Gotthardpass

The season is actually coming to an end, but the bikes are saddled up for the Sellabödeli (2828 m). From Hospental, we head over the pass road and through the Guspistal valley to one of the most beautiful splitboard adventures of the spring. A plea for long days, getting up early and the "downhill rush" on 300 meters of firn happiness.

Dear Splitties, some mountains challenge, others reward. A bit pathetic, but La Rossa did both. I was traveling with my longtime touring partner and what was planned as a classic splitboard tour turned into an intense adventure in Alaskan scenery and solitude; and a great splitboarding terrain.

It's been a long, long time since the last alert. Unfortunately, the oracle in the last issue of PowderAlert was right: nothing happened before the beginning of February. And now it's almost the middle of February!

It's finally snowing in the south and then perhaps in the north again. Ullr gives its all again in the final retreat battles against spring and gives us an exciting Easter 2018.

After an Irish Italian low forced the western Freride squadron to make a surprising start to the weekend fog, winter is now also arriving in the east. The snow cover in Switzerland now leaves little to be desired for November on the base side and there are hopes for more.

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.

The Galenstock crossing; a very challenging ski tour in the Gotthardt region that really packs a punch. East-facing ascent over the Tiefengletscher with subsequent ridge crossing. From the summit, the route then descends westwards over the very demanding 2000-metre descent into Valais.

The Gotthard is part of Europe's main watershed. The major Alpine rivers Rhine, Rhone, Reuss and Ticino have their source in the Gotthard region. However, we are more interested in the region's interesting ski and high-altitude tour destinations. This time we went on a one-day tour to the little brother of the Pizzo Rotondo, the Pizzo Pesciora. Although this is 70 meters lower at 3122 m, its summit ascent is classified as significantly more difficult.