Visperterminen – Giw lies in Valais and is a small, family-run ski area: 20 kilometres of piste served by 4 lifts.
The area runs from 1340 to 2300 metres above sea level, giving around 960 metres of vertical. The high starting point helps when there is no snow down in the valley.
The season usually runs Dec – March.
An adult day pass costs CHF 53.
Of note: Above Europe’s highest-lying vineyards
Pistes by difficulty
- Leicht (blau)9.3 km45%
- Mittel (rot)9.3 km49%
- Schwer (schwarz)1.3 km6%
Distribution calculated from OpenStreetMap and applied to the 20 official kilometres of piste. An approximation, not a figure from the lift company.
Snow report
Not currentThis reading is 47 days old and is not being updated automatically at the moment. Current figures are available from the SLF and from the resort itself.
Source: SLF / WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research. A single measuring station, not the resort’s official piste report.
Piste map, map & webcams
Interactive piste map
Every piste and lift colour-coded by difficulty, zoomable, built on OpenStreetMap. Community-maintained data; where it differs, the official piste map next to it is authoritative.
Open on OpenSkiMap →Official piste map
The lift company’s drawn piste map, plus lift status and tickets.
giw.ch →Webcams
Live images from the mountain on the resort’s official site, usually several locations.
View webcams →Piste maps and webcam images belong to the lift companies and are protected by copyright. That is why we link directly to the original instead of copying it.
What sets this ski area apart
Visperterminen is known for its vineyard, and it is no ordinary one: it climbs to around 1090 metres, which makes it one of the highest in Europe. The main grape is Heida, a Savagnin. Within a very small area the vineyard covers 500 vertical metres.
The Giw ski area lies above it, on the sunny side over the Vispertal. It is small, easy to take in, and skied almost entirely by locals and visitors from the Upper Valais.
The combination is what makes the place: vines below, snow above, and in between a village that lived from wine far longer than from winter sports.
Sources: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visperterminen
Getting there by public transport
Destination stop: Visperterminen, Dorfeingang. Fastest connection on a Saturday morning in the currently published timetable, from the open Swiss timetable interface, retrieved 10 August 2026. A guide value, not a timetable: the real journey time depends on when you leave and what you connect to, and winter-only bus services are not yet included.
Frequently asked about Visperterminen – Giw
How high is Visperterminen – Giw?
The ski area runs from 1,340 to 2,300 metres above sea level, a vertical range of 960 metres. For snow reliability the lower figure matters more: that is where the snow disappears first, and where a mild December is felt before it is felt at the top.
How many kilometres of piste does Visperterminen – Giw have?
20 kilometres on 4 lifts, according to the operator. There is no binding standard for measuring piste kilometres, so the figure is comparable between resorts only to a point. The lift count says at least as much about how big a place feels.
What does a day pass at Visperterminen – Giw cost?
CHF 53 for an adult day pass at the standard rate, as of summer 2026. Booked early it is often less; on a peak Saturday it is not.
When does Visperterminen – Giw open?
The usual season window is Dec – March. No starting date has been announced for winter 2026/27 yet. Most resorts commit only in the autumn, because a postponed opening costs more goodwill than a late announcement.
How do I get to Visperterminen – Giw by train?
The destination stop is Visperterminen, Dorfeingang. From Zürich HB the fastest connection on a Saturday morning takes 2 h 21, changing 1 time; from Bern 1 h 16. A guide value, not a timetable.
Visperterminen – Giw in the magazine
Is the Magic Pass worth it? The maths with real numbers
The Magic Pass currently costs CHF 482 and covers 95 stations. We worked out how many ski days it takes to break even: ten. And checked which resorts are actually included. Of Switzerland's fifteen largest ski areas, two are.
What does skiing in Switzerland actually cost?
Day passes from CHF 40 to 95, median 58. What a ski day really costs once you add travel and food, where you get the most piste per franc, and which discounts are worth it. Numbers from all 85 resorts.
Where this resort stands
Visperterminen – Giw is one of 24 ski areas in the canton of Valais, and it is quickest reached from Bern by train, in 1 h 16.
Nearby ski areas
Distances are straight-line, not driving time. In the Alps a ridge between two valleys can turn 12 km into a two-hour drive.
Key figures
- Region
- Valais
- Season
- Dec – March
- Kilometres of piste
- 20 km
- Elevation
- 1340 to 2300 m (960 m of vertical)
- Lifts
- 4
- Adult day pass
- around CHF 53 (guide value)
- Summer skiing
- no
- Glacier
- no
- Snow park
- rated 2/10
- Coordinates
- 46.250, 7.900
- Official website
- giw.ch
All values are guide figures still being verified. For day-to-day information, use the resort’s official website.