# Help: early season snowboarding



## Guyko11 (Jul 11, 2015)

Hello all,

I will get the chance of travelling to Switzerland this upcoming October (2016), and I was wondering if any of the members here has ever been skiing/snowboarding in the area in those dates. 

If someone did / or has a friend who did / heard of someone who did / etc, I would like to know what are the most recommended sites for early season trips. Are there any recommendations for accommodation, transportation, sites, anything at all, I would very much like to hear. 

Also, I will not get to ski for much this time, only 2 - 3 days. I have full equipment. 

I realize that it's way to early to know what the snow conditions will be in October, but still, some sites tend to open earlier and are more adjusted for snowboarding in these dates.
So far I've found online that Zermatt is a great site for these dates, if someone here got to be there for an early vacation, please share your thoughts. 

Thanks for any help at all.

:happy:
Guy


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## Tatanka Head (Jan 13, 2014)

It all depends on where you will be and what glaciers are open in that area. Titlis is another option, if you are in that region. October will be to early for anything decent. I hope I'm wrong.


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## Dr. Freeman (Nov 14, 2013)

I think you could visit some kind glacier. For example in Austria ppl can ride even in summer in some glaciers 
But snow in summer looks like this)))


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## Guyko11 (Jul 11, 2015)

hmmm...
That doesn't look that good.. 
I guess I should wait and see.. Maybe winter will come early this year.


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Dr. Freeman said:


> I think you could visit some kind glacier. For example in Austria ppl can ride even in summer in some glaciers
> But snow in summer looks like this)))


That's not so bad,...!!


*This, * is what "snow in the summer" looks like around here!!! :facepalm3:






:hairy:


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Zermatt is open all year round. The upper part of has a hand full of steeper turns to offer, further down the glacier flattens out. If it's fun depends on what you expect / want to ride. If it's for a quick snow fix, if you don't mind pretty flat terrain, enjoy to soak in the scenery, it's worth to go.

Saas Fee will be open then as well, it's where the ski race teams have their trainings, as it offers some steeper turns. The scenery is less nice and the T-bar can be tricky then it's windy which it often is. Hope you're used to T-bar lifts . However, October is pre-season, don't expect "usual" Swiss snowboarding conditions with long runs - it's restricted to high-alpine glacier riding. 

But if you're lucky, you can get good runs. Been to Saas Fee in Oct when we even had freshies. View from the town of Saas Fee that day:








Up on the glacier:









Though... if it comes to scenery, nothing beats Zermatt IMO. You' can take the cable to the Kleines Matterhorn ride with the Grande Dame in sight or the T-bar and glacier on the left









If you intend to ride in Zermatt, look for accomodation out of town. Zermatt is very pricy but easily accessible by train. Saas Fee is pretty close by, you can cover both by train. Check for youth hostels (Jugendherberge).

Tatanka, isn't Laax also open? I'm quite positive cos I've been riding there in July back in the day, but not sure if it's still the same. OP, Laax would be at the eastern ebd of Switzerland, close to Austria.


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## Dr. Freeman (Nov 14, 2013)

chomps1211 said:


> That's not so bad,...!!
> 
> 
> *This, * is what "snow in the summer" looks like around here!!! :facepalm3:
> ...




or this like


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## vodkaboarder (Feb 9, 2013)

Sölden Austria is usually one of the first resorts to get a decent amount of snow in that general area. When I got there in the beginning of last November people were coming from all over Europe due to the fact that it was the only place worth riding at the time.


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