Beginners are obviously not Zermatt’s primary target group. The sheer size of the ski area as well as the high prices for ski passes will certainly put off some beginners right off the bat. However, we recommend that everyone who enjoys skiing should visit Zermatt at least once. Many people that have tried it tend to come back on a regular basis. And if you pay attention to a couple of points, even relative newcomers to skiing can have a lot of fun in Zermatt.
Sunnegga is the best place to start
We clearly recommend the Sunnegga Bahn as the starting point for skiing in Zermatt. This railway was completely renovated in 2013, so that the journey through the Felsentunnel up to the Sonnenplateau now only takes three minutes. On the mountain, the Wolli beginners’ park is open to young and old alike. The Standard (no. 7), Easy Run (no. 6) and Eisfluh (no. 5) make up Zermatt’s so-called “Slow Slopes”. On these runs, beginners and “unhurried skiers” can enjoy the mountain at their own pace. These trails are specifically marked and all skiers have to adhere to the rules of these trails.
Moderate skills required to explore the entire ski area
In addition to the Sunnegga area, there is another beginner area with its own slow slope at Gornergrat/Rotenboden (no. 38 Rotenboden). The Rotenboden area can be directly reached from Zermatt via the Gornergrat cog railway. If you want to make the most of Zermatt, you need a certain amount of stamina and the skills to ski a red run now and again in order to transition between areas. There are no blue-marked connecting runs over the Theodul Glacier into Italy, for instance.