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Engelberg

Little known and under-rated even by its home-nation, this quiet resort has huge skiing among striking mountains and one of the world’s biggest vertical drops from the top of the lift system to town, of 2000 metres.
 

Our Rating:

Advanced ***
Intermediate ****
Beginner ***
Arriving among the impressive Belle Epoque hotels of this sleepy town you can still see why Engelberg’s founding father, a wandering monk, stopped in his tracks, had a vision and set up a monastery. It’s not just the dramatic Hahnen peak spreading wing-like snowfields to the south, but a huge sweep of crags that almost surrounds the town. Beneath the highest summit to the west is the Titlis glacier, a vast north facing deep freeze so well stocked with powder that Engelberg is fast becoming the ski-bum’s resort of choice for consistent and easy to find deep-snow thrills. The chief drawback of Engelberg – that the town is resolutely not built for skiing, with a two-minute shuttle bus ride or fifteen minute schlep on foot to the main lift station – is a small price that accomplished skiers seem happy to pay and even the series of long rides to reach the very top pale into insignificance when the size and quality of the descents is taken into consideration. For others these are significant issues, particularly for advanced intermediates who’ll rapidly eat up the pistes but won’t be able to take advantage of the terrain on the far side of the fence. Despite these shortcomings, it’s a puzzle that Engelberg isn’t better known: within an hour of Lucerne and its densely populated surroundings, and with good connections from further afield, this is one of the easiest-to-reach ski areas in Switzerland and it comes with more than 80 km of piste and a good snow record. The tentative plan to form a lift link with the Meiringen ski region to the west would put Engelberg in the major league though its growing profile in recent years suggests it will be making an international impact even without the expansion.

Engelberg at a glance
 

On the mountain

Ski area

Engelberg’s skiing takes place on both sides of the valley, served by two separate lift systems. more...

 

Lift system

The lifts run from 8.30 a.m. to 4.50 p.m. With a big vertical difference between town and the highest lift station, it’s a lengthy process (even without any queues) to reach the top, via a minimum of four big lifts. more...

 

Ski schools & guiding

Learning to ski or board in Engelberg is not the obvious thing to do – most visitors come for the advanced skiing, needing the services of a guide (to take them on glacial terrain) rather than a ski instructor. more...

 

Advanced

Judged by the official piste statistics, Engelberg has little to interest strong skiers, with just one black run in the Titlis area - a steep mogul field - which is also the only pisted route down from the upper area. more...

 

Intermediate

Fifty-five kilometers of red runs – around 60 % of the pisted terrain – are available for intermediates. more...

 

Beginner

Both Gerschnialp and Untertrübsee have ideal flat terrain for beginners, easily reached from the base station and with a blue run back home to finish. more...

 

Boarding & freestyle

Both Brunni and the Titlis areas are equally boarder-friendly in terms of terrain: outstanding off piste with few big traverses and generally few flats on the upper slopes either on or off piste. more...

 

Off-piste

The real interest for advanced skiers lies off piste, with routes to be found from the high points on both sides of the valley. more...

 

Mountain restaurants

There are 14-mountain restaurant throughout the area. more...

 

Ski Map

open Ski map

Off the mountain

Village

Just big enough to feel like a town, Engelberg is a quiet mixture of wooden chalets sitting among large Edwardian buildings. more...

 

Accommodation

Most of Engelberg’s 4,300 guest beds are in 24 hotels. more...

 

Après-ski

With the monks up the road and a small number of visitors during the week, Engelberg is no party town, though there are exceptions to the rule. more...

 

Restaurants & bars

A good choice of restaurants cover all bases, with Italian, Chinese, Thai and Mexican menus as well as traditional Swiss menus and including half a dozen restaurants offering à la carte more...

 

Other information

There’s a very good range of activities which, combined with Engelberg’s spectacular setting, make it a good place for a non-skier. more...

 

Getting there

Engelberg is bang in the centre of Switzerland. more...

 

 

Navigation

Quick facts

Resort shortcuts

Engelberg facts

Ski Area

Base3,445 ft
1,050 m
Summit9,934 ft
3,028 m
Elevation6,489 ft
1,978 m

 

Trails/runs

Number of trails22
Advanced10 %
Intermediate60 %
Beginner30 %

 

Lifts

Chairs25

 

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