In the meantime, you have to reckon with one or two fellow skiers when you're tracking the virgin slopes. Apart from that, we don't know what "glitter-soft" means, but at least the resort is exposed to the sun and is extremely snow-sure. This is one of the reasons why the Lötschental is worth a visit; but also or precisely because of the many unprepared slopes and the countless possible variations.
Lötschental in the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn region
The Lötschental is the largest of the northern Rhone side valleys and is easily accessible from the north via the Lötschberg tunnel (Kandersteg-Goppenstein). It is less than ten minutes by car from Goppenstein to the valley station in Wiler. The resort is also easily accessible in an environmentally friendly and stress-free way by train and bus. From Wiler (1419 m), the cable car, two chairlifts and a gondola lift take you to the summit station at Hockengrat (3111 m), but there are plenty of ways to explore the playful terrain when the snow cover is right. If you don't mind walking up a few steps with your skis on your back or optionally putting on your skins, there are endless possibilities for descents of all levels of difficulty.
In the actual ski resort...
the Stafel-Gandegg chairlift (2107-2721 m) offers the widest variety of off-piste terrain and, above all, the best alternative for quickly accumulating several thousand metres of altitude in powder snow. To the west of the lift route are two pistes (6-National, 7-Hockenhorn), which are surrounded by unprepared, rocky terrain of varying steepness. The purest pleasure! On the eastern side of the Stafel-Gandegg chairlift, there is also plenty of open terrain in the direction of Arbächnubel; wide and somewhat flatter at the top, before it becomes steeper in the lower part and offers many skiable gullies.
If you add the Gandegg-Hockengrat gondola lift (2720-3111 m) and the Lauchernalp-Stafel chairlift (1962-2113 m), you have almost 1200 metres of the finest freeride terrain at your disposal. The variations can be varied in length and distance from the lift, limited only by the Milibach in the east and the Sättlegi in the west. If the snow conditions are right, even the valley descent via Fischbiel back to Wiler offers very appealing powder turns through open, flat alpine pastures and enchanting larch forests. A total of almost 1700 metres in altitude with everything a freerider's heart desires and without having to climb a single metre under your own steam!
Lots of downhill options
Once the easily accessible slopes have been tracked out, the area still offers countless variations, which experience has shown to make untracked gullies accessible even days after the last snowfall. Starting from the summit station, the most prominent are certainly the southern bypass of the Hockenhorn and the traverse to the east towards the Stieltihorn. While only a short ascent is necessary for the first alternative, it is advisable to put on skins for the traverse.
Both the impressive descent below the Hockenhorn, which in itself offers plenty of variations, and the route along the Milibach run in sometimes very steep terrain and through narrow gullies and are therefore not suitable for the inexperienced. In addition to these "small" tours, there are a number of possible ski routes out of the resort along the northern flank of the Lötschen valley (Lötschenpass, Kleinhockenhorn, Sackhorn, Petersgrat, etc.) with exhilarating descents into both the Lötschen and Kander valleys. An updated edition of the corresponding Swisstopo ski tour map (264S - Jungfrau) has recently been printed, in which several route suggestions are marked.
Perfect overnight accommodation
If your thighs are thick from powder skiing and touring, it's worth stopping off at the rustic Berghaus Lauchernalp before descending into the valley. The pizza served at the highest house on the alp is legendary and it also offers very affordable overnight accommodation, which will definitely give you a head start on the first gondola from the valley the next day!
Great freeride potential with impressive views
We are very fond of the Lötschental/Lauchernalp ski resort and there is no doubt that it has great freeride potential! In any case, the resort impresses with its outstanding location and the tremendous views of the imposing peaks of the Bietschhorn and Dom, Weisshorn and Matterhorn. However, the snow cover on the summit should be at least 150 cm thick, otherwise the sharp-edged granite will give your beloved skis a hard time! We'll certainly be back here the next time it snows! See you soon in the Lötschental!
Information
Avalanche equipment (beepers, shovel, probe, first aid, mobile phone), local knowledge and topographical maps as well as skiing ability are a basic requirement for all the variations described (including those accessible from the lifts)
