[Removed user]

17 February 2019 at 23:13:00 #819975

There are sooooo many options and I’m short on time for a side backcountry ski tour so I’d love a recommendation on 1-2 good spots and and a good travel recommendation to match. Here’s what I’m trying to balance.

1. Best travel / shortest time – where should I leave from and go to? I have a rental car in Heidelberg or I could return it to Frankfurt and depart from there. Car seems like the most flexible affordable and fastest but I’m open to other options if they would save time and not cost much more.

2. Destination – I’m not fancy and prefer rustic over luxury by far. But I do need somewhere established enough to have rental skis, skins and poles. I’d prefer my accommodations to be in the backcountry but if only day tours are available then I can stay in town/resort.

3. Guide/Tour – I’m not a novice but I don’t want to go solo. So I need a location that either has space on a group tour this week (hut to hut would be great) or has a way for people to connect up and travel together. I’m an endurance athlete and love physical challenges, but just don’t have a network of ski buddies like I do back home.

4. Time – I could travel down after 10-11pm on Feb 18th or the morning of the 19th, and have to be at Frankfurt airport on the 22nd by around 5:00 pm for a 7:30pm flight.

sorry, I know that’s a lot and very short notice. Can you help with suggestions by today?

Thanks!!!!

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[Snowman]

18 February 2019 at 13:16:31 #904464

Hi Tim, and welcome to MySwissAlps,

You obviously don’t know the Swiss mentality. For us, starting to prepare a ski tour just one day in advance is not conceiveable!

Well, here we are. At least you can expect good weather.

I suggest Andermatt as a destination. I have done ski tours with a local guide group in my days. They would go with groups of people who don’t know each other beforehand. There are nice touring destinations such as the Rotondo hut in the Wittenwasseren Valley, or the Sidelen Hut in the Urseren Valley, near the Furka Pass. Call them, ask what they have on program, and if you come to an agreement they will book the huts and help you rent your gear. Start here, Start with Montanara. One of their guides, Wisi Infanger, is the one who led the tours I have done.

Andermatt is on the way to being converted into a luxury mountain resort, with the funds of an Egyptian investor (oh yes), but right now, save one or two luxury hotels, it is still your old Swiss village. If not rustic enough, you can go to the next village, Hospental.

The local drink there is Kafi Fertig, the real one is done with Nescafé, served with local brandy (in the same glass), and a spoon to stir the sugar. Keep the spoon in the glass while you drink. With time, the spoons will leave a mark on your cheek. Once you have achieved that, you will be regarded as a real Urner (that is a distant offspring of William Tell!).

Enjoy your stay!

[Removed user]

18 February 2019 at 16:22:42 #904465

Hi Tim C

I can’t give as personal input about your questions as Snowman but I can offer you a few other possibilities to look into, whereas they might not be skiing “tours”, but rather skiing destinations worth visiting for one, two days, as I understand that’s all you have available.

Maybe there are also possibilities within Germany, I’m not sure of that but it would spare you travelling time.

In Switzerland you can look at the area of Mount Rigi for skiing: http://www.myswissalps.com/ri gi

Or consider Hoch Ybrig as a destination: http://www.myswitzerland.com/ en-ch/hoch-ybrig.html

I suggest these destinations regarding the time you have available. They are not the largest skiing areas in Switzerland, but reasonable to reach and beautiful enough to spend two or three days.

For arrival into Switzerland as well as travel times use this think:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

Happy planning and above all, happy skiing.

Best,
Steph