Crans Montana switzerland
Review of snowboarding and skiing in Crans Montana Switzerland.
Crans Montana Ski Holiday Facts
Established in 1893 the Swiss ski resort Crans Montana lies at 3000 metres altitude in the Valais region of the Swiss Alps / Alpes. With the highest lifts and ski slopes above 2500m Crans Montana ski area is snow sure. Over 200 snow cannons ensure artificial Crans Montana snow making covers 17km of ski trails, which equates to around 35 of the ski slopes. The nearest airport transfer to Crans Montana (Switzerland) is Geneva / Geneve at a distance of 180km or approximately 120 minutes driving time. Crans Montana ski season runs from November to April.
SNO-man says
Once two separate villages, Crans and Montana officially met up and merged in the 1960s, Together they have a 40,000 bed base and are 6km long, with a modern, lively and cosmopolitan atmosphere. The resort also boasts breath-taking views of the Alps, from the Matterhorn to Mont Blanc. Lift opening to 1700 from February.
alpine downhill runs to ski in Crans Montana Switzerland
Beginner Trails
 0 runs 0km |
0% |
Intermediate Trails
 17 runs 55km |
40% |
Advanced Trails
 20 runs 70km |
47% |
Expert Trails
 4 runs 4km |
9% |
Crans Montana Resort & Holiday Info
| Beginners learning to ski |  |
| Intermediate Skiers | |
| Expert Skiers | |
| Snowboarders | |
| Apres Ski | |
| Family friendly | |
| Snowsure | |
| Ambience | |
| Value for money | |
| Ski Pass Prices (adult 6 day) | CHF307 - CHF307 |
Traditional Ski Village / Purpose Built Ski Resort |
| Ski Resort Opens | Nov 2011 |
| Ski Resort Closes | Apr 2012 |
| (snow conditions often influence resort opening & closing) |
Ski Area Crans Montana Mountain
| Downhill Ski Runs | 140km |
| total length of Crans Montana trails |
| Longest lift serve Run | 12km |
| longest piste or trail reachable by ski lift |
| Ski Slope Orientation | SE |
| direction Crans Montana ski areas face |
| Top Altitude | 3000m |
| top station of highest ski lift |
| Bottom Altitude | 1500m |
| bottom of lowest ski run |
| Resort Altitude | 1476m |
| centre of Crans Montana ski resort |
| Vertical Drop | 1500m |
| total descent from top lift to bottom piste |
| Skiable Vertical | ^v 1500m |
| can include extra hike up which may be possible above top lift - stat used by some resorts to con us about true "vertical drop" which is lift-served |
Skiing in Crans Montana
Skiing Crans Montana you'll enjoy 42 pistes and trails and that means approximately 140km of ski runs. Crans Montana lifts number 28 with the capacity to uplift 37570 skiers up the mountain per hour. The longest ski run in the Swiss ski resort of Crans Montana is over 12km long. Ski Crans Montana summer or winter as there is also glacier skiing in Crans Montana.
Crans Montana Ski Area
Crans Montana ski area has 0% beginner ski runs or nursery slopes, 40% intermediate, 47% advanced ski slopes and 9% for expert skiers - the most difficult Crans Montana piste is the 4.5km Toula run, with a steepness/slope angle of 20%. You can ski Crans Montana after dark as there is night skiing on ?km of illuminated piste.
Crans Montana for skiing gets 4 stars out of 5 overall
Crans Montana Apres Ski
The apres ski Crans Montana scene and off-slope or "non-skier" activities include:
22 apres ski bars 69 restaurants 1 bowling 2 night club 1 cinema 1 billiards / pool 0 games room 1 concert 6 indoor swimming 2 outdoor heated pools 10 saunas 2 hot tubs 7 solariums 11 masseurs 0 indoor ice skating 2 outdoor ice skating 5 indoor sports centre 2 indoor tennis 2 squash racquetball 0 sleigh rides 1 ballooning 1 horse riding 60 prepare winter walks 1 climbing 4 golf 0 fishing 3 museum 1 library Plus these additional apres ski facilities Airboard, Bridge, Chess, Curling (5 Indoor), Dahu Hunt, Fitness Centre, Flights, Ice Climbing, Indoor Golf, Monster 4x4, Paintball, Snowbiking, Snowkite, Yeti aventure, Snowtubing, Karting on Snow, Sledging, Fun Forest, Paragliding, Nordic Walking, Torchl.
SNO-man says
Plenty to do in Crans Montana, year round. In winter, apart from the winter sports described elsewhere there are opportunities to take hot air balloon flights, try paragliding, snow-shoeing, a 6km (3.75 mile) toboggan run from Petit -Bonvin down to Aminona or make a torchlit descent. Some 60km (about 37 miles) of hiking trails are kept cleared and open along with 14.5km of snowshowing trails..
Winter resort facilities include twelve swimming pools open to the public in the hotels and a heated salt water pool, massage institute, two squash courts, two tennis centres, indoor golf, an indoor ice rink with curling (with two additional outdoor rinks) and an indoor/outdoor horse riding school. There is also an outdoor rock climbing wall (open in the summer only) and the opportunity to participate in billiards, bridge or chess games.
Montana is linked to Sierre by a funicular train (recently renovated and now one of the most modern in Europe). Scenic flights in light aircraft are also possible from the airfield at Sion. There's a snowtubing run on the golf course and three different snowshoeing trails as well.
Crans Montana for apres ski gets 5 stars out of 5 overall
More Crans Montana Snow Ski Area and Resort Information
Crans Montana resort - ski Crans Montana by any other name
The Swiss ski resort of Crans Montana ski resort is also known as Crans Montana Swiss Alpes, Alps and has the following common misspellings:
Crans Montana ski area has ski slopes which face SE
The direction which the various Crans Montana ski slopes face can make or break your skiing or snowboarding holiday. If you want to guarantee good snow and ski conditions, you should choose a resort with ski slopes which face the right way for the time of year you're travelling.
- In the coldest winter months of January and February you need a ski resort with some sunny south facing ski slopes, so your days on the snow doesn't feel like a polar expedition. Conversely, in the warmest spring skiing months of March and especially April, a ski resort with some cool and shady north facing slopes will ensure you're not skiing on slush, but benefitting from best late season snow. The best ski resorts have ski areas and slopes which face in all directions so that you're guaranteed greating skiing whatever the weather. Crans Montana ski resort has ski slopes facing SE.
Crans Montana for snow gets 4 stars out of 5 overall