In the pursuit of the best powder skiing & travel experiences we visit all kinds of places - snowy, desert-like, large, small, expensive, cheap, snobby, laid back and everything in between. And whilst there are some mega-resorts that provide an exceptional experience, it is often the smaller, lesser-known locations that are the real gems. Vals is case in point. On our radar for a few years now, we finally skied it on a near perfect day in February 2026. It did not disappoint.
The day we finally visited Vals our original plan was to hit Laax for some powder turns and go to Vals the following day. However Laax’s online day ticket price of 119CHF (easily the highest in Europe) not only took our breath away but sent us in the opposite direction (literally & metaphorically) from our accommodation on the outskirts of Ilanz. Vals was always on our list of ski resorts to visit, and it turned out to be the right time, right price and right place.
Avalanche danger in mid-February was very high across much of the Alps. Heavy snowfall on questionable bases meant off-piste skiing on anything with reasonable pitch was fraught with peril. Vals provided the perfect remedy with vast swathes of untracked gentle to moderate freeride terrain. A fresh 30cm layer of snow provided wonderful skiing on the long vertical from top to bottom. And all for the princely sum of 39CHF for an adult day pass. Up yours Laax!
Without any real effort we were first onto the free gondola (yes FREE) that travels up the first 500m ish vertical from the valley at Vals to above treeline. This lower portion of the mountain has some fantastic terrain and provided plenty of reasons alone to come back here again. At the top of the gondy, a main restaurant and small novice zone with rope tow etc, plus the first of the T-bars congregate; surrounded by a magnificent vista of Swiss peaks. During the week this area is deserted for the first hour. We love that. We also love that there were a whole lot of skis just stored openly & unlocked overnight in this area, waiting for their owners to arrive for the day. Such is life in a small Swiss ski resort. We have seen a similar relaxed attitude at other ski areas including Scuol and Unterbäch.
Above the gondola, the real work begins with the series of three T-bars heading up the next 1,100m+ of vertical. This is where Vals separates the herd and those used to riding comfy chairlifts may feel their legs a little earlier than normal. Without overstating it, don’t expect easy downward sliding connections between each of them either. The trail between the second and third T-bars in particular requires a bit of effort …. but that’s a small price to pay.
With the exception of the gondola, the groomed pistes at Vals are perfect for progressing beginners & good intermediates. Nothing too steep, but that’s fine. The piste to the valley wasn’t groomed, but we imagine it would make a reasonable advanced run on its day.
We were at Vals for off-piste powder (afterall, we aren’t Groomerhounds), and the potential goes far beyond the actual on this visit. Given the avalanche danger we played it safe and still found wonderful descents to the skier’s right of the upper mountain lifts & pistes and along the T-bar lines. In safer snow conditions steeper descents and long laps to the valley would have been the order of the day. The freeride options on the sunny south-aspect face toward Frunt are huge and returning back into the resort via the winter walking trail a comparative synch.
Skiing down to lunch at Restaurant Ganni was true Swiss treat. Classic alpine hamlet, delicious, well-priced, home-cooked traditional fare, and ski-out from the balcony into deep untouched powder.
We drove up to Vals from Ilanz in our rental car on the first blue-sky day for a week. The sense of anticipation is always huge when arriving at a new place for the first time and Vals was no different. The village is surrounded by fantastic mountain scenery. Driving to the gondola base is straightforward, but perhaps a little surprisingly, quite a distance from the centre of the village. All parking near the gondola requires payment via the incredibly annoying online EasyPark system (it is enforced too!). We parked within 50m of the lift and there is more than enough parking nearby, with a large carpark just past and below the gondola station practically empty all day (probably because you don’t see it until you ski back down!!).
Whilst the smart money is on staying at Ilanz and driving a rental car or taking the bus to Vals, nothing beats staying at the ski hill, and if there is availability within your budget you should definitely stay locally. However, Ilanz does make a handy, central base from which to not only visit Vals, but also to try out a whole host of local ski areas (i.e. wonderful Brigels, the ski tour on lifts that is Obersaxon Mundaun, and yeh …. Laax - but choose a day when the dynamic lift pass price is low). Its public transport links are exceptional, and the old town centre is suitably impressive, with the requisite narrow lanes, ancient buildings, quirky shops plus an impressive (and original) town walls and gates. At same time, the newer part of town has all the restaurants & services one could wish for.
If staying in Vals, we noted the 5-star 7132 Hotel, on the exterior at least, is an eyesore that is thankfully on the outskirts as one enters and not visible from most parts of the village or ski area. It reminds us of the worst kind of public housing high-rise and has no place in such a lovely Swiss location. If staying in the village though there are some more affordable, traditional Swiss options, mostly near the village square. A handy local ski bus service (free of course) runs on two routes throughout the village so getting to the gondola is an easy undertaking.
We will come back to Vals. It is without a doubt sensational on a powder day and we cannot wait to explore more of it. We are sure it will continue to be way better fun than Laax!
See our thoughts on the resort’s pros & cons via the Vals overview page.