Snow report Andermatt / Gotthard, 03/24/2017

Snow condition

It's certainly great at the summit, and you've certainly had to make do with less there in recent years. However, as soon as you have to turn around the bushes at lower altitudes in the big variants, you clearly notice the generally high temperature and high snow line in winter. The descent into the valley is possible, but from the rocky valley directly to the parking lot it is a challenging slalom through the bushes.

Snow quality

3000-2500 very different soft snow. From wind-compressed powder on slopes not directly exposed to the sun to concrete-heavy soft snow that makes elegant turns impossible. Underneath, the whole thing sticks and rots extremely. From around 2000 down to the valley, completely transformed spring slush. Heavy and dull.

Very difficult to assess. Apart from boards on the upper slopes, you can see successful blasting all over the area. In the surrounding area, you can see spontaneous medium-sized drops in every exposure under rocks and cornices that make you suspicious and make it difficult to assess the route. I turned back when traversing a steep slope in a northern sector at 2700 because I didn't trust the spontaneous, deeply sunken tracks of a previous tracker. In general, there is a lot of movement in all sun-exposed areas. The extent of the "small" inconspicuous releases is striking. A lot of snow is on the move.

Overall impression

Somehow it's always fun when there's sun and lots of snow. Strenuous descents motivate you to train, and if you look carefully for the slopes with less radiation, you will be rewarded at high altitudes. You will be rewarded with small sections that give you that "big mountain" feeling.