I've visited Murren three times now, two times in February, and one time in May for the Telemark Only festival (highly recommended if you're a telemarker). First of all, there may not be a more beautiful place on earth than the Interlaken/Jungfrau region, and Murren perhaps has the best views of the entire region. The offpiste/free ride options off of Schilthorn are amazing, both down the north face of the mountain and also off to the side where you ski down to Gimmeln.
The uncrowded mountain on powder days is also huge plus, especially for skiers from the US being used to standing in line 3+hrs for first tracks. The snow is generally very good. Powder can last for days due to the small crowds relative to the huge offpiste terrain.
The groomed runs are in general quite steep. With the exception of the the run off of Birg the mountain is not the most friendly for beginners. Lift system is dated, but it's also part of the charm of Murren. I go there for the amazing freeride, and not to chase vert.
Apres ski is somewhat limited, but Gondel Bar and finishing at Tächi Bar is always a good run on weekends after a day of skiing. Best cheese fondue is found at Hotel Eiger.
See our video here

Go, even if you don't ski, amazing natural environment.
Due to weather/wind we were very limited with ski options but found heaps of fresh, dry powder both on and off piste.
The vertical is impressive, the geography breathtaking and I love that you can take your dog sledding!
See our video here

We love Muerren Schilthorn. Its just a big, brute of a mountain with a softer side if you need it, set in one of the most spectacular alpine settings on the globe.

This visit we journeyed up by car from Brienz to the base at Stechelberg. Timing is everything in skiing and getting the early cable car from Stechelberg up to Muerren is a key if visiting the mountain on a powder day. The lift runs every half hour which represents a MAJOR problem with the ski resort, but still we love it!

Why do we love it? The terrain & scenery is utterly spectacular, the snow is reliable on the upper mountain and powder days are quiet. This day was case in point. Despite the upper mountain ski lifts being on wind hold, no one was competing for the powder in the Blumental. We even had fun powder turns just alongside the Gimmeln T-bar line.

The other reason we love it is the complex diversity of trails and activities. Ski runs become sled trails in the blink of an eye, and whilst to some this would appear to be an issue, to us it adds to the resorts eclectic nature.

We DON'T love the lift system, which can be best described as relatively crap. Anyone seeking high-speed turnarounds should apply elsewhere.

In order to get the most out the mountain, try and stay on the mountain in lovely car-free Muerren if possible, and spend at least a full day getting to know the complex terrain before venturing into the off-piste on a storm day.
See our video here

I had visited the Schilthorn in the mid-90s during summer & was suitably impressed by the absolute grandeur of the place. I did wonder what it would be like to ski here. A mere 30 years later I finally found out. In that 30 years I learned that the landscape definition of ‘breathtaking’ is stepping out onto the rim of the Grand Canyon for the first time. Intriguing that a journey up to Schilthorn in winter has a similar impact.

A mid-January, mid-week visit had me on the train from Lucerne to Interlaken Ost riding with the train into a snowy dawn. The forecast was for a clearing day but the driving snow was suggesting otherwise. The train from Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen was progressively loading up with skiers & non-skiers alike. First lesson in the Jungfrau region – there are just as many non-skiing tourists using the transport as there are skiers. At Lauterbrunnen the seething horde ran for the waiting train to Wengen & Kleine Scheidegg whilst I and a few other hardy souls exited & crossed the road the cable car. Second lesson at Mürren Schilthorn, the cable cars run to a timetable rather than continuously on demand, forcing down-time on those not necessarily wanting it.!

At the top of the cable one joins the ancient rail carriages trundling between Gütschalp & Mürren. The snow was bucketing down & the mountain shrouded in fog. Most skiers got off at Winteregg to take the chairlift up. At the end of the line a pleasant walk is required to a funicular or cable car. Remembering I still hadn’t put my skis on, I opted for the funicular & skied all alone to the Mürren cable car station. The snow was perfect. Visibility was not. The place was deserted. Third lesson – no one skis here mid-week in January during a snowfall. Good to know!

Deciding against waiting for the cable car I smashed a few delightful on & off-piste turns on the 500m vertical from the Schiltgrat chair. Lots of possibilities were left behind as the cloud lifted appreciably & the upper mountain called. Fourth lesson – when you can see, go up (a simple lesson & not one I need to worry about as I am a daily practitioner).

The 2677m pinnacle of Birg was socked-in on arrival. Spent my time wisely sampling the new Thrill Walk – a walkway hugging a cliff below the lift station. A series of ‘thrill’ elements get the juices flowing. The best of them was a steel mesh tube that one crawls through over nothing but air & streaming cloud below. Fantastic.

As the gloom lifted the stunned silence descends. Everyone collectively holds their breath as the vista slowly opened up. The audacity of the engineers to put ski lifts up here becomes apparent and the gloriously challenging off-piste terrain reveals itself as well.

Steeps off the Schilthorn led to huge off-piste terrain in questionable light but glorious powder snow conditions. A few small groups were observed around Birg & into the Blumental but the off-piste was essentially deserted. I barely scratched the surface of the freeride possibilities. There is so much terrain beyond the Kandahar chairlift down toward Winteregg that with a keen group, a week in good snow would certainly be entertaining. You can ski BIG here.

For quick access to the ski lifts (& more importantly the Birg cable car), overnighting in car-free Muerren is essential. The quiet village perched above the Lauterbrunnen valley gets morning sun (if that’s important to you!). The journeys up from the valley towns of Lauterbrunnen & Interlaken are marvellous, but the time it takes to get the top of the mountain could get tedious after a few days.

On down days, or if travelling with children, the many non-ski activities in the region are outstanding. The sledding is particularly good- long trails & the local sledders are fearless & incredibly fast.

The best après ski at Muerren Schilthorn is wherever you don’t have to ski afterwards i.e. near a cable car, in a village or close to a train station. Avoiding skiing here after drinking is probably good for your health. A few beverages at the Iglubar below Birg is recommended though. A short ski will get you to a chair and back to the top of Birg for a safe cable car download!

Mürren Schilthorn is best for adults with good ski ability. There is a lot for children & families in the Jungfrau ski region, but we would only recommend bringing them to Muerren on a good clear day with perfect visibility. For everyone else, Mürren Schilthorn may not have the world’s most modern, high capacity lift system & its terrain may not lend itself to be easily navigated, but what a place. Bloody marvellous!

See our video here