Engelberg - powder heaven
“Angel Mountain” remains a relatively under-explored resort given the quality of its skiing, the beauty of its location and the charm of the town. Only a little over 1hr from Zurich, it is an ideal resort from a short corporate break in the mountains.
What sets Engelberg apart from other small resorts is the quality of the skiing. There are enough slopes for beginners and intermediates to enjoy, but it is really for the more advanced skier that Engelberg appears ingeniously crafted. From the top of Titleis, where glaciers guarantee year-round snow, all the way to the village 2000 vertical metres below, fantastic off-piste routes draw the rider down. Stunning couloirs, open powder fields, gladed bowls provide the canvas on which skiers and snowboarders can carve their mark. It is a treasure trove of hidden descents and all the more attractive for the lack of other people stealing your powder.
The town itself is a pleasing mix of high quality accommodation, stylish restaurants, fashionable bars and luxury shops interspersed with the beautiful original buildings that formed the seminary and church upon which Engelberg was founded. It is another chocolate-box pretty resort – that is for sure.
It is a popular haunt at the weekend for the international finance crowd from Zurich and the atmosphere definitely becomes more frenetic from Friday to Sunday. This does enhance the nightlife and energise the bars and nightclub, making the weekends a great time to visit to enjoy the party lifestyle. However, the quieter mid-week does mean the slopes are empty and so the ski & snowboard time is even more magical.
As mentioned, the resort is only 1hr by car or 1hr 20 by train from Zurich airport, making it a perfect spot to visit for a short corporate break.
