Skiing at night in the Swiss Alps

Night shrouds Nendaz in glittering lights (nendaz.ch)

SWITZERLAND — Ol' Man Winter is heading this way, and in Switzerland, that means ski season is set to begin.

There's only one thing better than skiing in Switzerland and that is skiing in Switzerland at night where you can turn yourself into a human comet as you make your way down the slopes.

St Moritz is a year-round resort where ski season begins early
(wikipedia)

When the sun goes down and the sky is clear with a full moon to guide the way, it's "dancing with the stars" Swiss-style as a distant village looms ahead where a crackling fire and hot toddies await.

Hairpin turn on the ski slopes at St Moritz (stmoritz.ch)

St. Moritz is a good place to begin where night fun gets underway on Fridays at 7 pm in Corvatsch. At 2.5 miles, the Corvatsch Chastelets slope is the longest floodlit run in the country.

No need to do it all in one fell swoop however. There's a wood-fired oven at the Murtel middle station where pizza and hot chocolate will recharge your batteries for the final run into the village.

Heading for Hossa Bar
(stmoritz.ch)

The apres-ski meeting place to be is the famous Hossa Bar where locals and visitors gather during the Friday "Snow Nights" between 7 pm and 2 am. With a menu featuring huge burgers, chicken wings and hot dogs done to American-style perfection this is the place to be.

If you decide not to ski the entire run, the only thing to remember is that the last cable car departs at 1:40 am.

St Moritz offers more than its share of winter activities with lively festivities throughout the season. You can even play snow golf or place bets on horse racing on one of the frozen lakes.

Ski by the light of the silvery moon in Nendaz (alpenwild.com)

Nendaz may at first be an unfamiliar name to many, but once you experience the thrill of full-moon skiing in the Valais, it's a place you won't soon forget.

When the sun sets, Nendaz
comes alive (nendaz.ch)

The time-honored tradition begins at Tracouet mountain restaurant with a welcome drink and a themed dinner at 8 pm. An hour later, at 9, the Jean-Pierre ski run opens for moonlit trips down the illuminated slope.

Skiiers and spectators alike will find plenty of places to sip a cup of vin chaud, hot mulled wine, along with the romantic, haunting sounds of Alphorns and storytellers to boot.

Powdered tranquility
(nendaz.ch)

No need for non-skiers to despair, the Swiss think of everything. There's a gondola which makes regularly scheduled runs up and down the mountain to Tracouet.

 

Full moon guides the way to Arosa (rhb.ch)

One of the best year-round destinations in Switzerland, thanks in large part to its semi-remote location, is Arosa. Arriving by train from the town of Chur, Arosa is a typical alpine village nestled beside a small pond beneath a bowl of snow-capped mountains.

There's always a sled when you
tire of skiing  (wikipedia)

Go to bed early and rise before the sun comes up to be the first skier to make tracks on freshly groomed virgin snow. The Proschieri ski lift or the Statzertali chair lift open at 6:30 am to transport you to the Arosa Lendzerheide slopes.

Skiing and trains are synonymous in Arosa  (rhb.ch)

In winter the Swiss sun sleeps in, so the ski runs are illuminated early for those wanting to make tracks before sunrise.

The slopes beckon (rhb.ch)

After a hour or so of pre-dawn activity, the Alp Statz Restaurant will re-fortify you for the rest of the day with a delightful buffet breakfast.

Arosa is also a marvelous place to stroll at night with numerous cozy cafes, horse drawn sleighs and dancing fires to warm your soul after a day in the mountains.

Makin' tracks to Arosa for winter night skiing
(myswitzerland.com)

And don't forget, part of the fun of skiing in Arosa is the train ride to get there. Grab your skis, hop off the train and walk just a few yards to your hotel. It just doesn't get any better than that.

When night falls in winter in Switzerland, that's a signal to head for the slopes.