Skiers are a fussy bunch. Our lives revolve around finding the best runs, deepest snow, perfect gear, and optimal ski destinations. In this never-ending quest, nothing is left to chance, and the criteria are many: We want genuine villages, stunning mountains, undulating slopes, modern lifts, untouched powder snow, inspiring terrain, good restaurants, and only a few people to share it with. In reality, the equation rarely works out. Smaller ski resorts struggle to make ends meet, and giants with good infrastructure typically lack charm or soul. The result is we live our skiing lives in constant compromise and eternal search. But sometimes, everything does line up, and contradictory magic occurs. One example is Andermatt, Switzerland, which in the last two decades has been transformed from a dreary military town with a couple of clanky old lifts to one of the most exciting ski destinations in the Alps.
When I visited Andermatt for the first time in the winter of 1997, I couldn’t in my wildest
2,000 words to go
You’re just getting to the good part.
This story — and 42 issues of them — opens with a subscription.
Either one picks up right where you left off.
Join 7,000+ readers · Independently owned · Since 2008
Already a subscriber? Sign in
