Val d'Anniviers

If you enter Chandolin into the search engine, the first thing that shows up is the annual First-Track Freeride Contest. The Liaison, a ridge that separates the two ski resorts of St. Luc and Chandolin, plays the leading role on all other pages. Spectacular couloirs are lined up side by side and the best thing for lazy skiers: they can be reached from the exit of the Col-des-Ombrintzes T-bar lift with almost no ascent. Let's take a closer look!

A reliable avalanche bulletin requires up-to-date information from the terrain. To this end, the SLF maintains its own network of around 200 observers in the Swiss Alps and the Jura. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the avalanche bulletin, the SLF presents some of them in short portraits.

In the second edition of our Conditions Reporter interviews, Rinaldo Borra (username borrarinaldo) introduces himself: The long-time mountain guide and coffee lover lives in Grindelwald, but travels with his guests throughout the Alps.

Great atmosphere, really nice nature and mountains, really cool people around, nice snow conditions and mild, sunny weather made the "First Track Freeride" contest an excellent experience again ...

On the weekend of February 21-23, 2014, the 14th edition of the First Track Freeride Contest took place in the small ski resort of St. Luc / Chandolin in the beautiful Val d'Anniviers. The weather and snow conditions could hardly have been better: On Friday and on Sunday night, around 15 cm of very light fresh snow fell on a relatively solid and soft base. This meant that nothing stood in the way of the "first tracks" for the two runs on Saturday and Sunday!

Another edition of the 3* FWQ contest took place in the beautiful Val d'Anniviers. The only contest where, according to our rider reporter Nikolai Göz, there is a (15-person!) mega jacuzzi for the aperitif... Niko has been at the start of several FWQ tour stops across the Alps this season and once again gives us his impressions...

The freeride descent to the Lac de Moiry reservoir in Zinal is not particularly technically demanding. However, the descent shines with the typical charms of the main Valais Alpine ridge, the characteristic dam wall and some crisp alternatives. This tour in the rear Val d'Anniviers can only be recommended to anyone who appreciates peace and seclusion and at the same time doesn't want to climb too much – also and perhaps especially because of the return journey on the Postbus. According to the current snow conditions (end of Dec. 2011), this freeride tour is already skiable – PowderGuide tested!