 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Folks,
Heading to Engelberg mid January with my friends. Anyone been that can give me a heads up on how it is?
We're going mainly for the off piste and touring. Any guide recommendations? Places to eat etc?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We had a long weekend there last year. Can't recommend a guide, though we did have an off piste session with a local instructor which was good. We skied the Laub with him and then did it twice more on our own, with a good lunch at the restaurant at the bottom.
The lift system is a bit disjointed, and there were horrendous queues for the main gondola up the mountain on the Saturday morning-the worst I have seen in years. The instructor was able to jump with queue with us at the bottom, but once up the mountain, we had to queue with everyone else. All the guidebooks say that the place gets busy at weekends, and they are entirely accurate! There were loads of Chinese tourists on the Titlis gondola to the very top for the views and walk to the glacier.
We could see why it appeals to the off piste and touring crowd given the terrain visible once up the mountain. It truly does attract dozens of lanky Norrona clad Scandinavians.
The town is nice, but definitely has a towny feel. We had a really good meal at the Ski Lodge which is a very cool hipster scandi style hotel. Depending on your budget, it looked like a really cool place to stay. We stayed at the Angel's Lodge which is in a pretty good location and was comfy and welcoming. Hot tub round the back was a bonus.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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One of the snowheads instructors works there and has done for a few seasons. I know his real name but have forgotten his snowHead ID. I'll PM him through the Book of Farce to bring this thread to his notice if he has not already seen it.
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I haven't yet skied at Engelberg though I plan to this winter so I am also interested in responses. However, I do know that they have a new gondola opening this December, which they describe as being for winter sports fans. I cannot figure out from the website if they are effectively separating the glacier tourists and snow sports users into using separate lifts or if it is just two options for everybody. Either way, hopefully it will improve the queues.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@sparkzter, Fattes13 is the man you need to talk to, instructor there for the past 2 seasons and is back out there again this year. I can only give him the highest praise but I'm biased having skied, raced and roomed with him far too much over the past few years. Top man
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Club Alpine was a good traditional restaurant - great atmosphere
The off piste is fabulous - we had the worst snow in years and it was still good fun - great terrain. Our guide (via guides office) was good but cant remember his name I'm afraid. You do need one to make the most of the terrain. Only downside will be that you will be fighting for turns with the scandi hordes but January will be quieter than most times. Again a guide will help.
I liked it a lot.
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@sparkzter, Hey, so as @Samerberg Sue, &@briand6868, have pointed out I live and work in Engelberg, so feel free to ask anything you want and if I can help I will. Yep there is a new Gondola, it runs from the base station direct to the Titles Rotair lift, it cuts 15 minutes off the trip time and capacity is up from 1,200 per hour to 2,500 per hour uplift. It will be shared by tourists and skiers, but removes, messing about between lifts and improves connectivity. It has a mid station at Trubsee. The resort is busy from Thur-Sun due to weekend visitors from the surrounding big towns but Mon-Thur you can have the place to yourself especially mid Jan it is quiet.
For mountain Guides use http://www.engelbergmountainguide.ch/en/mountain-guide/. Dani and Tobias are in my opinion the best of the bunch. (Vested interest disclaimer I work for Prime Ski School)
You could also use http://www.prime-engelberg.ch/en/home/ as some of their instructors can take you off piste in various parts of the resort.
Mid January can be strange for touring depending on the weather etch but Wendelucke, is a good short hike 500 meters or so, Mt. Brisen or any of the three round trip routes will be a really good day experience
For places to eat Al Monastero (Beside the monastery does great Italian and Pizza, they are also opening a 2nd one on dorfstrasse but it was as yet un named when I left in August. Yucatan, for burgers and pub food, Alpen Club and ski lodge for something slightly higher end. There is an Indian restaurant in the central hotel that I believe is pretty good too if you are into that kind of food.
Drinking, Chalet, at the bottom of the home run, then on to Yucatan or Honeck for happy hour, then Gletscherspalte for 20:00 happy hour and back to Honeck for around 22:00 for live music most nights.
Anything else just ask
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I've skied with Patrick Muhmenthaler in Engelberg and thought he was an excellent guide, set a good pace, found some lovely lines, nice guy. Worth looking up.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks for the replies folks. Fingers crossed for good snow this winter.
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Hi Snowheads
I'm trying to book a short break between xmas and new year, skiing Wednesday to Friday, and seek your collective counsel.
Best flights I can get including ski carriage are to Zurich so I've narrowed down the options to St Anton and Engelberg due to the ease of transfers.
I've been to St Anton a lot so I'm keen to do the latter, but slightly concerned that the queues might be large in the festive break.
Should I be worried? It's just two of us so not the worry of trying to get a large group around the mountain.
Thanks in advance.
BB
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Presume you are going for the off-piste? Queues can be extensive there on holiday powder days especially for the lift from the base station, though this may have improved with the installation of the new gondola.
Once on the mountain there is so much off-piste terrain it's almost always possible to find fresh tracks after a recent snowfall even on the busiest days.
Go.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Hi HD
Actually, not a pure off piste holiday. Although we might do a little as i've bought some "all mountain" skis.
Regards
BB
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@Badbobby, Engelberg installed a new Gondola, last season, the q's at the base station move quickly if they exist, Christmas is not the busiest time of the year as alot of the Swiss, are not around between the 23rd and 26th.
If you are there befre 09:30 its normally fine, you can also buy a vip pass for 10 chf a day that allows you to skip the Q if there is one.
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You know it makes sense.
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Good old egalitarian Swiss!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Badbobby, Lift company is a private enterprise, they like profit! They charge more for a day pass to tourists to go the top than to skiers! Seems strange but that is how it works!
@Badbobby, If it is busy in the morning head over to Jochpass, and Jochstock. as the rotair to the glacier is busiest before 12!
If you need anything or need further information etc, give me a shout
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Poster: A snowHead
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I love Engelberg and have been there several times over the years and long before it was rediscovered by British tour ops etc. Friday morning queues at the main access lift were a massive shock each time after four days of no queues at all.
Agree completely with @Fattes13, that Jochpass and Jochstock are the best options when there are queues elsewhere. Actutally, I think it's my favourite part of the mountain and the old, boneshaker Englestenalp chairlift is an exercise in ski nostalgia - uphill transport from a bygone age!
The Yucatan is a lively apres spot that claims to sell more beer than any other bar in Switzerland.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@sparkzter, dvb has a place there
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks all.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@KenX, Jeez, you're all over this forum
@Badbobby, listen to @Fattes13, he's the man where Engelberg is concerned ... for everything else, see me 
I got out there only twice last season (Summer doesn't count), I'll be out there for a few days pre-season, looking forward to it once there's enough snow, if not we'll track it down.
@Fattes13, are you around 7th-11th December? Catch up in the Yucatan if not on the hill somewhere?
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@dvb, Im around! Have had 4 days on the hill all ready, 9cm of snow in the village today and I am back in Ireland  Dam! Will be back out form Nov 30th! See you there.
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@Fattes13, Good man, look forward to it, see you in a few weeks
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@sparkzter I'm the owner of the Ski Lodge, and have been skiing Engelberg for the past 15 years or so - and I'm still discovering new areas of the mountain! We've put together some handy info about the big 5 and off-piste in our annual magazine. https://issuu.com/skilodgeengelberg/docs/skilodgebulletin3
When it comes to queues, they have improved a lot with the new lift, but I'd still suggest to either be early or sleep in during the holidays. Wendelücke, as @fattes13 mentioned is safe bet for touring and gives you access to a whole mountainside with unlimited options, so you can lap it for a full day. When it comes to après and restaurant, I might be too biased to give any info on that  Besides - of course -swinging by us, I'd really recommend you to find the small, quirky, Swiss places for an authentic experience. One of those is http://www.ende-der-welt.ch and another http://www.brunni.ch/speisen-uebernachten/restaurant-fluehmatt/ The second one is half-way up on the Brunni side, and they'll come pick you up if you're a group. Expect Älplermagronen (Macaroni & cheese with onions and apple sauce) and schnitzels.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Glad someone else thinks the blue grading of that run is not quite right
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You could say that about a lot of the runs here! @eric@skilodge, Welcome to snowheads see you for a beer in a couple of weeks.
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powder doesn't last long on the main routes now
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Depends what time of the year and what line you take! I have a few photos of me in untracked pow taken at 15:00 on Sulzi on a Friday in March, others on Galtiberg, Steinberg All late in the day all in open untracked powder, you just have to know where to look or ski with Thomas, more often! 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Depends what time of the year and what line you take! I have a few photos of me in untracked pow taken at 15:00 on Sulzi on a Friday in March, others on Galtiberg, Steinberg All late in the day all in open untracked powder, you just have to know where to look or ski with Thomas, more often!
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I know where to look, been skiing there for 16 years. Suppose I am comparing it to when I first started skiing there when there really was less stress to find powder. I can always find untracked areas esp on Sulzi, but the days of taking your time and tracking out Laub, Steinberg or Galti are well gone.
First time I skied Galti, was in early April 2001 with 50cm of fresh snow. Went down late morning and made first tracks. That doesn't happen now 
I used to run off piste camps and bring UK punters out, we chose eberg for ease of access to off piste, plus the Brunni was great back up for bad weather days and full on punters who couldn't really ski 
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Mate of mine skied in Engleberg a few years ago, good offpiste skier. Came back and said it was very dark and very cold in the shadow and busy, wasn't that impressed I recall. He's never been back, don't know what that says...... I recall he said it was full of hipster Skandis and a good rad vibe, but proper CH expensive.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Markymark29, I've been skiing there for 20 years now, I think he probably got a bad week that is possible in any resort, I suggest you try it rather than listen to heresay ... although I do agree with 'a good rad vibe'
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@dvb, I didn't listen to hearsay it was his opinion, I just passed it on. Cant afford (or rather want) to ski CH-land at current exchange rate. I'm sure its a great place btw.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@fattes13
might have a trip out.....show you some moves
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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First time I skied Galti, was in early April 2001 with 50cm of fresh snow. Went down late morning and made first tracks. That doesn't happen now
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Put first tracks on Galti at 11:30 on April 24th this year! Waist deep snow too! outside of peak weeks and days there are plenty of tracks to be had especially Galti, as Auslander's tend not to ski it as much! The top part beside the gletscher lift is always tracked but the bottom 1,600 meters or so not so much! Also put first tracks on Laub on a powder day last year. Faces like Laub, that are easy to see and find will always get tracked quicker! The Glacier does not get as tracked as quickly as you would think areas like never sun you could be the only person lapping it all day!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@hd, Nice
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Engelberg guys, shoooosh..........
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I live not so far from there so maybe a bit biased, my favorourite place for a one day ski in the World. The lift situation improved a bit with the new lifts and separate cog train to the beginner area. But I guess the Asian love those mountains and their cameras!!!
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