Andermatt
Andermatt Ski Resort Rating
Total Ratings = 11
Ratings sum = 33
3
Andermatt Ski Resort Statistics
Andermatt Ski Resort
Andermatt, until recently a ski resort in decline, is back with a bang. Its Gemsstock mountain has always appealed to freeriders and off-piste skiers, but its new hotels and its shared SkiArena with lift-linked Sedrun means it can now compete again as a mainstream winter sports resort.
In the Ursern Valley, at the crossroads of Switzerland’s North-South and East-West Alpine passes, Andermatt was once one of the traffic hubs of Europe. The opening of St Gotthard railway tunnel in 1882 and the road tunnel completion nearly a century later, however literally undermined Andermatt’s economy, turning a once thriving area into a dead end.
Its lifeline was the Swiss army. From 1885 to the early 21st century, Andermatt was a garrison town and this military occupation choked-off its development as a ski resort. Andermatt had a snowy mountain, high ski lifts reaching to nearly 3,000m and narrow streets lined with traditional chalets but it also had barracks full of soldiers and a heavy-arms firing range.
Then the military left and into the void stepped an Egyptian-born destination developer, named Samih Sawiris and his Orascom company. He spent billions reinventing Andermatt as an upmarket year-round mountain resort. The town was transformed with new luxury hotels, apartments and chalets. New ski lifts linked Andermatt to the high plateau at Oberalp and then onto Dieni, a small lift station near Sedrun, creating the Andermatt-Sedrun SkiArena with over 120kms of pistes, making it a respectable mid-sized area for piste skiers.
For freeride enthusiasts, however, the jewel in its crown of Andermatt’s skiing remains unchanged: it’s still the naturally snowy, north-facing, 2,961m high Gemsstock mountain on the other side of town, which is the home of the famous Bernhard Russi black run and legendary off-piste routes such as Giraffe and Geissberg.
Andermatt has a wide range of accommodation options including the quirky Sonne Hotel and The Old Couching Inn, as well as modern-day super luxurious Chedi Andermatt hotel. The après-ski is relatively tame but it’s a nice place to wander around in the evenings with plenty of restaurants.
With its central location, Andermatt is easy to reach, and quick transfers from Zurich airport make it a popular weekend destination. For those who stay longer, days trips to Engelberg, another mecca for off-piste skiers, are possible but there is no lift-pass sharing arrangement.
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Discounted Ski & Snowboard Rental in Andermatt and Sedrun:
ALPINRESORTS work with several shops in and around both resorts and can get you discounts of up to 50% if you book online in advance.
SKISET is also present and will give similar discounts if you book online in advance.
Andermatt Ski Area
Andermatt’s local ski area is on the North-facing Gemstock and South-West facing Natschen mountains, which straddle the resort. But the SkiArena extends beyond Natschen all the way to Sedrun via Gutsch, Schneehuenerstock, Val Val, Cuolm Val and Milez.
Skiing on Gemsstock
Despite all the investment into the lift system linking Andermatt with Sedrun, it is still the high-altitude, snowsure, steep, North-facing Gemmsstock mountain that is the main attraction for freeriders, off-piste skiers, black-run lovers and strong intermediate skiers who fancy a challenge. A two-stage cable car ascends 1500 metres from Andermatt via Gurschen to reach the summit at 2,961m.
Beneath the cable car on skiers' right is a north-facing bowl of long, steep slopes with good snow covering, made up of off-piste routes, a ski route and a black run piste (# 71 / B-Russi) named after a local ski hero. But Gemmsstock is not a pure experts-only mountain: there is intermediate skiing here as well. Outside the bowl, on skiers' left heading down Felsental or Guspis then swinging back towards Gurshen, they’ll find a nice, open red run named Sonnenpiste ( 70). At Gurshen it splinters into 5 different mini-red runs which all continue down to the bottom of the Gurshenalp chair - two of these reds (73 and 73a) used to be blues and are not very steep. But whilst intermediates are catered for, Gemsstock has even more to offer advanced skiers. As well as the top main bowl already mentioned there are off piste routes close to and beyond the red Sonnenpiste and more black runs leading down from the Geissgrat drag and from Gurschen down to the village.
Skiing on Natschen-Gutsch
Although not as challenging as Gemsstock, this sunny, South-West facing mountain offers a variety of terrain, with plenty of blue and red runs but also a few black runs and off-piste routes as well. Generally, the higher you go, the steeper it gets, but there is always a blue run alternative, so even quite weak skiers can return all the way from the 2344m high-point, known as Gütsch, to the village. The bottom half is ideal for beginners: a long, gentle blue run zigzags down the mountain face back to Andermatt village.
Sedrun-Oberalp
This interesting ski resort is family friendly and especially suited to intermediate skiers, although there are blue runs for novices and an excellent snowpark for complete beginners. Weaker skiers who want a change of scenery can reach it by train. Intermediates and above who can handle a red run can reach it on skis or snowboards - the toughest part is near the new Oberalp-Schneehuenerstock lift, but it's a two-way lift, so they can descend on the lift if they don't fancy the steep slope. beside the new and above can reach it on skis. For most intermeidates, the highlight will be the top of Cuolm Val where there are a host of long red runs descending towards Milez, Mulinatsch and Dieni, which are just outside Sedrun; or you can turn the other way and take iether a red run or an ungroomed ski-route towards Val Val valley.
Snowpark Valtgeva is right beside the town of Sedrun, this learning hill has two T-bar lifts and a carpet ride for novices. This gentle terrain allows complete beginners to get the basics done without having to brave going right up the mountain on the chairlift for the first time.
Andermatt Ski Lifts & Lift Passes
The Andermatt-Sedrun SkiArena project as well as the improvements to other lifts in the Andermatt area will improve things beyond recognition, transforming the ski access experience from a slow and dated one to a system that the 21st century can be proud of.
Andermatt Ski Lifts
The cablecars on Gemsstock are starting to show their age. At weekends there can be queues.
A huge investment has gone into building new lifts for the Natschen-Oberalp-Sedrun side of the SkiArena. There are still some old drag lifts around Cuolm Val, but barnd new chair lifts and gondolas predominate. And of course there is always the train linking Andermatt with Sedrun which runs with the cliched efficiency of Swiss trains.
Andermatt Lift Passes
The lift pass at SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun is currently very reasonable and covers Sedrun, Nätschen, Oberalp, Valtgeva, Gemsstock and Realp, all of which can be bought separately in the areas.
Beginner Skiing in Andermatt
Andermatt isn’t known as a beginners resort. But there are now nursery slopes and a special Matti Kids Arena at Natschen, with long easy blue runs to progress onto both here, and higher up the mountain at Gutsch, and another beginners' area at Sedrun, which can be reached by train.
Beginner skiing in Andermatt
Andermatt used to be the very opposite of a beginners' resort but no longer. All the basics are here now: sunny nursery slopes at Natschen at 1842m, and plenty of blue runs to progress onto on this mountain, including a long one all the way from the summit at Gutsch into town, although the very lowest part might be slushy, or icy, or even closed (the inevitable downside of skiing in a sunny area).
The option of sometimes travelling to Sedrun by train and using the beginners' facilities there (see below) can also make sense for novices in mixed ability groups who want to meet their freinds for lunch. Just be aware that skiing over to Sedrun is not possible for beginners.
The other negative is price. Resort level nursery slopes tend to be free whilst there is a charge for getting up to Natschen or going over to Sedrun and using the lifts there. On the plus side, the views are much nicer from mid-mountain.
Beginner skiing nearby at Sedrun
Beginners wanting to explore more terrain within their skill level can take the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn narrow gauge railway through the Oberalp pass to Sedrun. At Sedrun you will see more beginner friendly slopes and learning terrain, with a natural progression from magic carpet slope for learning the basics, into gentle blues and even cruisy reds if you get that far.
Ski Schools & Ski Lessons in Andermatt
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Intermediate Skiing in Andermatt
Andermatt’s shared 'SkiArena' with Sedrun has lots of wide open red runs and fast-pace blues, as well as a few blacks for better intermediates. There is also good red run skiing on Gemsstock - contrary to rumours, it is not an experts-only zone.
Intermediate skiing on Gemstock
Most intermediates are intimidated by Gemsstock mountain with its looming blacks and extreme off-piste routes but with a piste map all that can be avoided and there are very enjoyable runs to be skied. The Sonnenpiste (#70) is a wide, rarely over-crowded red run from the summit of Gemsstock all the way back to the middle station, Gurschen, where it splinters into five different alternative short red runs down to the bottom of the Gurshenalp chair. 73a and 73 are the gentlest of these - they used to be blue.There is also a relatively easy but quite long black from Geissgrat, albeit served by a difficult drag.
Intermediate skiing on Natschen-Gutsch
The bottom section of Natschen is aimed at beginners but higher up at Gutsch there are a couple of interesting reds and even a black run which should be within the ability range of most intermediates.
Intermediate skiing on the SkiArena from Gutsch to Dieni/Sedrun via Cuolm Val
The new Oberalppass-Schneehüenerstock gondola built for the 2018/18 winter season means that intermediate skiers who can manage a red run can now ski all the way to Dieni, close to Sedrun, and return without using the train. And it is amost alll excellent intermediate terrain: lots of red runs, plus a few black alternatives. The exception is the area close to the Oberalppass-Schneehüenerstock gondola - there is currently only an old ungroomed ski route. There are plans to make this into a piste, but if in doubt take the Gondola down instead.
Cuolm Val is the destination you're heading for. It's basically a mecca for red runs and they span out in all directions, including down to Dieni near Sedrun. When you;re finished, you return, either via pistes or lifts, or on the train.
Advanced & Expert Skiing in Andermatt | Ultimate-Ski.com Andermatt's Gemsstock mountain has plenty of challenging terrain for freeriders, off-piste and black-run skiers. The SkiArena that now stretches to Sedrun also has ungroomed trails and black pistes.
Gemstock
With a summit of 2,961m, Gemsstock Mountain has 31km of terrain to attack without including the further 6km of additional ski routes, 17km (55%) of that is deemed difficult. The glacier piste is quite often ungroomed, so that when a fresh dump of snow comes it creates a playground for an amazing freeride experience. The classic descents like Felsental, Guspis, Giraffe and Geissberg attract off-piste skiers and freeriders from all over, although these routes are only the ones they’ve named: experienced steep and deep lovers can find their own gullies and shoots, although hiring a guide is strongly recommended. There are on-piste challenges too: the famous Bernhard Russi black run (#71) should not be missed, and there are plenty of other black runs at mid-mountain and below.
Natschen-Gutsch
Natschen gets steeper as you go higher and from the summit at Gutsch there are a couple of black runs as well as some off-piste terrain. It's a good place for families and other mixed ability groups to enjoy skiing different runs of varying difficulty in the same ski area. It's general South West-facing orientation, however, means that fresh powder quickly turns to crud.
Oberalppass-Schneehüenerstock
Most of the Andermatt-Sedrun SkiArena main circuit that stretches from Natschen to Dieni is intermediate terrain. But there are interesting black runs and an ungroomed ski route at the top of the Oberalppass-Schneehüenerstock gondola which was built in 2018 to complete the circuit.
Engelberg
Engelberg, the other off-piste mecca in Central Switzerland is neither connected to Andermatt nor covered by its lift pass. But it is within reach. By car it's about an hour away and by train about double that. Advanced skiers should make the effort, even if it's just a one day visit. They can then contribute to the never ending debate of whether the freeriding and off-piste skiing on the Laub and Klein Titlis are better than on the Gemsstock. (The short answer is that they are both very good.)
Andermatt-Guides.ch
Want to push yourself to your limits? Take a day touring or heli-skiing with Andermatt-Guides.ch. Ski amazing untouched terrain and soak up some truly glorious views of the snow-laden mountains in the heart of the Uri Alps. A day pass includes a helicopter flight under the impressive Salbitschijjen to land at 3200m on the Sustenlimi. After landing is when the real fun starts; ski through the impressive valleys and crevasses of the Steingletchser to 1865m and reach the pick-up point. A second flight then brings you back to Sustenlimi and the long descent to Voralptal and towards the awaiting Göschenen.
Andermatt Boarding & Freestyle Andermatt's Gemstock is best for experienced boarders and freeriders and there is a fun park as well as wider cruising runs nearby at Sedrun. Currently, beginner terrain is limited but the Andermatt-Sedrun SkiArena project will improve access to easier terrain in Sedrun from 2018.
Currently there isn’t much in the way of learning terrain and gentle slopes for novice boarders to cut their teeth on. However the freeride and off-piste terrain at the top of the cable car on Gemsstock Mountain is a snowy playground for confident boarders. The bowls and valleys layout of Gemsstock means there is little need for traversing, as well as the continued steep gradient even through the bottom half of the mountain, meaning snowboarders don’t have to worry about getting caught out on the flats.
Andermatt Mountain Restaurants Andermatt’s on-mountain dining remains a weakness and a shortage of mountain restaurants mean the ones that are available are often overly busy with long queues.
Those seeking opportunities to enjoy authentic local cuisine on a sun terrace slope-side with spectacular Swiss Alpine views will find Andermatt currently falls short of the high gastronomic standards found in better known Swiss resorts, the ones that are available are often overly busy with long queues.Time will tell whether Andermatt’s new image, village and ski arena will lead to better on-mountain dining.
Gurschen Hut/Bergrestaurant Gurschenalp
Centrally located at the mid-station of Gemsstock Mountain this bar/restaurant is accessible for skiers and non-skiers, with a table-service section serving tasty cuisine and Swiss specialities, although is known to be over-crowded.
Tel: +41 (0) 41 887 14 45
Bergrestaurant Nätschen
Andermatt Village Andermatt is the largest village of three in the impressive Ursern valley at the foot of Gotthard Pass. This old world village with narrow streets lined with traditional chalets and cobbled paving has a certain charm and history behind it. The SkiArena development project is transforming the village and ski area, but the original village centre is still in tact.
Andermatt Bars & Restaurants Andermatt hasn’t got the same appeal as many of its rival resorts in Switzerland in terms of après-ski or nightlife and for a small resort the cuisine available is quite expansive and varied. The completion of the whole new village project though is fast changing things.
Andermatt Bars
Andermatt Restaurants
Andermatt is host to about 20 restaurants, serving cuisine with strong Swiss and Italian roots as you would expect. With this many restaurants in a small village like Andermatt, the standard of food and service is important and fortunately many have sterling reputations for excellent dining and friendly service. In recent years the bar has been raised with the arrival of Chedi hotel and resort has brought a new element to the table. The seven restaurants and chic cafes in Chedi hotel serve everything from Japanese delicacies to classic Swiss specialities.
Restaurants in The Chedi Andermatt
Riverhouse Restaurant
Restaurant Pizzeria Chuchichäschtli
La Curva
Baren
Gasthaus zum Sternen
3 Koenige & Post
Bar Di Alt Apothek
Andermatt Other Activities Other than skiing and snowboarding, there are plenty of other activities available in and around Andermatt. Whether you enjoy action-packed, adrenaline-fuelled activities or relaxing and romantic rides on a horse sleigh, you will find them here.
Cross-country skiing in Andermatt
The Andermatt holiday region has ideal conditions for cross-country skiers, hence the 28 kilometres of trails in Ursern Valley. The cross-country ski pass (day and weekly) even includes travel on the trains from Andermatt to Realp, meaning skiers can use all the stops without the hassle of buying a new ticket every time. There is also a night trail in Realp available every Tuesday and Thursday from 6pm-9pm. Tel: +41 (0) 41 888 71 00; Email: [email protected]
Snowshoeing in Andermatt
In the Andermatt region there are approximately ten well signposted snowshoe trails, graded on difficulty like ski runs (blue-black). However although these trails are signposted, they are NOT patrolled or protected, therefore precautionary measures are strongly recommended; appropriate safety equipment and clued up knowledge on snow conditions judging on the daily avalanche bulletins. One nearby trail is the Andermatt-Mettlen-Mariahilf Chapel, this Blue 3km long trail takes you up the Unteralp Valley towards Mettlen. Enjoy glorious views throughout the trip and at the highest point, a view of the Gurschenbach icefall. Tel:+41 (0) 41 888 71 00 Email: [email protected]
Tobogganing in Andermatt / Gotthard
In the Gotthard region there are three tobogganing options. The nearest to Andermatt is on Oberalp Pass road in Natschen, this very child friendly route has a gentle gradient and yes don’t worry the road is closed for traffic in winter. Another is the 3.5km long run from Milez to Rueras on the other side of Oberalp Pass. And finally on the Furka Pass, on a winter hike trail to get to Tiefenbach, then from there toboggan all the way down to Realp. Passes and hire are available at lift stations or sports shops. Tel: +41 (0 )41 887 14 45 Email. [email protected]