Adelboden & Lenk: Excellent Value and Fantastic Skiing
By Patrick Thorne, AKA "The Snow Hunter"

Another hidden jewel. Skiers from the United States and other far away lands usually tend to go only to those resorts that are “household names” when skiing in Europe. As a result, they are sure to miss some very delightful little gems of ski areas.

The Swiss resorts of Adelboden and Lenk would surely fit into this category. Although not listed in anyone’s “who’s who” of resorts, these two ski areas are winners and worthy of consideration by America’s ski clubs. There is plenty to recommend them, not least is the 200 kilometers of slopes serviced by 50 lifts that the two areas share on a single lift ticket. The area is skiable to an altitude of just over 2,100m in most places with good access to runs of varying degrees of difficulty accessible from most lifts.

Most recreational skiers will find that the twin areas are not too intimidating and cross country skiers will especially enjoy the on-mountain trails which have been prepared and set aside for that purpose. The resorts are improving their facilities every year, but are still relatively uncrowded and very pleasant places to ski. Adelboden, with a base of 4,439 feet and ski able to around 8,858 feet presents a nice option for beginner to the good intermediate skiers, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Linked with Lenk, the destination becomes big league by anyone's standards.

Lenk, with a base area at 1,068m above sea level, has an abundance of skiing which complements Adelboden’s and adds to the value of your lift ticket. Now if you take all this and add the skiing on the Elsigenalp to the mix, then you have fantastic skiing and some excellent value in terms of lift ticket indeed. And what’s more, the whole place is now linked by lifts with the opening of the new six-seater cable railway completing the connection. The ski bus, which had transported skiers for more than 50 years (before the new lift system), is now a thing of the past.

If all this is not enough value, six day pass-holders are also entitled to a free day pass in the Gstaad super ski region as well as the Alpes Vaudoises. Access to Adelboden and Lenks through Zürich to Speiz.

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