Grindelwald First, Switzerland

Stay in Grindelwald: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Grindelwald

Grindelwald - Wengen (Kleine Scheidegg - Männlichen) Ski resort · 0.1 km from Grindelwald
Mürren/Schilthorn Ski resort · 13.2 km from Grindelwald
Meiringen - Hasliberg Ski resort · 16.2 km from Grindelwald
Habkern Ski resort · 17.5 km from Grindelwald
Hohwald Beatenberg Ski resort · 19.1 km from Grindelwald

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About Grindelwald First

Village 1,728 m. Facts: verified.

A ski resort with its village at 1,728 m and its top at 2,497 m. It has 40 km of runs and 8 lifts, as mapped on OpenStreetMap. The runs drop 1,462 m, from 2,497 m to 1,035 m. For beginners and families: 44% of the km of runs are green or blue. For experts: 8 km of black, expert and freeride runs. Within 5 km of the village: a ski school. It is usually in season from December to April. The snow is usually deepest in March, about 21.2 m at the top (2,497 m). For skiers the best months are usually January, February, March and December, with about 7 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Grindelwald. Within 5 km we also list 1 ski resort.

First is a mountain location and minor summit on the slopes of the Schwarzhorn in the Bernese Oberland. It is mostly known as a cable car station above Grindelwald (Firstbahn) and as a popular hiking area with the Bachalpsee in proximity. It is also the destination of the classic hike: Schynige Platte-Faulhorn-First.

From the Wikipedia article First (Grindelwald), shortened. Text CC BY-SA 4.0.

The ski area

Runs from 1,035 m to 2,497 m: 1,462 m of vertical. 40 km of runs and 8 lifts, as mapped on OpenStreetMap for Grindelwald First.

Runs
Easy (blue)	17 km
Intermediate (red)	14 km
Advanced (black)	4.3 km
Expert	2.9 km
Ski routes and freeride	0.8 km
Not graded	0.6 km

Lifts
Gondolas and cable cars	3
Chairlifts	3
Drag lifts	2

Measured along each mapped run, so it can differ from the resort's own figure. Ski area data © OpenSkiMap.org and OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

For families

44% of the km of runs are green or blue.

Within 5 km of the village:

a ski school: Altitude Ski and Snowboard School, 4.8 km

The Family filter counts these. Places from the Overture Maps Foundation, from Meta, Microsoft, Foursquare and AllThePlaces. Foursquare data © 2024 Foursquare Labs, Inc., Apache 2.0. Check opening times before you go.

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From Chicago: about 16 h door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Zürich Airport (ZRH), direct. About 14 flights a week that month.
See flights ORD → ZRH · Skyscanner from about £435 returnAd
Getting there. 2 h 35 from the airport to Grindelwald First.
Car hire · Discover CarsAd Transfers · HoppaAd
Accommodation.
Stay in GrindelwaldAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
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Closest towns to stay in
- Grindelwald 8 min by car · rooms from £105 a night · where Grindelwald First stays
  Places to stay in Grindelwald · Booking.com Ad
- Meiringen 20 min by car · rooms from £105 a night
  Places to stay in Meiringen · Booking.com Ad
- Interlaken 30 min by car · rooms from £105 a night
  Places to stay in Interlaken · Booking.com Ad
- Mürren 31 min by car · rooms from £105 a night
  Places to stay in Mürren · Booking.com Ad
- Habkern 32 min by car · rooms from £105 a night
  Places to stay in Habkern · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire, lessons and lift passes.
Ski lessons in Grindelwald · GetYourGuideAd Ski and board hire · SkisetAd Lift passes · Ski area website

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Grindelwald First on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Lifts closed for the season. They usually open about 25 November.

Forecast

The score, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

Forecast and score for each day at Grindelwald First
Day	Score	Fresh72 h	Depthtop, mid, base	Coldestat top	Windat top
Sun 18Oct	0, poor	0 cm	0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m	2°C	wind, 11 knots
Mon 19Oct	0, poor	0 cm	0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m	3°C	wind, 9 knots
Tue 20Oct	0, poor	0 cm	0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m	4°C	wind, 12 knots
Wed 21Oct	0, poor	12 cm	0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m	-2°C	wind, 9 knots
Thu 22Oct	0, poor	12 cm	0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m	-4°C	wind, 4 knots
Fri 23Oct	0, poor	14 cm	0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m	-1°C	wind, 8 knots
Sat 24Oct	0, poor	8 cm	0.1 mmid 0.1 mbase 0.1 m	-5°C	wind, 8 knots
Sun 25Oct	0, poor	8 cm	0 mmid 0 mbase 0 m	-1°C	wind, 5 knots
Mon 26Oct	0, poor	6 cm	–mid –base –	–	–

Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to.

Snow by month

Typical snow on the ground and coldest daytime temperature by month
Month	Base1,728 m	Mid2,113 m	Top2,497 m	Coldestat the top
Jul	none	8.5 m	20.5 m	9°C
Aug	none	8.5 m	20.5 m	9°C
Sep	none	8.5 m	20.5 m	5°C
Oct	none	8.5 m	20.5 m	0°C
Nov	0.2 m	8.7 m	20.6 m	-6°C
Dec	0.8 m	9.2 m	20.9 m	-9°C
Jan	1.3 m	9.6 m	21.0 m	-10°C
Feb	1.6 m	9.9 m	21.1 m	-8°C
Mar	1.6 m	9.9 m	21.2 m	-7°C
Apr	1.5 m	9.9 m	21.1 m	-2°C
May	0.7 m	9.5 m	20.9 m	1°C
Jun	none	8.6 m	20.5 m	8°C

Typical snow on the ground in the village, halfway up and at the top: the middle value over 2016 to 2025, from ERA5-Land reanalysis at the grid cell nearest each height. Not a forecast, and not the groomed pistes: resorts make snow lower down.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago. Change dates

Mon 19 Oct
Travel out
Direct flight ORD to ZRH, then 2h 35 by road. About 16h door to door
Tue 20 Oct
Lifts closed
Out of season.
Wed 21 Oct
Lifts closed
Out of season.
Thu 22 Oct
Lifts closed
Out of season.
Fri 23 Oct
Lifts closed
Out of season.
Sat 24 Oct
Lifts closed
Out of season.
Sun 25 Oct
Travel home
Direct flight ORD to ZRH, then 2h 35 by road. About 16h door to door

Rough cost

About £1,730–£3,025 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

Rough cost per person for this trip
What	How we worked it out	Each
Flights	return ORD to ZRH, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag	£435–£900
To the UK airport	parking or the train, there and back	£35–£65
Transfer	shared airport transfer, return	£70–£120
Stay	6 nights, a mid-range double, shared	£285–£475
Food	7 days eating out	£340–£630
Lift pass	5 days	£355–£485
Ski hire	5 days, or about £85 to fly your own	£210–£350
Total		£1,730–£3,025

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

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Grindelwald First, Switzerland

Also within 20 km of Grindelwald

About Grindelwald First

The ski area

For families

Saved: this link opens the same trip

Book the trip

Stay in GrindelwaldAd

Closest towns to stay in

Where it is

Forecast

Snow by month

Your trip, day by day

Rough cost

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Getting thereAd

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Where to stayAd

Lift passes

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