Zermatt: Best views of Matterhorn

Hi Bandit. No I wasn't equipped to go off-piste, I left my duct tape at home! Even though I have skied most of the big name US resorts, I never had an inkling of what European off-piste is, it is completely different in the US. BUT, I do have good horse sense when on the hill. I stayed on the trail! First, as I stated, there were very few places where it seemed possible to even ski off the trail, the ungroomed pitches where I could see the entire run off a trail were mostly too rocky. In the US it is quite typical to follow tracks off the groomed trails into the unknown, with the knowledge that the ski patrol will have cliffs and other hazards marked. Even mountains like Jackson Hole, Squaw and Snowbird - the big 3 for US advanced skiing, are not anything like the scale of Zermatt. The entire mountains are marked and posted for safety.

Even though Whistler set a one month record for snowfall in November, most of the US is waiting for more snow, but there is now a massive winter storm cross the entire country that should cover everything!

snowbirddevotee, yes,I've skied at Squaw, and I enjoyed it, though it felt a little strange going through gates to get at the off piste. Some European ski areas now use gated access, though only to promote the wearing of Transceivers, many therefore have ski tracks around the outside of the gates )
Zermatt has a large Alpine Centre and many UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain Guides are based in the resort. You can also go heli-skiing from there.

You already have Chamonix on your "to visit" list. For your trip down the Vallee Blanche, may I suggest the Grand Envers, or Gros Rognon variants.
http://www.chamonix.net/english/skiing/valleeblanche/valleeblanche.htm

Based on your wish list for steep and ungroomed, may I suggest 2 more European destinations for consideration.

Engelberg, which has exceptional off piste skiing close to the resort - fly to Zurich, then 2 hours by train.
http://www.engelberg.ch/en/Winter/Skifahrer/index.php


La Grave, which has 1 lift no pistes, and is never groomed. Numerous ways down the hill. You won't see anyone on carvers. Fly to Grenoble, then local bus or rented car. Small village, big mountain skiing.

http://www.la-grave.com/english/meije.php

Thanks Bandit for the tips. I looked into La Grave and it is likely much more than I need. But I will look into Engelburg, and add it to the list. I have two more free tickets waiting for me, and surely I will be using them!

Next time I head over your way, I'll make sure that the snow is piled up a bit more. I see I was very lucky to be at Zermatt when I was because it looks like quite a bit of the mountain as has now closed.
http://www.zermatt.ch/en/page.cfm/lifts_and_pistes/open_lifts

If you ever come to the US. Consider Salt Lake City. 5 hr flight from NYC, which is where I fly out of. I've made over 25 trip there. (Delta is direct) Alta/Snowbird have what might be the greatest lift served snow on planet earth. Last week of Feb is the best, no real crowds and guaranteed great snow. Esp Snowbird has a tremendous pitch from top to bottom, tons of nooks an crannies to explore and "gates", but the patrol has all the really dangerous spots marked.
Check out the blacks at snowbird. Almost all of them are ungroomed, and with 100 inches of snow per month, what could be better! Plus SLC is the cheapest place to ski in the US with $65 hotel rooms galore!
http://www.snowbird.com/about/trailmaps.html

dont worry - you cant miss it. Great view from most of the runs/areas!