On Thu, 06 Dec 2007 20:44:33 +0000, BrritSki
wrote:

Ace wrote:

So a great start to the season, with a good metre or more of snow
above ~1500m and 30-40cm of fresh stuff so far this week. We'll be
down there again this weekend (just bought a flat there) and if
anyone's interested I can add more detail then.

Tell me more about Engelkburg please ? - might be going there in a
couple of months...

So what do you want to know? Plenty of facts on titlis.ch and
engelberg.ch, as well as the Good Ski & Snowboard Guide info on the
Ski Club site.

But presumably you want something more, so I'll tell you what we love
about it. Lots of steep slopes, accessing amazing amounts of off-piste
as well as plenty of steep reds & a couple of blacks (but really, many
of the reds are black in all but name). Year-round skiing stopped this
year, with receding glacier areas, but it's still amazingly snow-sure
for early and late season. There was quite a bit open even in the
second weekend of November, when we were there house-viewing. Our new
flat overlooks the main Titlis lift so we were able to watch everyone
going up to ski, but we weren't with them :-(

All the above is on the North-facing slopes of Titlis, whereas for
more cruisy stuff there's the Brunni area on the opposite side of the
valley. Not so large, with only three or four distinct pistes, but
also accesses some decent off-piste to end up way down the valley or
as the start of a ski-tour over to Andermatt.

The vibe of the place has changed in the last year or three, and is
now predominantly popular with the younger serious skiers and
boarders. It's one of the few places where I almost feel
under-equipped with my rucksack, probe, shovel, transceiver, etc. etc.
I don't wear the back protector and helmet, see?

The village has also changed considerably, and is continuing to do so.
A lot more in the way of hip&trendy bars/lounge bars have sprung up,
as well as an ever-increasing range of restaurants. But it still
retains a small-town, everyone knows everyone, feel to it.

I could go on, but a) I don't want to over-sell the place and b) I
have to go to bed - early start in the morning. Suffice it to say that
it's where we've chosen to buy - the fact that it's just an hour and a
quarter from the office, plus 30 minutes from our house, is, of
course, entirely significant :-))

--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.