Zermatt - Revisited. Revived. Rewarded.

It had been one of the worst winters for skiing in Switzerland in decades, but that was about to change. Even with little to no snowfall elsewhere, you can always count on some snow in Zermatt. The top is a Glacier and it offers year around skiing. So, in hopes of getting a few turns in the Alps this ski season we booked a 4 day get-a-way to our beloved Zermatt. As we've said, Zermatt is the ultimate ski town—bar none!

Our first bit of luck came on the train ride there. After making a switch in Brig, we were able to catch a ride in a brand new Glacier Express Panorama car for a ten fanc upgrade charge! It's one of the best sections of that ride, so we were really happy.

The first days the matterhorn and the sun hid themselves behind snow clouds. What does that mean. Not the best weather for shooting photos for the new tourist brochure but a continuous sheet of fresh powder to ski on all day long. The downside, high winds in the upper elevations which shut down the top of the mountain and the whole Italian side. Our favorite part. And then on the eve of day 3, Moses must have walked into town, because the clouds parted and left faster than a wounded Egyptian solider fearing the wrath of both God and Pharaoh, as the great Pyramid of the Alps came into full view. With the clouds in rapid retreat, the moon smiled down upon the valley with a face as full as the Gerber babies. What a site. With all the fresh snow covering the mountain sides, the entire valley from the tip of the Matterhorn to the tip of your shoes lite up like a healthy bone in x-ray.

With a sky full of stars and a moon as round as a saucer, Kathleen and I went for a walk from the middle of town to the fields at the foot of the Matterhorn. That walk will forever be etched upon my mind. If I were a coyote I would have howled with pure joy.

We could hardly sleep that night with visions of Virgin Italian slopes wrapped in six days of uninterrupted snow. As morning broke we ate our breakfast and made our way to the top. After a warm up run we headed for Italy. No border control up there. You just ski on over and smile, because miles and miles of pistes await as do lunch dishes that will satisfy your hunger and soul. What a day. No clouds. No lines. No going home. If your looking for Nirvana, the state of being not the band, this is a very good place to search. It's up there if you know where and how to look.

Now let's talk about lunch. We made it back to our favorite little spot. A chalet nestled half way down the Italian side for some fresh homemade pasta and a bottle of Chianti. They really know how to do it here and if I may say so, so do we.

We skied until our legs could barely hold us upright any longer. We've never been so tired, yet felt so peaceful and blissed out. It was a ski day that all skiers dream about. And we seized it.