Skier & Snowboarder-Submitted Reviews for Skiarena Andermatt-Sedrun
Planning a ski trip to Skiarena Andermatt-Sedrun? Browse our collection of visitor-generated reviews that rank the mountain and ski town on a scale of one to five stars in the following categories: Overall Rating, All-Mountain Terrain, Nightlife, Terrain Park and Family Friendly. See how Skiarena Andermatt-Sedrun stacks up to others in terms of skiing and après, and read up on pros, cons and comments from fellow skiers and snowboarders. Don't forget to submit your own Skiarena Andermatt-Sedrun review! Scroll to the bottom of this page to let other travelers know about your ski area experience.
Skier & Snowboarder-Submitted Reviews for Skiarena Andermatt-Sedrun
Total (3.9)
A ski resort's overall star rating displayed here is not calculated based on a simple average but takes several factors, including the age of a review, into account.
We have been going here for 25 years and it is a hidden gem, even though Pirmin Zurbriggen rates it nr 1 in the world. The free ride area is second to non and there is a great mix of red and black slopes. The snow is often powder quality and revered as one of the best in Europe. The ski-area jointed with Sedrun makes for a full day expedition. Often sunny as well. Enjoy!
Excellent scenery between Goschenen and Andematt except for the many rock/avalanche shelters and tunnels. Fabulous to use the cog railway as access to ski stations. Nice broad open slopes. Only all natural snow field I struck in 4 weeks in 2011 - a bad snow year. Nice village with a good range of food. Have skied Europe for 20 years and is one of the few places I could easily return to despite having many fields still to ski.
Ross Bretherton
When I went to Andermatt, the upper half of the mountain was amazing, but with only one cable car servicing it, the lines were a nightmare. After a few runs off the top, we decided to explore the other lifts, but they were small and slow. Overall, if I hadn't hit crowds on the cable car, it would have been an awesome place. However, the crowds were extremely annoying.
We visited Andermatt for a day as relative beginners, largely because it was one of the few Swiss resorts still open in early April, as Easter was early this year and most Swiss resorts close down after their school holidays.
My wife and I were keen to ski on blue runs as we both lack the confidence to properly attack reds. Gemstock had just the one blue open and it was accurately described by Heidi, a local instructor, as being a 'challenging' blue.
However, we both enjoyed ourselves and the run had some nice, wide, flattish sections where it was possible for us to relax a little and practise our technique.
It's pretty high, so the snow was great and, all in all, we had a good day's skiing.
I have been visiting Andermatt on a regular basis for the last 10 years, and it is without a doubt one of my favourite resorts in Europe. With accessible back-country, unusually large snowfalls and a cosy village feel that I personally love, it's a place that just keeps me coming back!
The main mountain, Gemstock, really has two runs:
- the black "Russi Run" (named after local Olympic downhill champ, Bernhard Russi) which is the whole north face of the mountain, and aside from a small pisted run-out, basically an in-bounds off-piste bowl. This descends below the mid cable car station, so you have to get the chair up afterwards. You can get great turns in here after a snowfall, and it's well worth doing so while it's still not tracked out.
- the red "Sonnenpiste" winds round the mountain and back to the mid station. On the way, there are accessible off-piste turns possible, and this is also the way to access the "Felsental", one of the great back-country descents to the valley.
There is also the Lütersee drag lift (a bit of a mare for snowboarders...) that gives access to another red, but also some nice off-piste. You have to be careful how low you descend here, or you'll be the wrong side of a gully and have to fight through bushes to get to the valley! Btw, the Gadä bar at the bottom of this drag is a nice alternative spot for lunch.
From the mid station there are also a couple of shortish blues that run to the chair lift, an OK fun park and an Avalanche Training Centre (ATC) where you can practice searching for avalanche burial victims.
The main reason to come to Andermatt is, however, the back-country and it attracts free-riders from all over the world (especially Swedes for some reason...).
- From a little way down the Sonnenpiste a traverse will take you to the "Felsental", a roller-coaster ride that ends in the valley. There's a gully near the bottom and you have to decide which side of it to go. This will determine whether you are deposited in Hospental (the next village up the valley) where you can get the train (or sometimes bus) back, or on the road leading back to the Gemstock lift.
- Drop off the back of the Gemstock, then boot-pack up to the saddle on the right and you get into the "Guspis" valley, another awesome descent that takes you back to Hospental. The last bit is on the rather flat Gotthard pass road which can be a bit of a push if the snow is soft. If on my board I usually take collapsable poles with me just in case...
- From the top of Winterhorn (the mountain above Hospental) a short walk (30-60 mins depending on where you want to drop in) will set you up for guaranteed fresh tracks. You may want touring gear for this i.e. skins for skis or snowshoes and poles if on a board.
- If you can organise the transport, the tour from the Oberalp pass through the "Fellilücke" and down the "Fellital" is stunning both summer and winter, and a must. You will need touring gear for this. You can get the train to the Oberalp pass but need to get back from Gurtnellen at the end (this is where it helps to have a friend with a car to pick you up...). You can also get the bus/train back though (via Göschenen), just check the www.sbb.ch time table.
And this is just a small selection to whet your appetite!
Andermatt is not a resort to recommend to beginners, however. Although the south-facing slopes over on Nätschen offer some less challenging blues and reds that are more suitable for learning on, they aren't ideal as they do not run straight down the mountain, providing nice, wide pistes, but rather curve round making it more awkward for novices to practice their turns. Intermediates may find the terrain a bit limited for more than a weekend trip too.
Andermatt is not a typical package tour destination. However, because of its location it tends to attract weekend visitors from Luzern and surrounding areas. This means that it is usually much busier at weekends than during the week. If you can be there during the week you will be guaranteed uncrowded pistes and after a snowfall, fresh untracked all day! :-)
OK, so Andermatt is not a party resort like Ischgl or St. Anton, but then not everyone likes thumping German "Schlager" music! The Spycher is the place most people meet up after a day on the mountain. They also do great pizza there! You can enjoy a beer in the sun outside the Aurora (opposite the Gemstock lift) or on the terrace of the 3 Könige hotel. If you fancy a hand-picked herbal tea and home-made cake, visit Kevin and Sarah at the Alte Apotheke. The restaurant at the Schweizerhof does great steaks and meat fondue and zum Sternen and the Ochsen do a good cheese fondue.
In the evening, the Spycher is still popular until around 11pm, then we usually head to the Pinte (downstairs at the Picadilly) where there is an open fire and often live music on Saturdays. If you really want a late night or Pinte is closed (Thursdays I think), the Gotthard bar is open late. So you can party in Andermatt if you want to!
Well, it's snowing now and I'm off to Andermatt for the weekend :-)
Respect the mountains and enjoy your turns!
P.
Andermatt is a great mountain if you like off-piste skiing. Last season (06/07) it did not snow much in Switzerland. But whenever it did snow, Andermatt seemed to get the most. The first time I skied there, it hadn't snowed for at least 2 or 3 days. Yet I was able to ski fresh lines most of the day. The second time, there was 30cm of fresh snow mid-mountain and 50cm of fresh snow at the top. The runs off the Gemstock were fantastic. If you prefer to ski intermediate cruisers, you may find Andermatt a bit limiting.
March 26, 2007 great hill for great skiers. If you enjoy going big, go. If you can't or do not want too, go some where else. You do not go for the grooming, the food, the nightlife, or the hotels, you go for the mountain.
The short train ride to other side of the valley makes for a fun day with off piste powder for days after a storm.
European skiers for some reason generally prefer staying on groomed runs, so if you want an uncrowded bowl experience come here. The terrain is open and moderately steep. The fog rolled in when we were snowboarding on a huge bowl and created a whiteout condition. If you see that coming get off the mountain. There are no trees and it is impossible to tell where you are. Never saw a ski patrol. The good terrain is served by one cable car. Could create long lines if there were any crowds. The views are incredible. The food on slope is below average.
Small ski area for Alps standards. Long ski runs, great bowl skiing, large vertical. This ski area feels like it is tucked away deep in the Alps, but it is actually at the cross roads of many trains and passes.It is a good skiing for open bowls, powder, and getting in a lot of vertical.
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