The first BigLePowSki event was held in Davos (Pischa) two years ago. In the meantime, the "Dude" has grown into a tour and this time the whole thing took place on Thomas Mann's "Zauberberg". The Berghotel Schatzalp and the associated Strela ski resort provided the perfect terrain and ambience to host the second stop of the BigLePowSki tour in a fitting atmosphere.
<object data="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=10039849&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="450" width="600"></object>
Two weeks ago in La Grave, it was clear that it would be a long journey. But Davos? That's only an hour and a half's drive from Zurich. Wrong again. Just in time for Saturday, Mrs. Holle had decided to shake her pillows again and the northern traffic jam brought the chaos back onto the roads. Of course we were happy about the snow at first, but as we passed the "accident routes" in eastern Switzerland - an estimated 26 accidents per 30 km - this and our average speed reduced quite quickly. When there was about 15 cm of the freshest powder on the highways, even here in the flatlands, the mood improved again - but the speed slowed down even more.
Slopes and weight distribution
The last hurdle was the snow-covered slopes of the Prättigau road. The correct weight distribution and thus the appropriate grip was only restored when a seat was placed on the hood. So we had a somewhat breezy last few kilometers to Davos Dorf...
After four and a half hours, we finally reached our destination. And as it turned out, not too late. Just like at the last BigLePowSki in La Grave, it stormed so much on Saturday morning that the lifts had to stop operating. But just in time for our arrival, the clouds cleared and the sun came out.
Pure nostalgia - with the funicular to the sanatorium
The funicular takes you directly from the center of Davos Platz up to the Schatzalp to the former sanatorium built around the turn of the century. The funicular was inaugurated on the last Christmas Eve of the 19th century and only underwent a general overhaul in 2006 - the art of Swiss engineering. This is where the nostalgic journey begins. Arriving at an altitude of 1900 m and seeing the Art Nouveau hotel for the first time, it is easy to understand why so many writers have been drawn up here time and again. Described several times by Thomas Mann in his novel "Zauberberg", the place exudes an attractive tranquillity at first sight.
But we are not here to enjoy the sauna, the "south-facing terrace sun" or the "Davos panorama view" - even if it is tempting. Even more tempting for winter sports enthusiasts, however, should be the hotel's own private ski area. After the lifts were out of service for six years, two of the three lifts are running again. Explicitly advertised for the "slow skiers" among the skiers, it only offers the two rather boring slopes on the drag lift. For the off-piste skiers, however, this is also a joy. Freeriding is very popular here. The lift staff will sometimes ask you what the terrain is like today...
Low crowds - great potential
Acceptable CHF 30 for a day ticket and low crowds at the lift are not the only reasons to pay the area a visit. If you pack your skins and are not too shy to climb up a bit, there are some really interesting, long descents to be had if there is enough snow and the prospect of a valley run - in attractive terrain: steep and rocky at the top, wooded at the bottom.
The Dude is running again in the afternoon
Just in time for the end of the lunch break, the piste manager gets the chairlift running again and all the courses at the BigLePowSki event can now be held in the best conditions. As the T-bar lift is no longer in operation on Saturday, the participants in the freeride workshops also learn what "Earn your turn" actually means in freeride language. But they are also immediately enthusiastic. Thanks to the right choice of line, there is significantly more than the average 15 cm of fresh snow measured - the high winds have transported a lot of snow. So the topic of avalanche danger is once again very topical. To everyone's delight, the precarious avalanche situation is interpreted correctly and conservative decisions are made on the descents.
The Dude goes off and Bluebird on Sunday
In the evening, as in previous years, the Montana Bar will be rocking. Another successful event day is celebrated with ska/reggae sounds and a number of attractive prizes are raffled off (beanies, cell phones, ...). In almost traditional fashion, Sunday starts off in a relaxed manner. Nevertheless, a number of courses are offered again until the early afternoon and are held with a full number of participants. Bluebird and the now open drag lift provide the icing on the cake of a successful weekend in Davos. The large number of participants - in some cases there were double-digit waiting lists - shows the growing acceptance of the event and underlines the high quality of the courses at a relatively low cost (an acceptable 20 euros).
The next Dude will take place in St. Anton
A few places are still available for the final event in St. Anton and can be booked here. In addition to numerous courses, there will once again be an attractive supporting program from 19 to 21 March. This time with a photo slideshow competition, among other things, to which renowned mountain photographers have been invited. So it's doubly worthwhile! And we can't wait to see what happens on the next trip... See you at the next Dude in St. Anton!
