Verbier - slopes
Verbier is part of the 4 Vallées (Verbier – La Tzoumaz, Nendaz, Veysonnaz, Thyon) which is the largest ski area in the whole of Switzerland. With 410km of pistes and 89 lifts, there is a vast amount of skiing and a variety of terrains to challenge the avid skier.
Verbier is well known for its fantastic lift accessible off-piste terrain. Some of the accessible areas are quite intimidating and should only be left to the expert skier. The itinerary runs in Verbier are legendary, whether it Mont Gelé with its steep and long descent, the bumps and massive width of Tortin, or the technical lines through the tree lined beauty of Vallon d’Arby, there is plenty to keep you busy.
Verbier has never been rated for its beginner skiing, however with the installation of the la Chaux Express in 2005, a greater area was made accessible to beginners on the Verbier side. The family friendly slopes of Savoleyres and dropping down into La Tzoumaz are often overlooked as they are not accessed from the main Medran lift station. There are several gentle blues on the tree lined pistes with gondola access back to the top. Verbier have plans to develop these links in the near future.
Ski highlights for all levels
Beginners: There are 3 nursery slopes in the resort of Verbier – Les Esserts is a large area, Les Moulins is in the town and caters predominantly for children. Le Rouge is slightly steeper than the other two nursery slopes and is situated at the bottom of the lower slopes it.
Intermediates: For lower intermediates there are few easy pistes in Verbier alone, but there are more in the 4 vallees, however these do not have the easiest lift access. La Chaux 1&2, Lac des Vaux and Medran 1 would suit early intermediates. For advanced intermediates there are extensive pistes / ski areas to access.
Experts: Verbier is the perfect destination for expert skiers. The front side of Mt Fort is a black piste mogul field. The gradient is steep and the panoramic view from the top is spectacular. Much of the expert skiing in Verbier comes in the form of ‘itinerary’ runs. These aren’t groomed or avalanche-controlled but have piste markers. Tortin, Col de Mines and Vallon d’Arby are a few of the most famous itinerary routes. Tortin is an incredibly wide and steep area which is fantastic with a fresh snowfall and develops large moguls for most of the season. Vallon d’Arby offers some fantastic tree skiing and Col des Mines on a powder day is perfect for the expert skier.
Off-piste
Verbier has a great deal of lift-accessible off-piste skiing. At the very top of the Mont Fort, at 3300m above Verbier, the expert skier can drop into the ‘Backside of Mt Fort’. This area, full of couloirs, steep faces and cliffs, is only for the elite or guided skier. Sometimes the conditions can be extremely variable and a great deal of skill is required. Two other thrilling off-piste runs, Stairway to Heaven and Highway are a short hike up from the top of Gentianes with a variety of gradients. Mt Gele, Rock Garden and the Creblet Couloirs are just a few of the other lift accessible off-piste skiing.
Ski schools and guides
The Warren Smith Ski Academy (+41 (0) 79 416 3057) in Verbier is known for its excellent variety of Freeride and 5 day piste technique coaching courses and is frequently highly rated in the UK press. For the local feel and Swiss instruction for beginners through to expert, one can try the biggest school situated conveniently at the main lift station, Ecole Suisse de Ski (+41 27 775 3363) who offer excellent knowledge of the area. Adrenaline (+41 27 771 7459) and La Fantastique (+41 27 771 4141) offer all levels of ski instruction and also have excellent guides for off piste or heli-skiing. There are several other schools in Verbier, all who speak English and teach at a good level.
The Warren Smith Ski Academy (+41 79 416 3057)
Ecole Suisse de Ski (+41 27 775 3363)
Adrenaline (+41 27 771 7459)
La Fantastique (+41 27 771 4141)
Swiss Snowboard School (+41 27 775 3365)
Powder Extreme (+41 76 479 8771)
Performance Verbier (+41 79 690 9799)
Altitude (+41 27 771 6006)
New Generation (+41 27 771 1181)
European Snowsport (+41 27 771 6222)
Lift system
Verbier’s lifts run 8.30am – 4.30pm. There are a variety of different lifts in Verbier and the 4 Vallees. There are magic carpets for beginners, button tow/drags, chair lifts, telecabines and telepheriques. Verbier continues to modernise its lift system and create newer and faster links, cutting queuing time and creating shorter lift rides.
Snow reliability and snowmaking
The upper slopes of the Mt-Fort glacier have consistently good snow and much of the slopes above Verbier retain good cover. Being south-facing, the slopes which lead down to the resort get a lot of sunshine so can be in poor condition at times. However Verbier has invested in many snowmaking machines which also adorn the run from Les Attelas down to Medran. Verbier is high and gets good early and late snow, so the season can run as early as mid- November to the end of April.
Terrain parks
The Swatch Snowpark is situated in the La Chaux area of Verbier and is included in the Verbier area ski pass. Here there are kickers and rails for pro and amateur freestyle skiers. Fun can be had on the Big Air Bag which has a giant screen beneath it so that you can watch yourself or others flying through the air and landing softly on it. There are also Snowparks in both the Thyon and Nendaz sectors.
