SpotCheck | Andermatt

The two ski resorts of Andermatt and Sedrun have been linked since last winter. The huts, gondolas and lifts are modern and stylish. We do the "ski swing". We ski over to Disentis and enjoy the empty slopes with good grip. A perfect start. From Disentis we take the train to Andermatt. There is even an après-ski compartment. But only until 3.30 pm. So much for après-ski in Switzerland!

The hosts welcome us with cheese fondue and good humor. The restaurant is well frequented by other freeride and touring groups. Kai and Alex specialize in camps and groups. Our guide Stefan has also joined us in the meantime. He's a nice Swede who is interested in our previous experiences in the snow that evening. When we asked him what we could expect the next day, he simply replied: "We'll get ourselves settled in first and then take it from there."

No sooner said than done. We meet the next day at 7.30 am for a hearty breakfast and take the ski train to Andermatt.

We head up the Gemsstock. Compared to the day before, we find ourselves in a completely different world in front of an old lift that was originally built for the Swiss military. One wide ski follows the next. It quickly becomes clear: freeriders are mostly among themselves here. At the bottom of the run, we take a look at the latest avalanche bulletin. It's avalanche level 2, the main problem is drift snow. There has been hardly any precipitation for 4 weeks, but plenty of sunshine.

The advantage of the small, old gondola is obvious: a small capacity also means that fewer people arrive at the top at the same time. Within a few minutes, the people from the gondola have dispersed in all directions and we are virtually alone. It's Saturday and we're actually expecting a big crowd, but due to the modest snow conditions this doesn't happen.

On arrival at the top, we briefly feel like we're at school because Stefan wants to see how we ski first. After 100 m of piste, Stefan turns into the first bumpy and hard off-piste slope.

We cross towards Felsental - one of the classics on the Gemsstock. Thanks to the great weather and crystal-clear views, there's a wonderful panorama and impressive nature, but unfortunately there's also a crusty mass of snow under our feet.

The Felsental offers countless variations, small gullies and hollows. Stefan knows every rock and maneuvers us through the valley as elegantly as possible. On the way, we keep looking at the terrain, discussing where we can and can't stop. After a 1500-metre descent, we end up back at the valley station and get ready for the second run. We use the gondola ride to "observe" the terrain. Stefan shows us how to look for lines and how to find them again at the top. We head towards another classic: the Giraffe. After a short traverse, which costs our snowboarder some strength, we reach the top of the "small" Giraffe. A steep gully. We look at each other and wonder if we've just ridden so well that he thinks we can do it. Well - it doesn't help. Stefan dances down the gully like an elf to the "safety point". Then, one by one, we ride or slide down the hard and bumpy gully. "Old Swede" - and we're still paying money for this?

But somehow it's fun and the few turns we make are met with respect. That gives our self-confidence the necessary boost. The snow on the north side is better than expected in places and the drifting snow gives us the odd powder turn.

We cross the "Schweden-Traverse" towards Gadäbar for lunch. The rösti with bacon and egg that follows is now more than necessary.

The food is inhaled and we gather our strength for the last 2 descents in the afternoon. We do them partly on the piste and partly right next to it. Stefan immediately notices that our strength is not really returning and adjusts the program.

We head to the Alte Apotheke in Andermatt Downtown for a well-earned Aperol Spritz. We take the train back and treat ourselves to a sauna session at the hotel before heading for raclette.

The preliminary meeting for the following day is similar to the day before, Stefan literally doesn't let us look at his cards. It's just: back on the Gemsstock and maybe a bit of trudging. We trust our guide and fall into bed tired.

We start the next day at the summit again and head towards Hospental on the Guspis variant. Also on every to-do list in Andermatt! We have to climb up for a few minutes, put our skis on our backs and then "roll" down a beautiful valley towards Gotthardstrasse. The snow is surprisingly good here too. Stefan works tirelessly on our technique on the way and gives commands such as "outside ski" "open valley" or "more rhythm". Stefan lives and breathes skiing and is not only outstanding himself, but is also in a good mood the whole time.

The second descent of the day leads from the summit towards Geissberg. A steep, crusty and, at the end, bushy, but nevertheless spectacular variation that is definitely worth it. Stefan encourages us to jump over the countless small "mushrooms". We pluck up our courage and surprise ourselves with some "airtime". In Andermatt, we stop off at the SPYCHER bar. A slightly hipper and younger bar - a real trendy hangout with good pizza.

...to snowacademy boss Jochen:

What makes your camps and the snowacademy exceptional?

Freeriding and freetouring are fairly new trend sports and we naturally want to promote them strongly. That's why we not only offer conventional guiding, but are also able to bring the technical skiing aspect into our camps. In short, all our guides are or have been deeply rooted in the scene as professional skiers and we not only take our guests safely up and down the slopes, but can also hone each individual skiing technique to a very high level and thus help each individual to progress in their personal development. This ultimately leads to more fun and enjoyment in what is probably the most beautiful sport in the world!

I think that this concept is not really widespread yet and it is precisely the extraordinary flair of the snowacademy. It's also important that it doesn't matter whether you're a freeride beginner or an expert - everyone gets their money's worth!

Who are your guests?

The idea that freeriding is only a sport for the young and wild generation is an absolute fairy tale, because even with a few more years under your belt, you can ski excellently in the backcountry. The guests are usually between 35 and 65 years old and experience shows that many of them actually improve over the years instead of getting worse and eventually reach a very good level.

The fact that we don't have many very young participants is probably due to the fact that guided freeriding is not one of the cheapest hobbies you can choose.

But for all those for whom our offers are too expensive, we have an unbeatably cheap and almost free offer in our program with the Black Diamond SnowSafety Tour!

Can you make a living from it? What else do you do?

To be honest, it's a pretty good living. However, it does require a lot of organization in the background. All camps and events are meticulously planned throughout the summer - I have to admit that I have a pedantic streak - so that everything runs perfectly in the high season. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to keep up with my own guiding all the time.

So to refute any speculation that I only go on ski vacations in winter and nothing in summer: unfortunately, the organizational office part of my job is getting bigger and bigger and is probably unavoidable (as with any other company).

But I've also been working as a consultant for the ski & outdoor industry for years. I come from professional competition skiing, even if that was years ago, and have increasingly slipped behind the scenes with my sponsors. Both tasks go very well together and our guests can always look forward to the very latest input from the scene and development. It's also great fun to not only follow the freeride scene, but also to be able to contribute to its further development with all my experience and know-how.

You have a dream job, but let's be honest: do you still get to ski for yourself?

Good question, next question! My own free skiing does suffer a bit. Of course, I have to train quite a lot on skis myself and we still spend a lot of time taking photos and filming for our sponsors and cooperation partners, but I hardly ever get to ski without a task in mind.

But I'm happy to accept the fact that I get to spend most of the winter doing what I love the most.

What's your favorite destination?

There are so many beautiful destinations, but I actually feel most at home in Val d'Anniviers in Switzerland or in St. Luc / Chandolin. This was also the birthplace of the snowacademy years ago and, in a way, my skiing home.

Last but important question: why do you only have male guides?

I would love to have more female guides. That would do the snowacademy and our guide team more than good. Unfortunately, I just haven't found anyone yet... So, to all the girls out there: if you come from the freeride scene, have a state ski guide qualification and would like to work with very nice and interesting people in the snow, please contact me at any time!

...to host Kai:

You are far away from the hustle and bustle. How did you come to take over the hotel?

We both come from Kiel and discovered the hotel 11 years ago on a bike tour in summer and immediately fell in love with it. We knew that Göschenen wasn't exactly a place to be. However, the excellent train connection to Andermatt makes Göschenen an ideal starting point. In the winter months, we almost exclusively have groups and camps from Germany and Switzerland. Freeriders and ski tourers are a pleasant bunch of people per se, so we always have great and interesting guests. In summer, we have a lot of guests who ski over the Gotthard Pass.

Is the situation difficult for you in terms of competition? What sets you apart and what can guests expect from you?

We don't really have any competition in Göschenen. It's a different story in Andermatt, of course. I think Alex and I set the hotel apart. We try to be with the guests as much as possible and take time for a chat every evening. Guests can expect a cozy hotel, good food and lots of tips for freeriding. We ourselves love and live the mountains in and around Andermatt.

Do you still have time to be out and about in the mountains yourselves?

I manage over 120 ski days per ski season. I think that says it all. In summer, I'm out and about on my bike. I think we have the work-life balance pretty well under control!