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NEXTThe Scandinavians have arrived and development is coming; six hotels, 490 apartments, and 25 villas are planned for 2013. At the moment, Andermatt is still a homegrown alpine village with a booming freeride scene. Situated in central Switzerland at the convergence of four mountain passes, Andermatt gets hammered by about 40 feet of white stuff a year. Storms pummel the 9,721-foot Gemsstock, one of Andermatt’s three ski hills, covering its north-facing slopes. From the top of the Gemsstock, hit the Giraffe, a 5,000-foot off-piste run that funnels into a series of pristine bowls and finishes off with a steep couloir. Ski from the nearby town of Realp to Engleberg via the Urner Haute Route, a five-to-seven day, 34-mile tour. In Andermatt, stay at Kumli Regli for affordable, cheap rooms within walking distance to the Gemsstock (Kumli Regli, from $49 per person, includes breakfast, December through April).
Andermatt, Switzerland
Photo: Rolf Bissi
