Glacier 3000
Glacier 3000 Ski Area Map – Click on Map to Enlarge and launch a new browser
As Glacier 3000 name implies, this is Swiss “Glacier” skiing, at 3000-meters, almost 10,000’ in elevation. With such high elevation in the Alps, Glacier 3000 has a long ski season – often October to May, and spectacular views from the summit. What’s especially cool about the Glacier skiing here, pardon the “cool” ice pun, is the mountaintop skiing on a high plateau with vast intermediate terrain – not too steep or difficult. Because it’s glacial, mostly served by T-Bars. There is more expert and even extreme free-riding skiing as you descend from the summit back toward the base, off-piste. You’ll see paragliders and kite skiers launching into the wind from the summit – which is crazy!
Glacier 3000 is near Gstaad – just 15 minutes from the famous chic ski resort town, and also just 10 minutes from Villars Gryon Diablerets ski resort. So while there is no lodging or hotels at Glacier 3000, you have options at family-friendly Diablerets or the famous and fancy Gstaad.
It takes two tram rides to reach Glacier 3000 most scenic skiing on the upper mountain plateau, from the parking and bus stop at Col du Pillon to the top – Scex Rouge. The Devil’s Thumb rock formation is stunning, as are the views of The Matterhorn and Mont Blanc and many other 4000-meter peaks. Glacier 3000 ski terrain is all easy intermediate on top, about 5 well-groomed wide runs served by 3 long T-Bars, the skiing is high and heavenly despite the “devil” diable thumb references.
On a clear day, Glacier 3000 is beautiful for any level skier, on a cloudy day its tricky since you are entirely above treeline. Below the gently pitched summit plateau, a quad chair serves one steeper prepared Red Run on the front side (and plenty of steep off-piste terrain which warrants a ski guide).
An amazing Alps experience is Glacier 3000’s Peak Walk – the highest suspension bridge in the world connecting two peaks. Climb the stairs and walk the bridge, included in your lift ticket, to see the wonder of engineering, and the wild drop below this wiggly cabled walkway.
It’s a glacial playground at Glacier 3000 summit aside from the Peak Walk, there’s also a snow coach glacier tour, dog sledding, Nordic skiing, and winter wandering. Lunch at the modern summit lodge or ski the Red Run down to the mountain restaurant Refuge l’Espace chalet for traditional homemade Swiss fare of soup, Rosti, Croute with a view.
“The Black Wall”, a new tunnel at Glacier 3000 brings you through the mountain (seriously!) opened in 2023 from mid mountain to a ski trail towards the base of Col du Pillon. Other options are to download the Tram or to ski the off-piste run under the tram, but that’s tricky, steep at the top, with a narrow cliff passage in lieu of the tunnel.
Glacier 3000 is a truly special ski day, and can be combined in a Swiss ski safari, visiting Gstaad and their Gstaad Super Ski Region including Zweisimmen and Saanemoser. Glacier 3000 is on the Magic Pass along with Villars Gryon just 10-minutes away, and nearby Vercorin, Grimentz Zinal, St-Luc/Chandolin, Leukerbad, Les Marecottes, Nax Mont Noble, Anzère, Saas Fee, and many more.
Photos: Gstaad Ski Photos and Glacier 3000 Photos
Videos: Gstaad Glacier 3000
Glacier 3000 Stats:
Elevation 1300-3000, 4,265- 9,842’ – almost 7,000’ vertical
10 lifts, 16 prepared trails, 28 kilometers of slopes
Snowpark, Peak Walk, Nordic skiing, and a beginner area
Traveling to Glacier 3000: Fly into Geneva or Zurich. The train to Gstaad is about 2.5 hours from Geneva and 3.25 hours from Zurich.
