Category: Graubünden

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Andermatt Resort Expansion Approved

Swissinfo.com reports that Cantons Uri and Graubünden have approved the expansion at Andermatt proposed by an Egyptian tycoon.

The new Andermatt development site

Samih Sawiris is investing some $1 billion in the resort, with over 1000 hotel rooms, apartments and villas due to be available by the 2013/14 winter sports season.

The expanded ski area will extend to 100 kilometres of runs and connect Andermatt with Sedrun. Eighteen new ski lifts and cable cars are mooted with key new lifts including connections between:

  • Andermatt’s new Hotel Chedi to Nätschen
  • Hospental to Gemsstock
  • Göschenen to Nätschen-Gütsch

Environmetal concerns have put many other Alpine expansion plans on hold, and there has been some environmental opposition to aspects of Sawiris’s plans, but the economic benefits to the communities either side of the Oberalp Pass swayed the authorities in favour of the plans. The strong franc does not appear to have dented his enthusiasm either with reports from Andermatt Swiss Alps AG that the development is progressing ahead of schedule.

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Brigels

Family-friendly, sunny Brigels (Breil in Romansh, the local language) consistently scores well in assessments of small resorts, for instance winning the 2009 ADAC “Klein und Fein” award. The facilities are excellent, the pistes are beautifully groomed and there are plenty of long runs and off-piste areas for all standards of skier and snowboarder. For daytrippers, the best lift is at Waltensburg/Vuorz, about 45 very scenic minutes by train from Chur or about 2 hours by car or train from Zurich. Courtesy ski buses link Brigels and Waltensburg with the chairlifts from the valley stations. Lying halfway between Flims and Andermatt and not covered by the Snow’n’Rail scheme (although the ski pass is relatively inexpensive, especially for families), this is one resort where you will rarely wait to get on a lift or ever worry about crowded pistes.

Ski Area Brigels
Resorts Brigels,  Waltensburg, Andiast
Ski Region Graubünden
Piste (km) 75
Top run (m) 2418
Bottom (m) 1100
Max Drop 1318
Snow’n’Rail
Black (km) 5
Red (km) 55
Blue (km) 15
Lifts (#/hr) 6680
My Rating 4
Alpine 3
SnowPark 3
Nordic 1
Hiking 2
Family 4
Apres Ski 1
Free Ride Y
Snow making Y
Fun park Y
Snow park
Half pipes
Spa Vals (37km away)

In Brief

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Scuol

Scuol, where the official language is Romansh, lies in the valley of the Inn river, majestically set below the peaks of the Silvretta and Lower Engadin Dolomites. It has been a well-heeled spa town since the 19th Century. With it’s range of beautiful, south-facing slopes, suitable for all levels, and ample off-piste it is a resort well worth a visit, although quite a hike from any large metropolitan areas. Fortunately Scuol station is next to the gondola, which takes you to the pistes and off-piste terrain over 2000m, and from where there are runs down to Ftan, Scuol and Sent. Note that the wonderful 14km run down to Sent requires you to take a courtesy bus back to Scuol to get you back up.

Ski Area Scuol
Resorts Scuol, Ftan, Sent, Motta NaLuns
Ski Region Graubünden
Piste (km) 80
Top run (m) 2783
Bottom (m) 1250
Max Drop 1533
Snow’n’Rail Y
Black (km) 13
Red (km) 37
Blue (km) 30
Lifts (#/hr) 17000
My Rating 4
Alpine 3
SnowPark 3
Nordic 4
Hiking 5
Family 3
Apres Ski 3
Free Ride Y
Snow making Y
Fun park Y
Snow park
Half pipes
Spa Y

In Brief

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Savognin

About 2-3 hours from Zurich by car or a combination of train and bus, Savognin is a historic Romansh-speaking village, in the Surses valley on the route to the Julier Pass, south of Chur and Lenzerheide and north of the Engadin. It’s a good family-friendly base for visiting other ski areas and attractions in the area (with winter tyres and sometimes snow chains). It has some very good pistes itself, particularly for learners and intermediates, but also with a few challenging runs and off-piste areas. Unfortunately there are only surface lifts to reach all but the main runs from Piz Martegnas down to the village.

Ski Area Savognin
Resorts Savognin
Ski Region Graubünden
Piste (km) 80
Top run (m) 2713
Bottom (m) 1200
Max Drop 1513
Snow’n’Rail
Black (km) 10
Red (km) 37
Blue (km) 33
Lifts (#/hr) 13700
My Rating 4
Alpine 3
SnowPark 2
Nordic 3
Hiking 3
Family 5
Apres Ski 2
Free Ride Y
Snow making Y
Fun park Y
Snow park
Half pipes
Spa Alvaneu (15km away)

In Brief

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