Gstaad switzerland
Review of snowboarding and skiing in Gstaad Switzerland.
Gstaad Ski Holiday Facts
Established in 1906 the Swiss ski resort Gstaad lies at 3000 metres altitude in the Bernese Oberland region of the Swiss Alps / Alpes. With the highest lifts and ski slopes above 2500m Gstaad ski area is snow sure. Over ? snow cannons ensure artificial Gstaad snow making covers ?km of ski trails, which equates to around ? of the ski slopes. The nearest airport transfer to Gstaad (Switzerland) is Geneva / Genève at a distance of 160km or approximately 120 minutes driving time. Gstaad ski season runs from December to April.
SNO-man says
One of the world's top resorts incorporating an excellent sports centre with free access to lift ticket holders. Gstaad offer a world class selection of on and off slope facilities and accomodation standards that have become living legends. The resort centre was pedestrianised in 1997. Gstaad is the key part of a series of French and German speaking resorts linked by scenic mountain railway all included in the lift pass price.
alpine downhill runs to ski in Gstaad Switzerland
Beginner Trails
 0 runs 0km |
0% |
Intermediate Trails
 50 runs 110km |
50% |
Advanced Trails
 35 runs 101km |
35% |
Expert Trails
 11 runs 11km |
11% |
Gstaad 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) | CHF297 - CHF297 |
Traditional Ski Village / Purpose Built Ski Resort |
| Ski Resort Opens | Dec 2011 |
| Ski Resort Closes | Apr 2012 |
| (snow conditions often influence resort opening & closing) |
Ski Area Gstaad Mountain
| Downhill Ski Runs | 250km |
| total length of Gstaad trails |
| Longest lift serve Run | 10km |
| longest piste or trail reachable by ski lift |
| Ski Slope Orientation | N S E W |
| direction Gstaad ski areas face |
| Top Altitude | 3000m |
| top station of highest ski lift |
| Bottom Altitude | 1050m |
| bottom of lowest ski run |
| Resort Altitude | 1050m |
| centre of Gstaad ski resort |
| Vertical Drop | 1950m |
| total descent from top lift to bottom piste |
| Skiable Vertical | ^v 1950m |
| 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 Gstaad
Skiing Gstaad you'll enjoy 100 pistes and trails and that means approximately 250km of ski runs. Gstaad lifts number 62 with the capacity to uplift 40380 skiers up the mountain per hour. The longest ski run in the Swiss ski resort of Gstaad is over 10km long. Ski Gstaad summer or winter as there is also glacier skiing in Gstaad.
Gstaad Ski Area
Gstaad ski area has 0% beginner ski runs or nursery slopes, 50% intermediate, 35% advanced ski slopes and 11% for expert skiers - the most difficult Gstaad piste is the ?km Tiger Run run, with a steepness/slope angle of ?%. You can ski Gstaad after dark as there is night skiing on ?km of illuminated piste.
Gstaad for skiing gets 3 stars out of 5 overall
Gstaad Apres Ski
The apres ski Gstaad scene and off-slope or "non-skier" activities include:
23 apres ski bars 100 restaurants 1 bowling 6 night club 1 cinema 0 billiards / pool 0 games room 0 concert 4 indoor swimming 2 outdoor heated pools 10 saunas 2 hot tubs 10 solariums 14 masseurs 0 indoor ice skating 4 outdoor ice skating 1 indoor sports centre 4 indoor tennis 1 squash racquetball 9 sleigh rides 0 ballooning 1 horse riding 160 prepare winter walks 6 climbing 1 golf 1 fishing 3 museum 3 library Plus these additional apres ski facilities Badminton, Bridge, Bungee (120m), Curling (3 Rinks), Fitness Centre, Ice Climbing, Mountain Biking, Table Tennis.
SNO-man says
Gstaad has a great indoor pool complex to which skiers receive half price admission, with their lift pass, up to 6pm. It's great to get off the slopes and into the big pool before the evening's activities get started. This is one of many indoor sporting facilities in the resort. You will also find three indoor tennis courts, a badminton court and three squash courts, table tennis, fitness centres, and there's an indoor ice rink where you can play curling, and riding stables with an indoor arena. Bowling and billiards are also available, and bridge is played in the hotels.
Outdoor activities include hot air ballooning, paragliding, ice climbing, sleigh rides, snow shoeing and two toboggan runs.
Gstaad for apres ski gets 4 stars out of 5 overall
More Gstaad Snow Ski Area and Resort Information
Gstaad resort - ski Gstaad by any other name
The Swiss ski resort of Gstaad ski resort is also known as Gstaad and has the following common misspellings:
Gstaad ski area has ski slopes which face N S E W
The direction which the various Gstaad 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. Gstaad ski resort has ski slopes facing N S E W.
Gstaad for snow gets 3 stars out of 5 overall