 Poster: A snowHead
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Got back very early this morning, after snow closed Basel airport for an hour!
Was snowing all the way from Engelberg to Basel, but made good time.
a few pics here http://gregh.co.uk/albums/engelberg/
This was my first trip to Engelberg, and was fortunate to hook up with JT and his friends who had been there many times before, so they could show me around  The top lifts never opened the whole time I was there, we can only assume they felt it was too icy and wanted to stop people getting into the glacier area.
1st day, Sat 20th, it was very warm, +8 at 1800m, and no snow at all lower down!
So we skied around both "sides" and eventually found some lovely spring snow down to Trubsee.
Next day it was noticeably colder and also snowing The visibility wasn't so hot in the morning, we tried an off piste run we did the day before but couldn't see a thing! Fortunately it cleared a little in the afternoon, so we played around traversing off the lift to Jochpass.
Monday was again colder, but great visibility. This has left a rock hard (sometimes blue ice) base off piste, with around 10-20cm of fresh on top.
It seemed very stable, so we spent the day playing off Jochstock and Jochpass, some lovely routes, no people around and plenty of tracks to be made. The exits out where the most testing, involving some side slipping and traversing on rock hard snow, before a walk across the frozen lake area. We also stopped off at the ice hotel which was amazing!
Our last day was Tuesday (JT is staying on), we woke to really bad visibility, and on checking the webcams on the TV it looked as bad higher up. So we made a slow start, and were delighted to pop out above the clouds at 1800m, and had another great day playing off Jochstock and Jochpass. The ice was harder and bluer, but the wind had shifted some snow around, so once again good sport was had!
Last run of the holiday was a great off piste run with JT down to Engstlenalp, followed by a quick scoot home as the cloud rose out of the valley!
Thanks to JT and his mates for showing me around, I will go back! Considering 2/3 of the off piste was closed (ie the Laub and the Glacier area) we still had a great trip.
regards,
Greg
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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. error
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 24-01-07 12:12; edited 1 time in total
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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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Sounds like you had a good time - sorry I didn't get to meet you - might have seen your group (were you by the entrance?) in the CCbar Saturday night. I'm encouraged by your reports of improving snow.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Good update, Greg. Heading out there in about a week so it sounds like conditions should be decent, if not stellar, by then.
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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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yeh we were in ccbar sat night, 4 of us sat on stools...when did you get back???
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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should be good, just watch out for the fresh snow on a rock hard base Arno.....
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| kitenski wrote: |
| yeh we were in ccbar sat night, 4 of us sat on stools...when did you get back??? |
I did see you then as we left but was obviously too rude to introduce myself  . Got back Sunday night after skipping Sunday skiing and the Saturday radio debacle.
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the radios are weird aren't they, there must be lots of blackspots around the hills....
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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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| kitenski wrote: |
| should be good, just watch out for the fresh snow on a rock hard base Arno..... |
should be enough time for it all to get bonded by lots of scandinavian freeriders with scant regard for avalanche danger 
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Hello all.
Can anyone recommend a snowboard friendly off-piste guide in Engelberg?
Thanks
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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you could try boardlocal.ch fro advice - they seem to be the main indie snowboard school. In theory any guide should be board friendly as its not exactly an epic traverse to acces terrain type of place but someone who appreciated the difficulty of holding a single edge on blue ice might help
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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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Cheers 
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kitenski, thanks, very heartening to hear you had a good time. I was in the Jungfrau - not as good I'm afraid. Where did you stay in Engelberg and was it any good/convenient?
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brian
brian
Guest
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kitenski, thanks for the report, looks fun.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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kitenski, thanx - might be able to get to Engelberg for a quick one in a couple of weeks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Just got imto Zinal after a fab few days in Andermatt. You need snow and Vis in Andermatt but if you have that its a blinding place.......I will report soon as I am her in Zinal for a few days....
kitenski, It has snowed everyday since you left... all 3 days in Andermatt... Had a great time on Mantras....
Looking at sunshine in Zinal.......
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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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Arno,
Engelberg has only had 3 snowfalls this year..and the base is frozen...when we were there this made the forays off of Jockstok into the bottom part of the glacier very dodgey for us after the new snowfall....we were glad to bug out to Andermatt, which had a more even base, for this reason. Make sure you get a good look at the snowpack....
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| JT wrote: |
kitenski, It has snowed everyday since you left... all 3 days in Andermatt... Had a great time on Mantras....
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I can't hear you...................
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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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| JT wrote: |
Arno,
Engelberg has only had 3 snowfalls this year..and the base is frozen...when we were there this made the forays off of Jockstok into the bottom part of the glacier very dodgey for us after the new snowfall....we were glad to bug out to Andermatt, which had a more even base, for this reason. Make sure you get a good look at the snowpack.... |
We had the same experience in Engelberg so our guides hired a minibus and drove us over to Andermatt for three days running.
Wednesday - deep fresh powder albeit we were skiing in poor visisbility,
Thursday - a mainly sunny day and we had a great day tracking out the fresh powder that was left of which there was plenty,
Friday - hired touring skis and went off the back of the Gemstock. After a short bit of skinning we skied the rather unimaginatively named Unteralp Valley - superb.
So all was well that ended well really. Interestingly I have always wanted to try Andermatt so I had the chance although not in the way I expected.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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richjp, do you know if your guides got the minibus in Engelberg or did it have to come from Lucerne?
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Arno, I know the guides had to collect the minibus from somewhere down the valley on the first morning although I don't think they had to go all the way to Lucerne. They were back outside our hotel at about 8.00 a.m. as promised!
If you really need to know I can try emailing the SCGB leader who was on the trip as he is still out there.
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richjp, don't worry (unless you really want to...). if my group decides that is what we want to do, I'm sure the Engelberg tourist office can advise
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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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How long is the drive from Engelberg to Andermatt?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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rich,
Did they bus you due to instability of the new snow on top of the hard ice??? JT and I bumped into the SCGB rep coming out of a restaurant, who said he would say hello to you from us.
Cheers,
Greg
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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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Greg,
They bussed us over because they thought the conditions in Andermatt would be far better and they were right. They were prepared to carry on around Jochpass if we wanted, but they said we would only be repeating the same routes we had already been doing for the past three days and the conditions were not going to improve much. They also know Andermatt as well as they know Engelberg.
One of our three groups did stay behind in Engelberg on the last day (Friday) however and they were at least able to ski the Steinberg, down the front of the Titlis glacier after a little fresh snow.
As I said earlier I have wanted to try Andermatt for some time so rather than looking at the cost of the mini bus and extra lift pass as making the holiday more expensive, I have decided that it has actually saved me a grand because I don't now need a separate holiday to Andermatt. Positive thinking and all that!
Yes the ski club party leader (rather than rep) did pass on your regards thank you. It looks as though I will have to wait to La Grave to catch up with JT.
Regards
Richard
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richjp,
They don't know Andermatt that well...ask them about the 'cliff' in the gully down to Hospental...!!! 
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You know it makes sense.
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Interesting, so as I had a car why didn't we go to Andermatt JT
Something to remember for next time!!
regards,
Greg
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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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kitenski,
I'd say 90 mins and it didn't occur to us as we were going there later anyway... also, it needs a good cover which might have been out of your timespan
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Poster: A snowHead
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only joking mate, really enjoyed the skiing in Engelberg, was great for the time we had there!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi Greg..we have other options as well so maybe we can meet up next year..?
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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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| JT wrote: |
| Hi Greg..we have other options as well so maybe we can meet up next year..? |
Hopefully
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Just back from Engelberg with a bit of Andermatt thrown in.
Engelberg wasn't great but nothing like as bad as I thought it would be. Managed to find some fresh tracks even! Quite a lot of work involved in that though.
We did the Steinberg which was OK except for a rather dicey traverse on bullet-proof hardpack. Once you were past that, it was quite nice. Lots off Jochstock. Mostly well tracked but it's fun skiing all the same. Did a 45min boot up to a col (with a rude looking rock formation) from which we had a very nice ski down. A few freshies on the way.
Final day we went over to Andermatt (I reckon you can do it in just over an hour BTW). Wouldn't say the snow is a whole lot better there but the skiing looks awesome. After a quick run down the piste we went off the back of teh Gemstock, traversed right, booted up for 10mins or so and were rewarded with a huge run all the way down to the summer road up to the St Gottard pass. Mostly chalky snow which was very nice and carveable. I did find one bit of breakable crust  Will definitely be back to Andermatt (and not just to gawp at the Birdos Puder Luders www.birdos.ch ) on display around the town.
All in all, a good trip. Not powder farming but plenty of good mountain skiing available
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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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Arno,
Sounds good to me... I've only looked at the col and wondered how long it would take. That valley was the safest when I was there but we jumped in under the lift more than a few times. Glacier doesn't sound too great and I imagine the ways out are a bit of a scrape...mind you not as bad as the run top right into Hospental... You must have ended up in the next valley.
They say Winterhorn is good for drop offs but we went there in a white-out and it is a desolate place in that vis....
Andermatt in good snow or enough to hide the rocks is a mighty fine place... Loads there to do so a visit next year is a defo'
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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did you take a guide Arno, or self discover?
I'm up for a visit next year to Engelberg/Andermatt!
Cheers,
Greg
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kitenski, self-discovery. by the time we got there, most skiable things had been skied to close to hard-pack so avalanches weren't really an issue. in Engelberg, most stuff except the Galtiburg is right in front of you so route-finding isn't too hard
Andermatt was similar really. we were a pretty experienced group and there was good visibility so it was a case of exploring and seeing where we ended up
JT, we skied down the road and ended up in Hospental. there was a bit of combat skiing down to the road! you could see tracks coming down which must have been accessed from the Winterhorn lifts. did look very tempting in good conditions
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We spent yesterday exploring the front side of Gemstock- a good variety of conditions to be found by aspect and elevation so pretty good fun. We had a look out the back and it looked pretty nice but I wasn't sure where we'd come out. The skiers left frontside descent to the main road at ?Realp? also looked reasonable.
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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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It sounds like we have a Engelberg/Andermatt party for next year then...
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