Elm is a relatively small resort, but there is plenty to keep all skill levels happy at an affordable price. For beginners, we particularly like their big beginner’s area with multiple magic carpets for different skill levels and an adjacent T-bar for beginners that are ready for a bit more.
Elm has wide groomed pistes next to wide open powder fields, so beginning and advanced skiers can ski parallel to each other and each have their own kind of fun. Although Elm is no secret, even when the parking lot is full, we never feel crowded on the slopes.
Contents
| Location: | Eastern Switzerland, Canton Glarus |
| Address: | Elm Sportbahnen cable car |
| Car: | Parking GPS: 46°54’48.7″N 9°09’46.0″E 1hr15mins from Zürich |
| Train: | Bus stop: Elm, Sportbahnen 1hr45 from Zürich |
| Suitable for: | beginners to advanced |
| Lift type: | cable car to reach resort chair lifts and drag lifts on the slopes |
| Prices 2023: | Day pass Adult CHF 53, Junior CHF 40, Child CHF 27 |
| Discount: | morning and afternoon tickets |
| More info: | www.sportbahnenelm.ch • webcams • piste map • current status |
Location
Elm is a mountain resort in eastern Switzerland, canton Glarus. It is easily accessible by car or bus.
Ski Resort Overview
The below map shows the valley station, aka Talstation, where you park and the “Elm-Ämpächli” cable car that takes you up to the resort. You can see the sled run #1 on this map. See Elm Sledding for details.
The following map shows the ski runs. See the full piste map here. We spent most of our time on the Schnabellbahn and run #10, which is suitable for advanced beginners. The top part of the run is slightly steep but it turns into a wide curvy trail that is just right for kids. We also took the kids to the top of Steinboden, where you’ll find the hammocks. It was challenging there and definitely intermediate level. But it had nice powder fields on the sides of the groomed trails that were perfect for the adults.
Getting There
By car: drive to Elm and follow signs to the ski area, west of the Elm village (Schiesserblock 22-24, 8767 Elm). Park in the big parking lots (free) next to the cable car station. On very busy days, you may have to park on the side of the road and/or take a shuttle bus from the Elm village.
By transit: take a train to Schwanden, then a bus to Elm, Sportbahnen. The bus drops you off directly in front of the cable car station.
Ticket prices
In 2021/22, a day pass costs CHF 51/adult, CHF 38/youth & students, CHF 26/child. You can also buy a discounted morning or afternoon ticket. See current prices.
Sledding tickets are a bit cheaper, a day pass CHF 36/adult, CHF 29/youth & student, CHF 20/child. You can also buy a 1x or 3x gondola ticket for sledding. Sled rental costs CHF 18/day, CHF 15 for 3x and CHF 7/one ride. It’s a bit cheaper for kids to rent sleds.
Operating times
Winter season at Elm is mid December through early April. The lifts run daily from 8:30 – 17:00. See current lift and slope status.
Photo story of the ski resort
Here’s the snow garden with the magic carpets.
Here’s another view of the snow garden, showing the longer magic carpet with a steeper bunny hill. I really like that they have multiple levels of difficulty for beginners right in the snow garden.
Here’s the beginners run with the snow garden on the left and the T-bar on the right.
More advanced terrain going up to Steinboden. This two seater lift is old and slow and a little scary with kids.
Hammocks at the top of Steinboden. We usually bring a picnic lunch up here and relax in the sun.
There are several restaurants, but this main one next to the Ämpächli cable car is conveniently situated near the main lift. It has typical overpriced self-service food, but great views!
View from the main run off the Schnabel lift. So pretty!
Sled Run
The 4 km sled run is a big draw, a super fun ride all the way down the mountain. We often do this as the last run of the day, sending our snowboards down with the gondola. See details for the sled run.
Winter Hike
Non-skiers will enjoy the winter hike up to a mountain restaurant, where you can meet your skiing friends and family for lunch. See trail details.
6 responses
Hello! I’m planning a trip to Switzerland this summer and am considering Glarus Canton as a base for hiking. I’m struggling to find reasonably priced accommodations in Braunwald, so Elm was suggested. Are there any reasons not to consider it as a base? We can get around the area for free with the GarderlandPass, so it costs nothing to move about. The views look beautiful, from what I can see online. There are some decent-looking hotels with good review. ???
Elm is at the far end of the valley. So if you want to visit other mountain areas, it will add a lot of time each day going out of the valley and coming back each day. I personally would prefer something more centrally located.
Thanks for all the great information! Regarding sledding, I saw your comment, “we often send our snowboards down on the gondola.” Does this mean one person forgoes the sledding to accompany the snowboards down? Or is this a service offered by the resort?
At Elm, the gondola operator will just send the skis/boards down in an empty gondola and the person at the bottom will set the skis/boards to the side for you to pick up later. It’s very informal and there’s no ticket to pick up the boards. In years past, one of the parents would take all the stuff down and not sled. But then one time the gondola operator offered to send the boards down, so now that’s what we do. This also happened for us at Melchsee Frutt, but in that case, it was more formal and they gave us a claim ticket to pick up our stuff. We might have had to pay a small fee, but I don’t remember. In that case, we sent our hiking backpacks and a bag with snowshoes and hiking poles. So it was more like a luggage transfer.
Niihau, completely loving your site, my family and I are moving to zug next month and are looking for somewhere close for my wife and son (11) to learn to ski, any recommendations, I found Wirzweli which seems quite close but can’t find out much about the place
Thanks so much for all your amazing advice
Christian
Sorry for the very late reply. I hope you found somewhere to ski near you. Wirzweli is quite small. You might have better luck at Klewenalp or Engelberg.