Verbier - World Snowboard Guide

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Verbier is a world renowned name and attracts riders from all corners of the globe, well all who can afford her. Verbier is defiantly the Swiss version of Chamonix, attracting extreme snowboarders and skiers alike, but in true Swiss style and unlike Chamonix, it’s a fully polished resort with a massive modern interlinked lift system and perfectly groomed pistes. In Switzerland people are polite to the extreme and drive in the most conscientious and considerate manner, but in Verbier put them in skis add a bit of powder and all that goes to hell. This may well not be the Swiss nationals, but if you want to get some fresh tracks you best sharpen your elbows and don’t wait for your boarding partner to clear the slope, as if you hesitate a moment some nutter will leap over your head, from a rock above, and steal your line. That said the lines you get in Verbier are some of the best in Europe. Only a short traverse, from one of the many lifts, will open up into a wide and very long powder field or a steep shoot. Once the close stuff is tracked out, which is fast, get a guide and head off into some huge back county slopes.
Verbier is a massive ride area as it joins with Nendaz, Veysonnaz, La Tzoumaz and Val de Bagnas to create the 4 Vallees with 94 lifts and over 400km of piste, which can be serviced by one lift pass. There really is something for everyone even non boarders and is a must for all serious boarders, but none of its cheap. Check out the Nendez review for some hard core off piste routes in the 4 Vallees.

New for season

2008/9:The XTREME final of the Freeride World Tour.
Return to Verbier: new variation (a new route will be smoothed up to the Col des Mines and part of the piste will be groomed).
A new mountain restaurant at Croix-de-Coeur.
Les Ruinettes New Mountain Restaurant.
A bar at the summit of Mont-Fort (3,300 m).
New in the resort:
- Le Rouge a New Restaurant & Club
- Coup détat a new discotheque
- New place for après-ski: Nevaïs terrace
- VIP corner at the Farm Club

2007/8:New cablecare between La Tzoumaz and Savoleyres.

2007/8:New cablecare between La Tzoumaz and Savoleyres.

06/07: chairlift Attelas 3 and the gondola Attelas 2 to be replaced with a 6-seater detachable chairlift

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Resort Statistics

Resort Type: Alpine
Winter: Nov to April
Summer: May to October

Lifts

Total Lifts: 38
Cable cars: 2
Gondolas: 8
Chair lifts: 18
Drag lifts: 10
Max people per hour: 26,000
Board Leashes required: No

Mountain

Total pistes/trails: 56
Total ride area: 150km
Longest run: 15km

Top lift: 3330m
Vertical drop: 1830m
First lift: 1500m

Piste suitability

Green runs: 45%
Red runs: 45%
Black runs: 10%

Lift Passes

	Low Season		High Season
	CHF	GBP	CHF	GBP
Day Pass	-	-	63.00	39.21
6-Day Pass	-	-	301.00	187.35
6-Day Linked area Pass	-	-	337.00	209.76

	CHF	GBP
Season Pass:	1,193.00	742.57

Lift Passes:
Verbier only
Half day 45CHF
1 Day pass - 54Chf
5 Day pass - 240Chf
Season 1275
4 Valleys (400km)
Day 63,
5 days 279
Season 1486
Lift times:9.00am to 4.30pm

Snowfall

Average annual snowfall: 3.5metres
Artificial snowmaking coverage: 5%

Facilities

	CHF	GBP
Days Rental of Board & Boots:	-	-
4hr Group Lesson (full day):	-	-
4hr Private Lesson (full day):	-	-

Snowboard Schools: La Fantastique have Mountain Guides available 440 CHF per day, Full day private lesson 370 CHF per day
Snowboard Hire: Board & Boots froom 43CHF per day (verbier.com)
Night Riding: : Yes

Other activities

Heliboarding: : www.lafantastique.com offer heliboarding from 360 CHF each based on 4 people
Snowmobiles: Not available

Further information

www.verbier.ch/
Email:verbiertourism@verbier.ch

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Summary

Extremely good resort with some of the best extreme terrain in Switzerland And the world for that matter. Some great summer riding too.

ON THE SLOPES: Excellent riding
OFF THE SLOPES: Criminally expensive
MONEY WISE: Criminally expensive to help make the place attractive to the rich.