Gemsstock Premier freeriding El Dorado
Deep powder, steep chutes, first lines – if you’re familiar with these terms, then Andermatt is the place for you. The Gotthard region is considered nothing short of a freeriding El Dorado in winter. According to trade magazines, Gemsstock is one of the best off-piste areas in the world.
Up with the gondola.Down in the powder
After two gondola stages, you’re at the summit with no effort: on Gemsstock, at 2,961 metres above sea level. This is where the great skiing adventure begins for freeriders from around the world. You have your pick of numerous descents via Gurschen or St. Annafirn across untouched slopes, through chutes and couloirs back down to Andermatt. And when you get there, you’re sure to say: Let's go again!
Freeride skiing. At the highest level
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Descents with a 1,500-metre drop in elevation
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Challenging chutes and couloirs
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Start on the 3,000-metre-high Gemsstock
A black diamond.For kings and queens of the mountain
Owing to its rugged slopes, Gemsstock is rated a black diamond mountain and is considered an insider tip among freeriders. Each year, Gemsstock plays host to the open event “King/Queen of the Mountain”, the title awarded to the fastest freeride descent.
Freeride descents.World famous
Gemsstock is famous throughout the world for its “Felsental”, “Giraffe”, “Guspis”, and “Geissberg” deep-powder descents. They offer a wide variety of routes through the powder: from ten-kilometre descents to gnarly terrain. Particularly famous is the “Giraffe”, which gets its name from its course on the map.
Russi Run.Not for the faint-hearted
Even the officially groomed pistes on Gemsstock require nerves of steel. The Russi Run – named after the Olympic champion Bernhard Russi from Andermatt – goes from the mountain station at nearly 3,000 metres above sea level to the Gurschenalp mid-station.
- Start Gemsstock mountain station 2,961 m a.s.l.
- Change in elevation 950 m
- Length approx. 6 km
- Gradient 65%
Safety first. Essential when freeriding
Off-piste descents are steep and exposed to avalanches. Experience in open terrain, skill in using avalanche gear, and serious preparation, as well as an overview of the current avalanche situation, are essential requirements. If you’re unfamiliar with the area, you should turn to the Andermatt freeriding guides and arrange for a mountain sports expert to accompany you.
Even more powder. In Disentis
You’ll find another freeriding area in Disentis, on the other side of the Oberalp Pass in the canton of Grisons. The descents in Val Segnas and Val Acletta are deep-powder classics. Other nearby valleys also offer powder slopes, like Val Pintga or Val Gronda.