have to buy goggles and gloves, and if you’re planning to ski more than few times a year, I’d also recommend getting your own helmet. If you’re a beginner like me, it’s better to rent skis and ski boot. Besides cost efficiency and being able to pick right skis as you progress (probably quickly), you’ll also be spared from inconvenience of having to carry them on the train. Trains are very packed during ski season, especially on Saturday morning and Sunday evenings — Swiss do love to ski!
Plan your ski trip as much as you can! Slopes are usually long, and it may take around half an hour for you to ski down. There also usually many routes with different difficulties, and it’s not always easy to figure out where to go. Always follow the signs and consult the map — you may end up in Italy if you take the wrong slope in Zertmatt! Also, pay attention to closing times of lifts, since you if you’re late, you may have to take the slope down, and it will probably be a black slope.
Apreski
Swiss are famous for their apres-ski culture. This means you ski, stop on the way to drink/party, and then you ski further down. It’s really fun! Also it’s good time to go out, since after a day of skiing, you’re very likely to be too tired to go out at night.
Sattel
Davos
