Jungfrau, Switzerland

The Jungfrau region includes the ski resorts of Mürren, Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg, Männlishen and Grindewald-First. All resorts offer good accommodation and comfortable and Swiss-style transportation via lifts and/or mountain trains. The area can be reached by train via Interlaken or by rental car from Zurich in just over two hours.

The prominent mountain range of the Mönsch, Jungfrau and Eiger with its famous north face creates a majestic and dramatic backdrop for skiing, giving a truly high alpine feel. There are also other 4000 meter peaks in the area. The altitude provides snow security.

Most of the skiing is in the range of blue and red, but as the area is large and the mountains are high, there are plenty of steeper exceptions. In the areas of Kleine Scheidegg and Männlishen there is the most varied skiing and virtually unlimited opportunities for lift borne off piste when it has dumped. In Grindelwald-First, the skiing is perhaps too gentle but is good if you like to carve in wide blue slopes.

Stay at, or at least visit, the Hotel Bellevue Des Alpes at the train station on Kleine Scheidegg. This classic hotel, featured in several films about climbing the Eiger North Face, was built in 1840 and time has basically stood still since then. From Kleine Scheidegg you can also reach Jungfraujock via a mountain train that runs straight through the mountains to the highest train station in Europe. In Mürren is Piz Gloria, a futuristic revolving restaurant known from the 1969 Bond film 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'.

This text was originally published here and on freeride.se in March 2011. Updated April 2, 2017 after a new visit.