Klosters in March: Sensational!

Fred Me Mark Dax having made it to the Austrian Border

 It had not snowed for at least two weeks in the eastern part of Switzerland this meant there was an avalanche risk of one. It would be easy to conclude that the snow was not going to be good for Off piste skiing. This conclusion was entirely wrong because the weather had remained cold, and on the north facing slopes, the snow was magnificent.

On our first day we skied the classic "Direttissima" off the top of Weissfluh. Sure enough even after 2 snowless weeks we found untracked cold snow.

We were all equiped with skins, so we then climbed out of the bowl and then skied the beautiful Untersaas meadows all the way down to Conterser-Schwendi where we got fried alive by the blistering sun while eating lunch.

On the Tuesday we skied to Austria 

We left from the to of the Madrisa lift system and then skinned up to the col in about an hour.

Afterwhich we skied down the long valley before picking up the pistes which lead us to the lift station of Gargellan.  Then the most surprinsing thing happened- because we had bought Klosters ski passes, we got a free journey back up and through the Austrian system.  

The resort was completely rammed , but we still felt it was nescessary to have a drink and a bite to eat before tackling our second skin of the day.  

A 50 minute skin put us at the next col and re entry into Switzerland.

The ski down was spectacular - we found lots of good snow, but we also took a fairly radical ine in places passing above some big cliffs.

It was then a ski down into St Antonien - but not before passing through a farm yard which had giant revolving brush rather like a car wash.  This was a cow massaging contraption which they clearly adored.

The farm with the cow massaging brush

It was then just a question of waiting for the Poste bus to take us down the valley to the train station and then the train back to Klosters.

St Antonien

On the Wednesday we skied the classic descent of the Gmeinboda.  This starts with a 10 minute walk with the skis carried on the rucksack.

Skis on the back packs

Followed by another classic descent:

The descent is in the background.

Sadly on the Thursday Fred was ill and he couldnt join us for the next adventure.  The ski descent known as the Giraffe.  This goes from the top of the Pischahorn. It starts by following a track along the crest of the mountain.  We skinned along this.  it is about 3km long.  At the end their is a convient bench which we used for our picnic lunch.

Bench with a view of Davos

The descent had a mixture of everything: Good snow /bad snow/ bush wacking/ mud/ river crossings/ walking/dead animals/ entanglement with electric fences- but ultimately full of stories.

Where next?

On the Friday, our last day we headed to Madrisa again- this time to ski the front face which had transformed into spring snow.  We then skied all the way down the Schlappin valley, but not before stopping for a delicious late lunch at "Ericas." 

We didnt see a cloud all week!