 Poster: A snowHead
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Anyone having some experiences and (offpiste) tips when it comes to Andermatt?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Been a couple of times. It's a great place for off piste if you get the conditions. Might be an idea to get someone to show you around. Great little town too.
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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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Agree entirely with jbob, spent two excellent off piste days in Andermatt. Lots of terrain off the back (and round the back) of the top gondola.
Second day blighted slightly by poor visability - it can get pretty bleak up there with not a lot to break up the light.
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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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The main bowl has obvious off piste but it skis out extremely quickly.
Otherwise the most easily accessed off piste (without going over the back) which you could start with: you go skiers' left, following the path, and when the path, and then pistes swing to the right just keep on traversing all the way till you are finally off piste and keep on going. Eventually you will need to swing right to arrive back round to the front (long traverse at the bottom of the mountain to the lift station)
Off the back of the mountain you can traverse to skiers right, arriving as close as possible to the ridge ahead. Climb that (1/4 hour) and there is another valley to ski down - mostly rather flat after the first bit. Eventually you arrive at a stream (keep far left to cross) and walk up a little to a summer road which you must pole, ski and skate down for 2 or 3km to Hospental (nice village with Baroque church) - about 2km from Andermatt. Regular taxis back - or you could pole and walk.
Or in the opposite direction - ask someone to show you The Giraffe. It is accessed by traversing along below the ridge (on the front) till you are on the ridge and go right a bit - but you need to be shown where the couloir starts. A long, steepish couloir, then an open, flatter bit, then another long couloir (so obvious why it got its name). At the bottom in the valley you have to get across a stream and then pay for the descent by following a path a couple of miles along the stream - arriving at the other end of Andermatt.
There are normal Swiss 1:25,000 maps but also a good Freeride map which shows easy, moderate and expert off piste areas and forbidden areas (It doesn't show actual routes). I can't seem to locate mine but someone will be along to tell you its name/number.
Lovely old town with a good Baroque church worth visiting and museum in old house.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Tue 18-09-12 20:18; edited 16 times in total
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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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Yes, the Swiss army used to train there and the developement is where the big Army barracks are (or were).
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Yes, like many smaller/medium Swiss resorts they have milked the assets over the years and it was in need of a cash injection. Up pops an Egyptian (I think) with a pile of dosh and has built some new stuff, right in front of my friends apartment. Its still a very nice town, in fact a perfect little Swiss resort.
It was here I first came across a Stammtisch, its a reserved table in a bar where only regulars may sit.
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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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snowball, I haven't seen those before, any good?
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Yes, quite good - click on the map in the website and you get an ideas. A bit small, but you could (as I did) get an ordinary 1:25,000 as well (well, actually 2 of them - No. 1231, plus, if you want the area with the Giraffe which is off the edge, 1232.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Tue 18-09-12 17:16; edited 2 times in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| jbob wrote: |
| snowball, I haven't seen those before, any good? |
I've got a couple. They are OK, but not brilliant. The colouring gives you a rough idea of the nature of the slopes, but it makes the actual map harder to read (they are basically SwissTopo maps with extra colouring on top). I prefer the SwissTopos with ski routes marked (but annoyingly those are only 1:50k), the freeride maps don't show actual routes. I don't think I'll buy any more, I'd rather get a normal 1:25K and mark routes on it.
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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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Thanks a lot for useful tips. Looking really forward to explore the mountains. I will have a guide coming in from Chamonix and will for sure the suggested routes. Btw, in case of low visibility, is it worth going to Disentis? Or will the light usually be just as bad over there?
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I was there in Jan 2012 for a couple of days. Conditions were bad to go over the back - too much fresh snow ... A Sweede had been swept into a gully and drowned the first day we were there. I had looked over the edge near where he died ( off the path that runs down the right hand valley from the cable car top, just before where it runs back round to the lift valley), and decided it was an massive risk - there were slides all over the mountain on the same aspect / altitude.
I hope my instincts remain good and get better.
Take care in the mountains. Have fun.
I will be going back some time - the place is perfect, but the new development is massive - I hope they make loads of cash in the summer from golfers, and we can ignore the golf course and enjoy the new lifts in the winter.
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You know it makes sense.
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Woosh, If you haven't already booked you might want to look at Disentus/Sedrun.
Much quieter, same snow...
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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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I didn't ski at Disentis. Is the off piste as good? (that is the main pointy of Andermatt, after all. Most people who ski Andermatt ski off piste).
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