Mountain Layout — Skiing

Here is a larger, more interactive detailed map: left side and right side.

The five ski areas of Davos/Klosters are the Parsenn, the Schatzalp/Strela, Jakobshorn, Madrisa, Rinerhorn and Pischa.

The Parsenn: This is the best known area, almost the size of Manhattan and the major reason why Davos has become a premier European resort. It’s an excellent family mountain and has fewer on-mountain bars than the other Davos ski areas. The Parsennbahn, a cable railway, leaves every 15 to 20 minutes in ski season. It peaks at the Weissfluhjoch, the upper lift central of the Parsenn. Here the wide-open runs offer beginners and intermediates a paradise for cruising. The Parsenn has 40 seemingly endless trails, including what was once Europe’s longest: the 12-km. trail from Weissfluhjoch to Küblis. Experts will want to take the cable car which leaves the Weissfluhjoch and ascends to the Weissfluhgipfel, eventually arriving at 9,331 feet. From this point two expert runs drop to the spreading Parsenn. There are good restaurants at both the Weissfluhgipfel and Weissfluhjoch.

Lift improvements continue with high-speed chairlifts replacing many of the remaining drag lifts. A gondola stretching from the Schifer over to the Weissfluhjoch al-lows skiers to cruise for 20 to 30 minutes and then zip back to the top of the Parsenn.

The toughest runs back into Davos are alongside the Parsennbahn, or down the Meierhoftäli over moguls and advanced intermediate drops to Davos-Wolfgang, where you’ll have to take a bus or train back into town.

Madrisa: This area is perfect for those who are looking for a place to ski with the family and for intermediate skiers who are looking for a day of cruising. Nine intermediate runs and one black run descend to Klosters-Dorf.

Jakobshorn: This is the second largest area in Davos, on the opposite side of the valley from the Parsenn. Here the trails have good pitch consistency and top-to-bottom skiing makes use of the entire vertical. It’s called “The Fun Mountain,” and the favorite of most snowboarders. The area is wide and gently sloping. It’s like riding down mountain pastures.

A cable car rises from the town to the lower station of the Jakobshorn, which peaks at 8,497 feet. Here 14 marked trails will keep a skier busy for at least a day. The area is more challenging than the Parsenn, but trails are shorter and more limited.

You reach the Jakobshorn from Davos-Platz with a two-stage cable car or with a high-speed double chair lift. Then six more lifts open up the entire side of the mountain—2,140 feet of wide-open vertical, all above treeline, with another 1,200 feet of trails through the trees (only one or two U.S. resorts have more vertical). Obviously, there is plenty to ski on this side of the valley. And plenty to eat, too – both the Chalet Güggel and Clavadeler Alp are very good on-mountain restaurants. At the top of the Jazz Quattro and Jazz Junior chairs there’s a “party place,” with an outside bar.

If you are an expert, you have the option of skiing off-piste by dropping into the Dischma Valley to Teufi, where a bus will pick you up and take you back to Davos-Platz.

Rinerhorn: The next area is the Rinerhorn area at Glaris, just up the valley from the main town, with 13 runs and several good advanced intermediate descents. These slopes are normally uncrowded except for the ski schools, which use the wide-open slopes for classes. This is where most of the locals ski, especially on weekends.

Take the train or bus from Davos-Platz to the area. Then take the Rinerhorn-bahn up 1,900 feet and take your choice of three more lifts reaching up another 1,446 feet. This area, with its children’s facilities, is perfect for families.

Experts can drop down the 3.5-km. run back down to Glaris. Intermediates and beginners will have the entire upper reaches in which to practice and play.

Pischa: This area, a short bus ride from Davos, offers uncrowded runs down a 2,230-foot vertical. There isn’t a lot for an expert here, but how many of us are that expert? Virtually everyone will enjoy skiing this area with its super-sunny slopes.

Pischa is one of Switzerland’s largest freeride regions. Riders can take either the aerial cableway or two of the present ski lifts (Mitteltäli I and Flüelamäder) to six runs reserved for freeriding. Three of these runs will be marked, but left ungroomed and the other three will be marked and groomed.

A boardercross will also be set up and a route signposted for snowshoe treks. More adventurous snow-sport addicts will have the chance to hire airboards on Pischa.

The racing piste, winter-walking path, Fun Park and Kinderland with tubing run will all remain as is.

Mountain rating
Davos earns an A-plus when it comes to beginners and intermediates. Grooming is universally good. This is perhaps the ideal terrain for learning to ski and for perfecting your technique. For experts, the upper Parsenn terrain may become a little boring (Ah, to be so jaded!), and they might ask where the most challenging skiing—normally off the Parsenn—can be found.

Locals might suggest runs on the Parsenn from the top of the Weissfluhgipfel, the trails that drop into town alongside the Parsennbahn, or the Drostobel-to-Klosters run, which is narrow and sometimes steep. Rinerhorn has great tree skiing and good off-piste as well. The Jakobshorn has bumps and moguls to wear out any skier.

On days with good powder, it pays to hire an instructor for the morning who will take you to the special spots (off-trail) for thrills.