What St. Moritz is to the jet set, Corvatsch is to us freeriders. And so we too can count ourselves among high society, although "high" is of course a different experience for us. You always feel high after the descent directly from the summit of Piz Corvatsch and envious glances are guaranteed.
Few people realize that they are not actually standing on the summit after arriving at the Corvatsch cable car mountain station. That's a good thing, because hardly anyone takes on the 45-minute ascent including a short descent to the Corvatsch PIZ. Those who make it to the very top enjoy a breathtaking panorama. Once you've had your fill, the NW summit couloir is one of the best lines in the Engadin! If your stomach is empty after a long day, you can fortify yourself with a slice of Engadine nut cake in the time-honored Hotel Fex in Val Roseg after a full 1500-metre climb. Afterwards, you will most likely only have three words left: "What a day!"
Tour description
The starting point for the freeride descent is the top station of the Corvatsch cable car. We recommend spending time freeriding on Corvatsch until the early afternoon hours. The descent from the summit is the perfect highlight and last run of the day. After a short descent from the mountain station, put on your skins and follow the ridge to Piz Murtèl 3433 m. A gentle descent takes you to the saddle between Piz Murtèl and Piz Corvatsch. Another short ascent brings us to the summit. Et voilà, now we can enjoy the panoramic view of the Upper Engadin and Bergell as well as the upcoming descent.
Approx. 100 m north-east of the summit is the entrance to the summit couloir. Caution: The couloir is often crowned by a massive cornice. It goes without saying that the conditions must be on the safe side for climbing the 48° steep entrance couloir. If the entrance proves to be too tricky or, as has happened before, stony, you can always descend into Val Roseg as an alternative or head back up to Piz Murtèl. Once you're in, there's only one direction to go: 800 m down! The couloir soon opens up into a wide gully that leads into a wide slope before you reach the plain at Plaun da las Furtschellas and can congratulate yourself on your first downhill stage with high fives. After a bit of poling, further wide, less steep slopes await you before you have to find your way through the rock barrier above Curtins at around 2150 m. Once you've found it, you'll be on the road through Val Fex in just a few turns.
There are no public buses from here to Sils-Maria. You can either stop off at the Hotel Fex anyway and ask for a ride in the hotel's own cab to Sils-Maria or order one by phone. In terms of style, the horse-drawn carriages are highly prized, but this would almost certainly lead to massive conflicts with the chauffeur and his rather wealthy clientele... Once you arrive in Sils-Maria, you take the Postbus back to the valley station of the Corvatsch cable car in Surlej.
Information
4 (5-level scale): *****
Special dangers: Entry couloir, cornices at the entry couloir
Average steepness / maximum steepness: 35°/ 48°
Exposure: W-N
Altitude difference start and finish: 3451 m | 1945 m
Altitude difference uphill and downhill: 250 m | 1500 m
Duration: 2.5 hours
Best time of year: January - May
Accommodation: Various in the Engadin, recommended: "Inn Lodge", Celerina and the youth hostels in St. Moritz and Pontresina. Moritz and Pontresina
Addresses:Corvatsch Bergbahnen Engadin, +41 (0)81 838 73 73, Toursimusverband St. Moritz, 41 (0)81 837 33 33
How to get there: To Silvaplana/Surlej via Julierpass, Vereina car transport or via Martina
Topographic maps: Ski touring maps 1:50000: 268S Julierpass, National map 1:25,000: 1277 Piz Bernina
