My winter bucket list 2015/2016
Dear readers – you can’t imagine how euphorically I long for winter every year (or maybe because you already read along last year?). Just a real winter child. And what better way to feed anticipation than to make extensive plans. Finding hideaways, researching the most beautiful snowshoe tours, discovering new ski resorts, tracking down winter trends (fat bikes are on the rise) and dreaming of trips to the far north.
In the last few weeks, a colourful pile of travel ideas and excursion destinations for the winter of 2015/2016 has come together. I am of the opinion that with this abundance of possible activities, every winter grouch will immediately change his mind. And if not, then point 5 at least offers you the opportunity to look at the snowflakes from a safe distance.
#1 filter out the insider tips among the Swiss ski resorts
Zermatt, Lenzerheide, Flims-Laax – great, versatile ski resorts. But it’s also big and often overcrowded on weekend days during the high season. For this winter, I have decided to head for more smaller ski resorts. For example, Vals, which offers the perfect conditions with the Dachberg ski area reaching up to 3,000 m above sea level with 25 kilometres of slopes and a ski ticket price of CHF 48. Or the Braunwald ski areas (32 km of slopes, day ticket 48 CHF) and Motta Naluns with 80 km of slopes and a 55 CHF day ski pass. Also in this category is the Belalp (60 km of slopes, day ticket 56 CHF), where we already enjoyed ourselves in the snow last year in the best conditions. Do you have any other insider tips in store?
#2 dare to go on a ski tour
Thanks to a passionate secondary school teacher, I often went on a ski tour during my school days. As the only girl among all the boys. Since then, I haven’t been off-piste because I lack the necessary avalanche protection knowledge. For this winter, we have decided to get a taste of ski touring air again as part of a guided tour. The Madrisa round trip is planned, which leads on old smugglers’ routes through the border area of Switzerland and Austria. Who knows if we will be infected with the ski touring virus afterwards.
#3 trudging through the freshly snow-covered landscape pulled by the husky
I would have loved to pack up all the cute husky puppies in Brandnertal this spring and take them home. But Husky Tony would never have let that happen. The dogs are a valued part of his family. He particularly impressed me with his offer “Snowshoeing with huskies” – how great is that?! With his relatively small pack, he is usually fully booked weeks in advance, but with a bit of luck you can still get a place. By the way, it’s also a great gift idea for your loved ones (if the dogs like it). :)
#4 go on an enjoyable snowshoe hike
Snowshoeing for the second. This time without dogs, but with a culinary component. In Toggenburg and on the Chasseral, full moon snowshoe hikes followed by cheese fondue in the rustic hut are tempting. And in Valais, the Heidi village of Visperterminen, among others, offers a culinary snowshoe hike with local specialties.
#5 Sleep better
Finding nice, affordable hotels is often a challenge in Switzerland. All the greater the joy when you discover really great accommodations. For the first weekend in January, we booked a room at Brücke 49. Funnily enough, the bed and breakfast was recommended to me by a South Tyrolean woman. Also on the bucket list are the Art Boutique Hotel Beau-Séjour in Champéry and the Türmlihus in Fideris. Good value for money is also offered at the Bellevue-Terminus in Engelberg, the Hotel Wetterhorn in Hasliberg and the Hotel Nest- und Bietschhorn in the Lötschental, among others.
#6 Find the coolest toboggan run
Preda-Bergün? Muottas Muragl? Grindelwald? Fischeralp-Lax? This winter, we want to find out where the coolest toboggan run in Switzerland is located.
#7 skiing on Germany’s highest mountain
So far, I have completely skipped Germany in terms of ski resorts and have never been to a German ski resort. It is therefore time to change this. I am particularly attracted to the ski resorts around Garmisch-Partenkirchen with a detour to the Zugspitze. Quasi Top of Germany.
#8 Visit the legendary winter sports resort of Bad Gastein
The journey to Salzburger Land takes almost a full day, but with a total of 22 ski regions, there is also a variety of winter sports opportunities on offer. The Gastein region has been my focus for a long time. That’s because some Instagrammers are very active there and make me “happy” with great pictures.
#9 Unlimited fun on the slopes with a view of Mont Blanc
We were out and about in Chamonix last winter and thrilled from the impressive mountain panorama. This year we will take a look at the opposite side of the Mont-Blanc massif and explore the ski resort of La Thuile/La Rosiere at the start of the 2015/2016 ski season.
#10 Looking for the Northern Lights
In my Instagram feed there are definitely too many pictures from Canada, Iceland and Lapland. This is partly the fault of Mela, who recommended great accounts with Lapland pictures last February. Since we missed the Northern Lights in Iceland by one day, we are flirting with another winter trip to northern climes. The only question that remains is Norwegian, Swedish or Finnish Lapland?
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