 Poster: A snowHead
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Any recommended guides/services for off piste newbies? Looking to steal 1.5 days at Andermatt in mid January 2020. First time going there. I’ve only done off piste twice (Courmayeur and Solitude, UT) but am advanced on-piste.
Thanks in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Suggest talking to Dan Loutrel, an American guide based in Andermatt. Route wise, both the Felsental and the Guspis are not especially difficult and could be tackled by an ambitious novice. Same with the main bowl from the top cable car.
http://www.andermatt-guides.ch/EN/about.html
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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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Many thanks. I’ll be there on one of the 10 Fanc Wednesdays in January. Does it typically get pretty crowded on those days? One of the reasons for choosing Andermatt mid-week is to avoid crowds. Thanks again.
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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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In terms of actual skiing, the 'offpiste' in Andermatt nicely covers both 'easily accessible' and 'proper backcountry'.... but the difficulty starts at moderate. All very general terms, but have done several Freshtracks holidays there, and am working my way up the difficulty level. Some of the more enjoyable routes are well within the capability of an average (SCGB purple) offpiste skier...
but
(and I can still remember those days) if you struggle to link 10 turns in offpiste, you're unlikely to enjoy it.
No disrespect, but if you've 'only skied offpiste twice', you may discover that there is rather more to it than you'd realised.... and if you find that out _after_ having skied 200m down off the back of the cable car, there's no easy way home.
there's plenty of easily accessible offpiste off Gemstock side without committing to a long walk home...
A good guide will adjust to you, of course - but a day's guiding on your own will not be cheap...
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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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Thanks. I've done one off-piste session involving tree skiing in deep powder (up to my knees/thighs), which took some getting used to, and another session on steeps and bumps (hardpack).
Is the difficulty you mention a function of powder skiing, steep pitches, bumps, narrow turns, etc (or a combination)? Honestly I found the deep powder the toughest, particularly in the trees. I was fine with the rest.
Thanks again.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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To answer your other question, Andermatt is generally very busy at weekends but not too bad mid week
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