Area: | Brunni |
Base: | 1090m |
Summit: | 1510m |
Skiable vertical: | 420m |
Lifts: | 6 (5 draglifts) |
Total lift vert: | 1030m |
Slope orientation: | Southeast- and North-facing |
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The resort of Brunni-Alpthal sits at the end of the Alptal running southwards from Einsiedeln, under the looming peaks of the Grosser and Kleiner Mythens. It's a small and friendly resort with mainly beginner- and family-friendly pistes. There are various tickets available with different lifts included, so it gives great value for money. On the Holzegg side it merges with the neighbouring resorts of Rotenfluh and Ibergeregg.
Note that this resort of Brunni shouldn't be confused with the ski area at Engelberg which is also called Brunni!
For a zoomable, scrollable map of the areas, see this online map using Openstreetmap or Opencyclemap.
Getting to Brunni requires first getting to Einsiedeln and then just heading southwards up the valley. Car access and bus access are both good.
From Zürich you'll first need a train to Wädenswil and a second train to Einsiedeln, before taking the bus from outside Einsiedeln station. Getting there takes only around 1h20 from Zürich (quick despite the two changes). Just watch the bus times for getting back - the buses to Einsiedeln only run once an hour. By car it takes only around 45 minutes from Zürich with a clear run.
Brunni isn't included in the Snow and Rail network so if you're coming by train just get a normal ticket (CHF 23 day return from Zürich) and then a day lift ticket once you're there (CHF 30 for Brunni, Haggenegg and Holzegg).
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showing the runs and lifts |
There are actually three regions here, with separate and combined tickets available. Firstly there's a pair of draglifts leading up to Haggenegg, which is the highest part of the area at 1510m. Secondly there's a single draglift on the other side of the main road called Skilift Brunni - this is much shorter and flatter. Thirdly there's a cable car up to Holzegg (right underneath the Grosser Mythen) and another pair of short drag lifts once you're up there.
The Haggenegg runs are fast blues, with plenty of piste-side soft and a few rollers for interest. The Brunni skilift really serves only a single run, but it's super-wide, immaculately groomed, and a constant gentle green gradient. Ideal for beginners, especially as a single lift ride costs only CHF 2.
On the top of Holzegg, the pair of short draglifts (actually two halves of the same lift) serve a pair of short, wide blues, but the real treat is the home run back down to the base of the cable car. This long, interesting run is best reached from the top of the draglift above Holzegg, and swoops down through the trees in a twisty rollercoaster ride with plenty of opportunity to play off to the sides of the piste.
The drag lifts here are quite friendly, at least early in the day. They're all T-bars, and all self-service, but they don't smack you on boarding and the surface is on the whole well-prepared and even. None of them are fast though.
The only flat spot worth mentioning is the start of the home run from Holzegg - this needs a short bit of scooting unless you come from the top of the drag lift instead. There's also a short bit of walking required on the road between the Haggenegg and Holzegg areas.
The Mythens looming over the drag lift up to Holzegg
The main website is at brunnialpthal.ch, and there's a separate site for the Brunni skilift at skiliftbrunni.ch. including the rather titchy piste map.
On this map the drag lifts are numbered 1, 2, 4, 5 and A, and the cable car is number 3. The drag lift marked as 6 goes up to the Rotenfluh and isn't included in the Holzegg / Haggenegg ticket. A day ticket for the whole Mythens area (including Rotenfluh, Ibergeregg and others) costs CHF 40.
There's also a wider view of the area including the other Mythens ski areas at ski-mythen.ch.
