Raphael Imsand

The Gotthard, which is visited thousands of times in summer by pale-faced northerners who drive over this historic pass on their way to the southern sun, hides under a thick blanket of snow in winter and the humming engine noises are silenced. Only a few freeriders get to enjoy the many untouched slopes around the pass, even though we are close to Andermatt, where skiers and snowboarders compete with each other for the white gold. Reason enough to escape this ski circus and explore the quiet hinterland.

In a snowy valley, where neither gondolas nor helicopters take skiers up the mountains and most peaks are over 1500 meters away, you are almost an exotic with your freeride equipment. And yet they do exist, the pearls for freeride tourers, with untouched powder slopes and steep gullies. It's best to spend a few days at the Galmihornhütte.