The villages themselves are at nearly 6,000 feet, with about 4,000 feet of vertical above them. However, skiers in low elevation towns like or Chamonix shouldn t fret when there is no snow on the sidewalks. They have only to raise their sights. Nordic is another matter Cross country skiers may have more trouble finding space for their gliding and skating maneuvers, when snow is at a premium. This is more a problem for Europeans than Americans, most of whom are not likely to fly the Atlantic to ski on the flat.
Nordic tracks are often in valleys, sometimes extending for many miles.
Many of the 25 miles of tracks in and around Neustift are visible along the valley road. A few resorts do have loops at high altitude, but the size and configuration of most mountains don t lend themselves to this winter sport. A notable exception is Plaine Morte at Crans-Montana. Guidebooks and websites identify locations and dimensions of cross country venues adjacent to resorts. I wonder how many employees of Switzerland Tourism in the U. S. enjoyed the Plain of Death in the past few days.