Area: | Flumserberg |
Base: | 1220m |
Summit: | 2220m |
Skiable vertical: | 1000m |
Lifts: | 9 (1 draglift) |
Total lift vert: | 3020m |
Slope orientation: | Northeast-facing |
 |
For a zoomable, scrollable map of the areas, see this online map using Openstreetmap or Opencyclemap.
By car, you can drive to Tannenheim, by taking the 'Flums' exit from the main Zurich-Chur highway and following the signs up the switchbacks to Tannenheim and then Tannenboden. By public transport, you get the train to Unterterzen and then the new gondola up to Tannenboden. If you arrive in the evening you'll need to get the bus up from Flums instead (currently the last one runs at 6:30pm).
From Zurich, by car it takes around 1h20 in clear conditions up to Tannenheim. By public transport, you take the train to Ziegelbrücke, and then a second train to Unterterzen. Total time is about 1h10, plus queueing time at Unterterzen and then the gondola up to the base at Tannenboden (another 15 mins or so). Sometimes the return train from Unterterzen goes direct to Zurich, but it still takes about the same time. The cost of the Snow and Rail ticket from Zurich (with halbtax card) is CHF 64; or if you come by car a day pass is CHF 49.
 |
There's a very good variety of slopes here, and a good, inter-connected lift system. It has a good mix of open and tree-lined runs, mainly easy reds, spread over several different areas but it's easy to get around. It's also easy to avoid repetition, as the connection between runs is good. Signposting has improved dramatically over recent years and finding your way around is now a breeze with the piste-numbering.
Off-piste is surprisingly plentiful, with lots to explore between the pistes. The fun park varies somewhat from year to year but often there's at least the one under the Prodalp-Prodkamm chairlift. Mainly consisting of gentle 'waves', banked curves and easy jumps, this is a fairly 'friendly' park, and therefore very popular. It can be tricky to grab a gap in the traffic. There used to be a halfpipe on the right as you go from Maschgenkamm towards the Leist lift, but in 2006 there's no halfpipe at all. There is however a second park just below Prodalp - just follow the black to Mittenwald. This has a variety of metal rails and slabs for those who like that kind of thing, and a selection of challenging jumps - you need a fair amount of speed to get to the landing zone.
It is apparently possible to ski right down to Oberterzen, but the only run is marked "very difficult - only for very good skiers/boarders", and as Oberterzen is only at 665m, you'd need a lot of snow to keep it open. So if you're coming by train, you'll need to take the gondola back down from Tannenboden.
Overall, this resort is recommended, for the convenience of getting to/from Zurich, the big system of connected runs with not too many drags, the large ski area, and the superb views of the Walensee and the Churfirstens. (Head to the top of Leist for a spectacular 360 panorama).
Avoid the reds from Maschgenkamm sweeping round to Prodalp - they are marked as numbers 30 and 31 on the map, but they both flatten out alarmingly and will leave you with a walk across to the Prodalp lift. Instead, to get from Maschgenkamm to Prodalp take the run down to Obersäss and then the lift up to Twärchamm. Run number 1 from Prodkamm suffers from a similar problem, although not as severely. The long blue from near Stelli down to Tannenboden (number 25) will also give you some walking to do.
Looking down the Flumserberg pistes to the Churfirstens across the Walensee
26 March 2006 - beautiful Spring weather and very Spring-like snow. Soaring temperatures and even rain have been giving the snow a good battering, but the pistes are ok especially early in the day. Sunshine and no queues are a bonus. All lifts, and all runs except the Oberterzen run are open, including two fun parks.
15 March 2005 - the recent snow is providing great conditions, although the unseasonally warm weather forecast for this week will be giving it a beating. Jump park underneath the Prodalp-Prodkamm lift is open and in good condition, as are all home runs.
8 January 2005 - very sunny, beautiful views but not a great deal of snow and barely any forecast. "Better than expected", but really needs new snowfall.
Official website is at flumserberg.ch with a piste map (javascript required) and also links to snow reports. Or see snow-forecast.com. Snow'n'Rail details are (currently) at railaway.ch.