Lenzerheide Skiing & Snowboarding
One of the prime reasons we think Lenzerheide is one of the best ski resorts in Switzerland (maybe Europe) is the combination of snow, lifts & varied terrain. Split into two sectors (east & west) it is the terrain at Lenzerheide which sets it apart, as it caters for all abilities, in all weather & conditions. The 1600m+ of skiable vertical may not be able to be skied in one hit, but you can come close, and it ranges through a perfect mix of sheltered tree lined runs all the way up to high alpine chutes.
The ski resort is commonly referred to as 'Arosa Lenzerheide' since the two were formally lift linked in 2014 via the spectacular Urdenbahn cable cars. Whilst there are no on-piste ski runs linking the two resorts, they share a grand total of 225km of trails between them, placing Arosa-Lenzerheide high in the top echelon of world ski resorts.
Lenzerheide's biggest limitation is the solo lift connection between the two sides of the valley - but that's just us being picky. It is not that much of a limitation, just annoying for the lazy or impatient. Buses connect it all anyway & a bit of a walk never hurt anyone (much!).
Check out the ski trail maps for Arosa Lenzerheide below.
Lenzerheide Skiing Highlights
The ski & snowboard highlights at Lenzerheide are many & varied. Tick off the following when at the resort.
- If you have never been to Lenzerheide and the sun is out, complete a full ‘Skitour Lenzerheide’. Starting early, head to the top of Piz Scalottas in the western sector to catch the first rays of sun hitting the peak. Zig-zag north along the western sector lifts, staying up high in the sun initially. Take the long valley trail to Churwalden and do one quick lap up to the top of its lifts before getting on the Panoramabahn to head down to the Obertor chair which carries you across the valley (and the road) to the Eastern sector of Lenzerheide. Up 3 chairs to the top of 2,546m Urdenfürggli where you can view the Urdenbahn cable cars linking the resort to Arosa. Ski down and across to the Rothorn 2 cable car at Scharmoin. Amazing views of everything you have skied. One more top to bottom and you are done. A 1,440m vertical drop over 7km will get you back to Lenzerheide village. You deserve a drink … or two!
- Ski the World Cup race slope from the top of the Motta chair without stopping and as fast you can go without being dangerous. The first sign of fear is turning! (We jest … we love turning and aren’t scared )
- Ski the full vertical via 10km of cruisy slopes without stopping from Piz Scalottas (2,323m) all the way into the village of Churwalden at the lowest part of the resort (1,229m). Check out the fun ski area at Churwalden before taking the super-comfortable (& appropriately named) Panoramabahn gondola back into the main resort, taking in the views along the way. For a steeper version into Churwalden, go from the top of the Stätzerhorn (2,421m) chairlift. The vertical drop is larger (nearly 1,200m), but the distance is alot shorter at around 6km.
- Head across to Arosa for the day via the Urdenbahn cable car. Start early and enjoy the fantastic piste trails as the morning sun hits the slopes, the views from the Weisshorn summit and some fun at the Carmennahütte. Make sure you get back on time. It is a long train and bus trip back to Lenzerheide if the lifts are shut!
- If you enjoy skiing in the sun, ski the western sector in the morning and the east in afternoon. If you enjoy cold, fast, uncrowded slopes ski the eastern in the morning.
- Ski from the summit of the Parpener Rothorn and through the 'galerie' (ski tunnel).
- Get a guide (or not!) & explore the multitude of backcountry descents from the summit of the Parpaner Rothorn, starting with the Sanaspans valley.
- If the weather is snowy & visibility is lacking, discover the many secret passages through the trees in the lower half of the resort, particularly in the western sector.
- If conditions allow, ski the extreme at Lenzerheide by hunting out the many couloirs & chutes that plunge from the Parpaner Rothorn main ridge.
- Head to Chur for the morning (with your skis & boots), taking in the old town sights, and return via an off-piste tour from the top of the Brambrüesch ski lifts along the ridge into Churwalden. Beats taking the bus back!
Ski Lifts
Of the 52 ski lifts at Arosa & Lenzerheide, 35 of them are at Lenzerheide with less than half of them (16) being cable cars/gondolas or chairlifts. The high number of surface tows & conveyors can be explained by the many novice ski areas in the resort. If one is not a beginner, the surface tows can generally be avoided, and most terrain is served by the 13 chairlifts. Several of the chairlifts run for massive verticals. The Stätzerhorn 6-seater chair goes up 750m vertical, and the Weisshorn Speed 6-seater goes up 740m vert. Such height increases on chairlifts are a little unusual, but certainly better than the alternative!
Access to Rothorn is via a modern gondola, but then is limited by the 58-person cable car to the summit. Thankfully it is still shiny new and functions efficiently. The best lift in the resort is the Panoramabahn linking Churwalden to the western sector. Appropriately named, spacious and wonderfully comfortable.
It is intriguing in a ski resort so broad, that access from Lenzerheide village to the main ski lifts in the western & eastern sectors requires a bus, a long walk, or the use of surface tows. Very odd indeed that there are no linking chairs or gondolas from the edge of the village. There don’t appear to be any plans to change it either.
Lift Pass
Lenzerheide & Arosa share a single lift pass valid in both resorts & public transport to/from Chur. Access to Arosa gives Lenzerheide skiers a taste of the sun-soaked good life over the ridge!
Like other Swiss ski resorts, Lenzerheide have introduced an online dynamically priced lift pass system. Savings can be up to 40% off the standard set daily price.
Season Opening
Arosa Lenzerheide is one of several Swiss ski resorts that opens for skiing every weekend in November if conditions allow. At Lenzerheide that means the 1,050m skiable vertical from the Urdenfürggli summit at 2,546m altitude all the way down intermediate & advanced World Cup pistes to the bottom of the Heimberg chair at Parpan (1,493m).
Snowboarding at Lenzerheide
Snowboarders will find the resort quite user friendly with very few surface tows (aside form the novice lifts) and a negligible amount of flat traversing trails. One to be wary of is 55a in the western sector - be prepared to walk!
On-Piste Terrain
With a huge skiable vertical and massive length of groomed trails it is not easy to find issue with Lenzerheide's terrain. If one had to be picky (and we are) it would be that the advanced groomers are relatively few in number. That aside, it is easy for any ski or snowboard ability above novice to string together long runs of up to 1,400m vertical drop & lengths of over 10km. That is fun in anyone’s book. Unlike its neighbour at Arosa, there are also many tree-lined pistes which are perfect for poor weather days, increasing its overall appeal.
Novices & Beginners
For novices, at least 5 sheltered learn to ski areas provide the start one needs to then graduate to the multitude of blue beginner pistes weaving from the alpine into the trees on the sunny east facing slopes of the western sector below Lavoz & Piz Danis. Keep an eye on the signage so you don’t get confused. Do the top to bottom run from Lavoz all the way to Churwalden linking trails 60a, 65, 65a, 70b, 70c & 79 to truly test your beginner legs.
Intermediates
Intermediate skiers & snowboarders can have some adventure through the galleries from the Rothorn & then a full vertical down, or enjoy the numerous, fun rolling alpine & tree lined piste runs on the western side. Alternatively, the Urdenbahn link to Arosa provides the gateway to true intermediate skier heaven.
Advanced
Advanced & experts can sup on some super-fast piste trails like the World Cup course from the Motta chairlift or on the opposite side of the valley from the Stätzerhorn, but the real juice is in the off-piste. Taking a spin on the Windegga runs at Churwalden is also worth a go for advanced riders.
Off-Piste, Freeride & Backcountry Terrain
Lenzerheide has the perfect off-piste terrain that includes high alpine bowls, light alpine trees, heavy lower trees, chutes & steeps (particularly from along the main ridge line of the Rothorn).
The ski safari route from under the Urdenbahn cable cars down to Tschiertschen (a small village & secret stash ski resort), then back up & across to Lenzerheide via Churwalden or Parpan is a soft adventure, relatively safe easy to undertake journey. Get a guide to make the most of it.
Of more interest, from the summit of Rothorn, there are backcountry ski options of various permutations in the broad Sanaspans valley all the way back into the heart of Lenzerheide town centre. In the other direction, possibilities are in the Plesser valley back toward Arosa. With a bit of imagination and planning, the backcountry here is endless. Beyond Arosa, the train line back to Chur provides superb access to many ski tours, particularly if utilising the ski lifts of smaller ski areas like Hochwang. The train line is regularly used by freeriders from Davos descending from the Weissfluh into the Arosa valley and using the small station at Langwies to get back.