One of the sore points of leaving Kanton Zug and moving to Kanton Schaffhausen for me was leaving what I consider “on our doorstep” access to the mountains. Therefore, one of my first goals on moving to a canton whose highest peak is just shy of 1000m was finding a place that met all of our family snow needs. It didn’t take us long to discover the best place: Toggenburg! Particularly the Churfirsten ski resorts of Chäserrugg and Wildhaus cater to our family’s family-friendly and adventurous sides.
Only an hour drive from Schaffhause, The Churfirsten, also known as the sharpest panorama in Switzerland, has it all. Our kids have learned to ski here, progressing from the baby slopes to various blue runs. We have sledded down some fantastic tracks, and my husband has adventured up both sides of the valley on organised and self-directed ski tours. I have even tried my hand at on-piste ski touring alongside him and others (who have a lot of experience). We trudged in the fresh snow as we went snowshoeing, and of course, we explored the various beginner, intermediate and advanced (not my cup of tea skiing) ski runs available to us.
Learning to Ski Slopes in Toggenburg
Last year, we spent most of our time on the magic carpet at Ilitios, easily accessible via the funicular from Unterwasser, part of the Chäserugg resort. This area allowed one of us to stay with the children while the other explored the area’s slopes. The children do not need to be enrolled in the ski school to use the magic carpet and beginner slopes there, but they do need an adult with them.
We found that the beginners’ area in Wildhaus was only for the Ski School, which offers both group and private lessons. However, we discovered a smaller magic carpet area at the top of the first chairlift accessible without being a part of the ski school. If you are interested in the Ski School at Wildaus, I would recommend booking early, as even last year the groups were booked out very quickly.
Ski Slopes
Once again, both Chäserrugg and Wildhaus offer a mixture of on-piste skiing. There are a variety of blues, which were great for us skiing down as a family of four. It allowed our children to learn about T-bars and button lifts. There are also a few steep reds and a few blacks thrown into the mix for those wanting a little more adventure. My favourite run is the Number 10, long and winding down a valley, which connects to a lovely blue to finish off back down at the funicular in Unterwasser.
Ski Touring & Avalanche Training
The Chürfirsten and Säntis areas offer some great options for ski touring. In Wildhaus, many people tour on the official route alongside the piste. If this is something you are interested in trying out for the first time, several companies, such as Bergpunkt, offer guided tours of the area. They vary in difficulty, according to the technique and fitness level required.
For those interested in Avalanche rescue training, Toggenburg is also the place for you. In autumn 2014, the area built the largest avalanche transceiver training facility in eastern Switzerland, located in the upper Toggenburg region on the Alp Sellamatt. A great starting point for many beautiful (and adventurous) activities in the snow (ski tours, snowshoe tours, freeriding, winter hikes, skiing and cross-country skiing).
Sledding
Both areas offer sledding tracks which I feel are on the more sporty side of tracks. That means, expect some hairpin turns and steep parts. Young children would definitely need to be accompanied by a parent going down them, and wearing a helmet is a must. You can buy specific sledding tickets for both areas, and there are also sleds available to be rented.
Snow Shoeing – Winter Hiking
This area is not only lovely for hiking in summer, but it offers some great hikes in winter too. All the trails are well marked. Just look for the pink signposts that mark paths for winter hiking (the resort websites give you an excellent overview of the difficulty of the hike/walk). There are specific snowshoeing paths too. Once again, you can rent gear, if needed, in both Alt Sankt Johann or Wildhaus.
Top Tip: Wildhaus also offers several events throughout the season, where you can snowshoe and enjoy a tasty fondue at the end of your hike.
Have you been to the Toggenburg area in the wintertime? What are the things you enjoyed most about the area? Or have you found the “perfect” ski area for your family? Share with us in the comments below!
