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Verbier Bad Weather Ski Areas
| Bad Weather Ski Areas in Verbier & the 4 Valleys |
When the bad weather comes in and the clouds cling to the mountains here in Verbier, skiing with good visibility becomes a rarity, given that most of the domain is situated above the tree-line. There are however a few areas where one can head in order to make the most of a stormy day, but remember: always carry with you all pertinent gear when wandering off-piste (ie. transceiver, probe & shovel) and know how to use it well!
The following are merely suggestions of where to go when the weather turns bad, and off-piste skiing/boarding is ALWAYS practised at your own risk. Ignoring safety warnings, entering closed areas or ducking under ropes and barriers can have grave consequences in the mountains. This is why we recommend that you take a certified mountain guide with you when heading off-piste. |
| Bruson in Bad Weather |
Bruson (opposite side of the valley to Verbier – part of the 4-Valley ski pass) This lovely little ski area situated opposite to Verbier in the Val de Bagnes is an absolute local’s “rendez-vous” in bad weather. Given its low altitude, 95% of its terrain is tree-lined which means that even in foggy conditions, you can actually see something!
Getting over to Bruson is a bit time-consuming but well worth the effort. From Verbier, download the bubbles to Le Châble, where a yellow postal bus (included in your lift ticket price – check with the office at Medran for schedules) will take you to the base of the ski area. In all, if you time your connection right, expect to spend 45mins getting there.
Although there are only a handful of actual marked trails (blue, red & black) to choose from, Bruson offers the best tree skiing of the 4-Valley area. Most of the good skiing is found off La Pasay (3-man chair) but Le Grand Tsai (drag-lift), which is sometimes closed due to avalanche danger, offers longer front-side descents back to the bottom of the triple. During snowstorms, it can be bitterly cold and windy on these lifts so make sure you come prepared with warm clothing.
As far as the tree skiing is concerned, pretty much everywhere on the front face goes, with the bigger part of the skiing found in the area between the triple chair and the t-bar. There are however a few flat spots and cliff zones to beware of and avoid. The terrain, which is generally quite moderate, gets progressively steeper as you head away to the skier’s right of La Pasay. Don’t go too far right as there are some avalanche prone clearings and gullies amidst the trees there, not to mention that you’ll miss the cat road bringing you back to the lifts, and have a very unpleasant time bush-whacking your way to the valley floor.
This area is entirely off-piste and hazards do exist, so if you decide to head this way, do so with caution and care, and go equipped. It is definitely best to go with someone who knows the area well, perhaps even a guide… |
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last updated 25-Jan-2008 |
| Savolyeres/La Tzoumaz in Bad Weather |
La Tzoumaz (backside of Savoleyres ski area – part of the 4-Valley ski pass) Situated right behind Savoleyres’ south-facing slopes, la Tzoumaz’s pistes quickly plunge into the tree-line, offering a large choice of runs with ok visibility to those who want to ski, regardless of the bad weather.
While Le Nord (6-man high speed detachable chair) services a short but sweet, moderately steep ridgeline speckled with trees, Le Taillay (4-man chair) on the opposite end gives access to very mellow terrain which starts off very open and gradually enters the tree-line. With both, you have the option of either staying on the piste or wandering off, without ever having to venture too far to the sides to find fresh powder. Be careful however when skiing off-piste to the skier’s right of Le Taillay, not to go too far right, as you will miss the cat road bringing you back to the lift & will be on your way to the bottom of the resort through a mess of tight, annoying trees.
The Les Etablons (2-man chair) can offer some great turns when the snow is good lower down. The second half of the red slope which starts directly to the left or skier’s right of the lift has a good moderate pitch and can be quite fun. What more, with the brand-new 8-man La Tzoumaz gondola, great “top to bottom” runs can be enjoyed, knowing that line-ups are now a thing of the past!
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last updated 25-Jan-2008 |
| Vallon d'Arby in Bad Weather |
Vallon d’Arby (ski itinerary [guide recommended] – access from Les Attelas) Lovers of off-piste will revel in this great ski itinerary which is reached from the summit of Les Attelas, on rte to the Col des Mines. Make your way down the Lac des Vaux area keeping on the skier’s left past the 4-man chair (ducking under the rope) until you enter the gully. This moderately pitched gully feeds onto a traverse, which, when not officially open, can be quite hairy as it’s a “no fall zone”, given the cliffs & exposure to the right. There is also quite a big slope overhead, so you must consider the avalanche risk before entering the traverse.
As early as midway through the traverse (after the cliffs), the Vallon d’Arbi itinerary starts off in an open bowl but quickly enters a section of well spaced big larch trees, making it a pleasure to pull fast, sweeping turns through its moderately steep pitch. For a slightly more exciting run, you can choose to continue traversing right past the Col des Mines & “around the corner”. Slopes there tend to be more loaded, so do take extra care when entering this area & if in doubt: don’t go. Either route you choose will eventually funnel to the same spot at the bottom of the vallon. Once you’ve crossed the creek, a long and at times quite flat cat road eventually brings you to the bottom of the La Tzoumaz bubbles.
Because of the access, which in whiteout conditions can be quite tricky, as well as the risk of avalanche danger given the moderately steep gradient of the slope, it is advisable to always carry with you all pertinent gear, and not to engage in the area when it is closed. Basically, we strongly recommended you hire a guide to safely bring you to this & other great places!
If you are up the mountain in the higher alpine & the weather suddenly deteriorates leaving you caught in a whiteout, the best thing to do is to carefully head down the mountain as soon as possible. Usually (but not always the case), the lower you get on the mountain, the more the clouds will dissipate and the better the visibility will get.
When in “pea-soup” fog, descend the cat tracks at a pace which allows you to safely follow (and stay within) the safety markers posted on either side of the trail, thus ensuring you don’t fall off the road.
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last updated 25-Jan-2008 |
| Lift & Piste Maps (Verbier & the 4 Valleys) |
This is the main inter-active piste map from Televerbier, the local lift company. Use it to find out more about the slopes, restaurants, lift system and facilities of the area, including the latest piste and lift opening status. Paper piste maps are available from the lift-stations, Tourist Office, hotel receptions and the like...
Piste map for Verbier & the 4 Vallées
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last updated 12-Feb-2008 |
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