Schweiz

At the ninth edition of the popular Morgins Freesession on February 15, 2014, the Swiss riders also received a ranking for the Swiss Freeride Championships for the first time. The snow quality was very reminiscent of off-piste riding in spring due to the air masses being far too warm for the time of year, which some riders clearly knew how to demonstrate... But take a look for yourself! Rider reporter Niko Göz was once again at the start for PowderGuide...

In the far east of Switzerland, the Lower Engadine has long led a somewhat forgotten existence. Since the opening of the Vereina Tunnel, however, it is now within reasonable reach of urban centers. The contrast could not be greater! Scenic beauty and an almost un-Swiss expanse and tranquillity can still be found here in their original form and the mountains offer first-class skiing and freeriding tours when the snow conditions are right.

Santa Claus is already rumbling up the stairs; the very last time to put a nice book under the tree for yourself or your loved ones. If you can't think of anything at all ... then take a look at our advertising corner for good old and good new books. Here are the (Christmas) recommendations from the PG editorial team. Guaranteed to be suitable for winter and Christmas!

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.

From February 16 to 17, 2013, another edition of the now almost legendary T-Bar Free Sessions took place, once again in the charming Swiss resort of Morgins. This is a traditional resort in a high valley on the Swiss side of the (believe it or not) 12-valley(!) Portes du Soleil ski area - the "gateway to the sun" south of Lake Geneva with 650 kilometers of slopes, various parcours parks, halfpipes and countless deep snow areas... On top of that, there are mountain panoramas of a special kind on Dents du Midi, Dents Blanches and Mont Blanc. What more could you want?

After the dump bog of the last few days, there is now a full northern congestion.

At last Ullr is listening to the envious deep snow divers east of the Arlberg, because they haven't exactly been spoiled with dumps so far, so now the cornucopia is also being poured out in the east of Felix Austria.

As announced, here is the Thursday update. The predicted amounts of 70-100 cm have already fallen across the board and, especially in eastern Switzerland, in some cases significantly more than the 50-70 cm with the 20 cm bonus, because interestingly there was no border through central Switzerland to the main precipitation areas in the west, which is probably due to the model orography, in which the east is simulated to be less high. Even the 120 cm have become full here and there outside of France.

Most people have noticed that winter is here. The mainstream and the media are also rediscovering snow and cold weather. And while the weather nerds are still debating whether this is real winter in Pusemuckel and Schloss Holte Stutenbrock (this place exists!) in the North German Plain and would rather have the horror winter of 10/11 (Oh God, no!), we ask ourselves: Uh, early December and third alarm.... Wasn't there something? That's right! We have a deja vue, because what's more important for us freeriders is that this week we're already seeing another intense north-westerly storm - just like 2011, only colder! So you've been good enough to light candles in the Ullrschrein! Very good.

Our Italian low has made its way north as a Vb low and is currently causing chaos in southern Germany – and is also bringing snow to the northern side of the Alps.

On February 18, the FWQ community in Switzerland came together for the first time in 2012 to hold the Morgins Free Sessions 2012 after the event in Engadin was canceled. In the hunt for important ranking points and the highly coveted prize money, mainly freeriders from France and Switzerland took to the start line. Many of them came from the surrounding area. Alexandra Panhofer and participant Julian Zenzmaier were on site for PowderGuide.

For the second year, Diamir and other partners are offering the Freeride Education Camp. This coming weekend (January 7 & 8, 2012), everything you need to know about freeride mountaineering will once again be taught in a rustic atmosphere at the Cabane Mt. Fort and in the excellent off-piste terrain of Verbier. After the first camp (Galtür) had to be canceled due to a lack of snow, Verbier now offers great freeride conditions. And the next dump is coming up just in time for the weekend.