For a long time, Andermatt was a dreary military town with a couple of clanky old lifts and sleepy streets. Serious skiers and snowboarders always knew there was much more to the little Swiss village at the foot of Gemstock, a north-facing beast, but the crowds were nowhere to be seen. The ones who jumped off the train in favor of more well-known destinations knew about Andermatt’s allure: the extraordinary off-piste terrain and lots of untracked powder.
In more recent times, Andermatt has become one of the most talked about ski destinations in the Alps. After extensive infrastructure investments, several new lifts, and a merging with nearby ski resorts Sedrun and Disentis, the ski area is now considered the biggest in central Switzerland. Andermatt now has a vivid pulse and an international crowd, all packaged together in a cozy, genuine village. There are many more restaurants and hotels than in the past, but for the most part, the new has blended well with the old.
In the middle of Switzerland and easily reached from all directions, Andermatt is located 4,738 feet (1,444 metres) above sea level. With an annual snowfall of about 12 feet, skiing up to 9,715 feet (2,961 metres), and a ski season that usually goes from November to May, Andermatt offers a lot of ski days and a better experience than many of its competitors in the Alps.
Significant investments and upgrades have brought more tourists to the valley. Still, very few people are in the Andermatt backcountry – especially compared to busy places like Chamonix and Verbier. Some might say Andermatt has changed too much while the rest of us continue to enjoy the real drag in the valley, the mighty Gemstock, which, plain and simple, is one of the best ski mountains in the Alps.
Andermatt has endless off-piste opportunities, and it’s not easy to know where to go, especially if you are visiting for the first time. INTERSTELLAR’s guide to Andermatt’s best off-piste routes is created with help by our friends Leoni Zopp and Janick Staub – a local power couple born and raised in Andermatt.
We always recommend you hire a local mountain guide (check in with Andermatt Guides first, www.andermatt-guides.ch); they will make your experience safer and more productive.
Täler Fahren
Below the Grossboden lift, from the lift down to the road up towards Oberalp Pass, Täler Fahren is a great off-piste area with wide slopes without cliffs or other complex features. It’s not gentle enough for many to enjoy but steep enough to get the flow going. If there’s a lot of wind (not uncommon in Andermatt), the small gullies often get filled with snow, making Täler Fahren a great choice right after a storm. Continue down to the Oberalp Pass Road, follow the road and the railroad (parallel with the road), and back to the gondola station at the bottom for another lap. The vertical drop of this run is about 1,000 feet, so jo-jo this zone in case Gemstock is closed or in the clouds.
Felsental
From the top of the Gemstock tram, follow the Sonnenpiste on the mountain's south side. After a few hundred vertical meters, when you are as far skiers left as possible in the ski area, continue outside the marked slope and into the off-piste terrain. Now, you are at the start of a giant playground with thousands of ski lines, including cliffs of various sizes, steep pitches, and chutes. You can ski in the Felsental zone for days without taking the same line twice! First, it’s wide open and nothing to worry about, but make sure you are on top of it after a while, as there are giant cliffs to the skier’s right side. Most often, there are so many tracks in Felsental that a natural route tunnels everyone into the correct lines. Watch out for signs that restrict access due to wild animals. There are a lot of ibexes (a type of mountain goat) in the lower part of Gemstock, so for that reason, a bit of area is restricted. Significant fines are issued if you don’t follow the regulations, so beware.
As you get lower in Felsental, you can decide whether to ski to Hospental or back to Andermatt. If you choose to ski to Hospental, we recommend visiting the classic Hotel St. Gotthard, which is located in a historical building from 1723. Enjoy a late lunch, a cake or a cold beer while you wait for the bus back to Andermatt. The Felsental run drops about 3,609 feet, no matter what exit you pick.
Guspis and Glockentürmli
Guspis continues into the valley and ends by the big ventilation shaft where the historical Gotthard Pass Road comes down from the pass with the same name.
From there, you ski on the road into the village of Hospital and in the end, you probably must walk the last bit to the bus station.
Gitziälpetli to Unteralp
Giraffe Classic, Giraffe Couloir and the Swedish Traverse
As the locals in Andermatt call it, the Swedish Traverse is a variant of the Giraffe, which starts at the same place but avoids the last part down to Unteralp. You still get a fabulous and long run, but the benefit is that you shave off a lot of time as you can ski back to the Lutersee T-bar, one of the oldest lifts on Gemstock. Take a break at Gadäbar, an old stable turned cozy on-slope restaurant. They serve delicious cakes, coffee, and beer. Perfect on a sunny day and especially in the spring!
