Meeting up with David, a regular ski partner in the winter, and all sorts of plans had come and gone for this week, climbing the Zinalrothorn or La Besso, climbing some other peak but in the end for today the weather had the final call and after some heavy rain and snow at altitude a hike looked the best idea. The route was a classic of the area, from Chandolin passing the lift system at Saint Luc and then on and up to the Bella Vouarda with an idea to take in the Forcletta before starting a traverse back to Zinal.

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Tags: Chandolin | Hiking | hiking in Switzerland | trekking | trekking in Switzerland | walking in Switzerland | Zinal

For anyone like me that was searching for an online copy of the ski bus timetable for this season I have scanned a copy as an image or JPEG and you can find it here :

http://snowslider.net/anniviers-ski-bus/

It’s also a menu item along the top of this page along with some information about local avalanche conditions and snow pack stability, this is is just information published by SLF but I’ve collected it in one place. The snow pack stability image links back to the SLF site and from there you can click on the individual icons and see the detailed analysis worksheet which is pretty interesting.

Tags: Chandolin | Saint Luc | ski Grimentz | Ski Zinal | Val d'Anniviers | Vercorin

The lift companies are confirming their opening for the weekend, there’s actually planned to be quite a bit running :

Grimentz

• Télécabine
• Tapis roulant
• Téléski Ecole
• Téléski Marenda
• Télésiège des Grands-Plans
• Télésiège de la Tsarva

Saint-Luc / Chandolin

• Télésiège du Tsapé
• Téléski des Etables

Zinal

• Téléphérique
• Télésiège du Chiesso
• Télésiège de la Corne
• Mini
• Tapis roulant
• Téléski de la Remointze

Vercorin (from 15/16 Dec)

• Télécabine Vercorin-Crêt-du-Midi
• Téléski du Crêt
• Téléski des Chardons

This is all subject to conditions of course and as it’s only partial opening lift tickets are reduced by 35-50%. Zinal will open weekdays as well now although it’ll be interesting to see how much demand there is for that so early.

Tags: Chandolin | Grimentz | Saint Luc | ski Grimentz | Ski Zinal | Val d'Anniviers | Vercorin | Zinal