In the far east of Switzerland, the Lower Engadin has long led a somewhat forgotten existence. Since the opening of the Vereina Tunnel, however, it has been 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.
Ascent 1
"All beginnings are easy" is the motto at the start of this tour. First you use the lifts in the Motta Naluns ski area to the Mot da Ri chairlift mountain station at 2582 m. Incidentally, there is a tour map available that allows free skiing until 11:00 (no guarantee). It's best to enjoy a few warm-up runs in the area before handing in the ski pass to the lift staff and getting a refund of part of the purchase price. Directly from the ski slope you climb up to the obvious pass, approx. 2880 m, between Piz Oscar and Piz Minschun. Beware, the piste service regularly blows up the eastern slopes of Piz Minschun to secure the piste. So don't go up as long as the Mot da Ri lift is not in operation! The NE ridge of Piz Minschun leads to its panoramic summit at 3068 meters. The ridge is often blown off and requires a bootpack.
Descent 1
After you've had your fill of the surrounding mountains and other variants, you're ready to go! There are several options from the summit. The most snow-sure and obvious one leads via the N flank, another via the W flank. In our case, we preferred the N flank. A wide 400 m / 35° slope is perfect for GS turns.
Ascent 2
After another 150 m, the second ascent follows via Clavigliadas to Minschun Pitschen, 2927 m. The summit feeling does not quite reach the level of Piz Minschun opposite. Instead, a wide, steep SW slope, often crowned with a cornice, beckons.
Descent 2
Drop-in! After 250 vertical meters, the terrain flattens out noticeably and leads into the playful SW slopes of Val Tasna. The opposite eastern flank of the Munt Cotschen now attracts attention, as it offers an almost Alaska-like line. But perhaps more on that later... Once you reach the valley floor of Val Tasna, the exciting part of the descent is over. From now on, it's always slightly downhill to the connecting road from Ftan to Ardez. Whether you opt for this or that, from here it's best to try your hand at hitchhiking and enjoy the view of the Lower Engadin "Dolomites" opposite, which conceal some challenging lines on the way back.
Conclusion
The "Minschun Double" can be achieved without too much effort. It rewards you with scenic views, varied descents and definitely makes you want to spend more than just one day in the Lower Engadine!
Information
Difficulty: ***
Special dangers: Blasting work above Mot da Ri, note diurnal warming on SW slopes
Average/maximum steepness: 25°/35° (N flank Piz Minschun, SW flank Minschun Pitschen)
Exposure: E-N-W-SW
Altitude start / finish: 2582 m / 1751 m
Altitude difference uphill / downhill: 950 m / 1950 m
Duration: approx. 4.5 hours
Best time of year: December to April
Literature: "Ski & Snowboard Tourenatlas Schweiz" by Helvetic Backcountry (highly recommended)
