Andermatt, Switzerland

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.

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 Jansci 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

Vertical drop - 1,000 feet

On Andermatt’s sunny side, the Näschen ski area used to be a tiny ski area attracting beginners and kids. During the last five to ten years, this part of Andermatt has got a massive face-lift with a handful of new lifts, new on-slope restaurants, and many new slopes. Previously, you could only ski on the lower part of Näschen, but nowadays, it’s connected to Sedrun via Oberalp Pass.

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 cullies 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

Vertical drop - 3,609 feet

Felsental is Andermatt’s most popular off-piste run – or, more correctly, Felsental is an off-piste area with numerous variants.

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

Vertical drop - 5,250 feet

From the top of Gemstock, ski down about 650 vertical meters on the backside before you boot pack or ski tour up to the pass Gafallenlücke. From there, descend into the Guspis Valley, a big U-shaped valley with many options, beautiful vistas and great skiing. After a little bit, you come by Glockentürmli, another fun option if you want to extend your day. The hike to this run takes about 45 minutes (just under 1,000 feet uphill). The skiing here is flowy and offers steeper terrain than the classic Guspis run. The exit is by the windmills close to the pass road.
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

Vertical drop - 5,577 feet

Start at the top of Gemstock and ski down the backside – same as for Guspis – where you put skins on and walk up towards Rothorn for half an hour. From Rothorn, you drop in on the southeast face into the Gitziälpetli valley, a beautiful and not-so-often skied run. At the end of the valley, you hit another valley where you join the classic run Unteralp. From there, you soon pass the famous Vermigelhütte, a Swiss Alpine Club hut, before you continue out and around Gemstock. Be prepared to skate and push out of the 10-kilometre-long valley partly. The skiing up high and the pristine feel is well worth the effort. You end up at Wiler, the upper part of Andermatt, where you walk on the road to Spycher for pizza and beers.

Giraffe Classic, Giraffe Couloir and the Swedish Traverse

Vertical drop: 4,921 feet down to the valley, 2,297 feet if you do the Swedish Traverse.

If you are a strong skier or snowboarder and feel comfortable in exposed terrain, the Giraff Couloir on Gemstock’s east side is a legitimate gem in the Uri mountains. You ski down on the north side from the top of the tram before cutting out east and traversing to the entrance. The classic Giraffis is pretty wide at the top, but it is steep, and you need to be a good skier and feel comfortable in exposed to enjoy this part. After about 100 vertical meters, you reach a vast field where you can open up the turns and pick different lines. It’s consistently steep and keeps going to the bottom of the bowl for a while, about 400 vertical meters. Here, you can keep skiing down to Unteralp, a more advanced part of the Giraffe, and here it goes back to being a couloir. Longer, narrower, and steeper than the upper couloir. Also, it’s skied less often. At the valley bottom, you must skate and push for about seven kilometres back to Andermatt. See The Unteralp exit for more information.

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!

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