Arosa

Arosa is a long-established resort lying at the end of one of the most spectacular rail lines in Europe. It is pretty in parts but very spread out and, because it attracts a large non-skiing clientele, rarely has queues or crowds.

Ski Area Arosa
Resorts Arosa
Ski Region Graubünden
Piste (km) 70
Top run (m) 2653
Bottom (m) 1739
Max Drop 914
Snow’n’Rail Y
Black (km) 5
Red (km) 20
Blue (km) 35
Lifts (#/hr) 21500
My Rating 5
Alpine 3
SnowPark 3
Nordic 3
Hiking 3
Family 5
Apres Ski 3
Free Ride Y
Snow making Y
Fun park
Snow park
Half pipes
Spa

In Brief

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Engelberg

The easiest of the great Swiss resorts to get to from Luzern by road or rail along the beautiful Engelberg valley, the “Town of Angels” seems to be overlooked by most international visitors except the Scandinavians. The town has a reasonable amount going on for party-goers, casual visitors and families whilst the main ski and snowboard area off Titlis has some fabulous slopes and impressive off-piste, including the Laub run.

News for 2010/11, is an extended range of facilities around Lake Trübsee, including a Sliding Park, snowXbike riding, improvements to the tubing park, rental of Bob or articulated sledges and a 120m long magic carpet lift.

Ski Area Engelberg
Resorts Engelberg, Brunni, Titlis, Trübsee, Jochpass
Ski Region Central Switzerland
Piste (km) 82
Top run (m) 3020
Bottom (m) 1050
Max Drop 1970
Snow’n’Rail Y
Black (km) 9
Red (km) 53
Blue (km) 25
Lifts (#/hr) 21400
My Rating 5
Alpine 3
SnowPark 3
Nordic 4
Hiking 2
Family 3
Apres Ski 3
Free Ride Y
Snow making Y
Fun park Y
Snow park Y
Half pipes
Spa

In Brief


There’s a diverting ski area with a good kid’s beginners area off the relatively new Brunni cable car just outside Engelberg and some freeriding opportunities up the valley (both on bus route 2) at Fürenalp, but the main ski area is off Titlis, with good early and late season skiing from the top station and plenty to keep most skiers and boarders occupied the rest of the time. The bottom station for Titlis has ample parking near or nearby, but it’s not free. The walk from the railway station is not arduous, but in season you can use the local bus service for free and save your feet. Incidentally, if you do take the superb train journey from Luzern, be aware that the transfers can be tight – the Engelberg train runs from the last platform and you usually need to be in one of the first carriages. Weekends can get busy in the peak season, but the pistes and lifts can be surprisingly uncrowded midweek or at the beginning and end of season when the snow is still very good.

Apart from Brunni, there are some good beginner and early intermediate slopes at the halfway station on the gondola up Titlis, although only served by T-bars. For everyone else, skip this stop and head off to Trübsee, where you have a choice of taking the Trübsee Hopper across a frozen lake to some pleasant red runs and off-piste off Jochstock, or go up Titlis either to Stand or all the way up to Klein Titlis. Unless you take the revolving gondola back down from Klein Titlis, you need to either go seriously off-piste or take a steep marked trail to get back down, although there are some good short red runs at the top. From Stand there are some lovely red runs back down to Trübsee or the off-piste run down the Laub. Be warned that Titlis is not a safe mountain for the inexperienced to go off-piste, except around Jochstock when the avalanche risk is low, and even there you should be properly kitted.

Do not be surprised on your ascent to share the cable cars and gondolas with Asian tourists. Like some other mountains in the Alps, Titlis has featured as a safe alternative to Kashmir in a number of Bollywood movies (including Lagaan), but the biggest draw is in the view from Klein Titlis where a rock outcrop has the reputed appearance of Buddha. Judge for yourself, then pose for the tourists gamboling around in the snow who will want to take a souvenir picture of you and of their memorable ascent.

The tourist literature often talks about Engelberg having one of the highest verticals in the Alps, but (unless you go off-piste) this requires you to take the steep marked trail down off Klein Titlis and then break up your run to take the Trübsee Hopper to take the valley run back down to Engelberg – not a big deal but not comparable perhaps to the genuinely long pisted runs of Zermatt or Davos. Having said that, Engelberg deserves more renown as a resort than it gets outside of Scandinavia and has something for pretty much every type of party or level of skier or snowboarder.

For non-skiers, Luzern is an hour away, but the town itself has a lot to offer, including the Benedictine monastery and various other winter activities. There is a good range of accommodation on offer, the Edelweiss being the best choice for families. You can stay overnight up at Trübsee, either in an igloo or in the Berghotel Trübsee, but party animals would probably prefer staying in town where the nightlife can be quite lively.  The Chalet at the Titlis base station and the Yucatan in the centre of Engelberg are good places to kick off the evening. For self-service lunch or a rendezvous over a beer Berghotel Trübsee is pleasant and convenient.  At the bottom of the marked trail from Klein Titlis there is a good restaurant at Skihütte Stand, and at the end of the Laub run, the excellent Ritz restaurant. The terrace bar at Jochpass is also a good place for a drink or to rendezvous on a sunny day.

The ski school is good and will act as ski guides too (+41 41 639 5454). Outventure (+41 41 611 1441) also provide guides. There’s a range of child-minding services available and ski school can be taken from age 3.

Full details on the resort can be found at the Swiss Winter Sports web site.

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Aletsch Arena

Little-known outside of Switzerland, the Aletsch Arena is a total delight with a great range of skiing, a fabulous long run from the Eggishorn, child-friendly facilities, good rail links and stunning views – including the best views over the Aletsch glacier. I’m not going to give too much away, because I really don’t want everyone else descending on this delightful, sunny range, but I come back again, and again.

Ski Area Aletsch Arena
Resorts Bettmeralp, Blatten, Breiten, Fiesch, Eggishorn, Fiescheralp, Mörel, Riederalp, Filet, Bister, Ried-Mörel
Ski Region Valais
Piste (km) 99
Top run (m) 3100
Bottom (m) 1281
Max Drop 1819
Snow’n’Rail Y
Black (km) 13
Red (km) 20
Blue (km) 15
Lifts (#/hr) 13988
My Rating 5
Alpine 5
SnowPark 4
Nordic 4
Hiking 2
Family 4
Apres Ski 2
Free Ride Y
Snow making Y
Fun park Y
Snow park Y
Half pipes Y
Spa

In Brief

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Saastal

Saas-Fee was my first ski holiday in Switzerland, so it has a special place for me – even though my chalet got broken in to during my stay! Saas-Fee is high so there is skiing almost all year-round, ecologically it is the best resort in the Alps, it is car-free, lively and very scenic. The runs are good, not as good as Zermatt, but together with Saas-Grund and Saas-Almagell this is a really worthwhile holiday destination.

Ski Area Saastal
Resorts Saas Almagell, Saas Balen, Saas Grund, Saas-Fee
Ski Region Valais
Piste (km) 100
Top run (m) 3600
Bottom (m) 1800
Max Drop 1800
Snow’n’Rail Y
Black (km) 25
Red (km) 50
Blue (km) 25
Lifts (#/hr) 30600
My Rating 5
Alpine 5
SnowPark 4
Nordic 3
Hiking 3
Family 5
Apres Ski 5
Free Ride Y
Snow making Y
Fun park Y
Snow park Y
Half pipes Y
Spa

In Brief

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