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SAANENMOSER, 4,209 feet above the sea, lies at the top of the low pass between the Simmen Valley above Zweizimme and the Sarine Valley running down to Gstaad and Chateau d'Oex. There is only the one Sports Hotel and no village. It is a most charming place within reach of Ski-ing in all directions among the lower Bernese mountains.
The Montreux Oberland Railway running down both sides of the Pass helps a little by carrying Ski runners home after some long excursions, but all uphill work has to be done on Skis. The slopes are gradual and the Saanenmoser runs are perfect for people who have learnt the elements of Ski-ing in some active place, and who then want to gain confidence by free running over easy country.
The Ski-ing was not organized when I was at Saanenmoser in 1921, and neither Guides nor Ski Instructors were obtainable. There was only a tiny rink and no toboggan or bob runs. Skis can be hired at Gstaad. GSTAAD, about 3,800 feet above the sea, lies below Saanenmoser, and is a large village with numbers of hotels.
The Ski-ing is very much the same as at Saanenmoser and the Railway serves the same purpose, only helping runners a little. I have never stayed at Gstaad, but have heard it well spoken of as a Winter Sports centre offering all the usual attractions. Skis can be hired locally, I believe, and Guides are obtainable. The Rhone Valley offers a few centres which I do not know in Winter.
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