Trip Report
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YXrNYaJufDg
This report is from Sunday, January 26, 2025
30 minutes south of Andermatt the entire vibe changes.
You move from German to Italian-speaking Switzerland, more cafes start popping up, strangers act a little warmer and friendlier, and the overall pace of life just seems to slow…down…
Ahhh, yes.
We arrived at Airolo in the Swiss Canton of Ticino at the crack of noon.
Our local Swiss-Italian correspondent Wally and his lovely girlfriend Marea would serve as our guides for the day.
10 centimeters (4 inches) of new snow fell in town that morning, but when we took the creaky tram up to the top of the ski area, we found another 20 cms sitting on top of that.
All in all there was about a foot of fresh powder and not a cloud in sight.
It was going to be a nice day.
I skied off the staircase at the tram, which was buried in powder, and followed Wally and Marea to a nearby freeride zone dotted with wavy spines and poppy cliffs with gentle landings.
Wally went first, slashing a high-speed left-hand turn on a mini-spine in the sun followed by two cliff drops in the shade.
The sunlight was just barely peaking over the mountain, and the mix of blue shade and honey-colored sun rays gave the cliff zone a transcendent feel.
Was I dreaming again?
“Wa! That was mind-blowing!” Wally professed at the bottom of the zone when we regrouped.
I concurred.
Our vocabulary for the rest of the day didn’t go much further than that.
Wally and Marea led the charge back down to the tram, through some shrubs that held cold smoke, far out of reach from the sun.
Temperatures were chilly…
Next, we did a short hike to an untouched area of the resort that held deep, untouched virgin powder.
The snow was well overhead in spots.
Powder in the mustache all the way back down to the t-bar.
After that, we followed Wally and some more friends Dado and Christy to a spine zone on the far skier’s left of the resort, accessed via a cold t-bar in the shade.
We hiked up a spire above cliffs to a point-takeoff at the top then wiggled our way down through 10/10 quality snow.
Faceshots were happening without trying.
Everyone was smiling big.
We stayed in this area for the rest of the day, Wally guiding us to the zone’s most fun cliffs, pops, and jumps.
There were loads.
He showed us a nice kicker with a fun drop-in to it and threw a fat rodeo 5.
Nice, Wally.
Seeing this did something to me; I felt like I had to go upside down now, too.
I’ve never stomped a backflip but hell, today was a good enough day to try as any.
I was scared.
But I went anyway.
I threw hard and over-rotated, backslapping but landing on my feet and skiing off.
Almost.
That went way better than I thought, though.
The stoke just kept rising.
“Bambaclat!” Wally yelled.
Then, to end the day in good fashion, Wally took us out of the resort through the far end of the spine zone to a couloir in the woods that went all the way to the base, some 3,500 feet below.
The snow up high was magical; light, dry, untouched—the best of the day.
Why is the best run of the day usually the last?
We all sent some cliffs in the top section, Marea going absolutely huge on one and stomping it perfectly.
From there, it got a bit adventurous, whacking our way through bushes to find the belly of the couloir in the woods.
Once we found the chute, it was great skiing for another thousand feet or so before the snow got thin and bad down low.
Towards the bottom I thought I watched Dan, our photographer, die as he pinballed between rocks in a narrow section of the couloir
He was banged up but OK.
Tough Brit.
By this time it was sunset and the light was golden; we’re watching from the shadow of the mountain as the sky put on a majestic light show for us, illuminating the valley like a cosmic disco ball.
Earth goes hard—especially in Switzerland.
We took the track straight to the restaurant where they make cheese on an industrial level.
Fondue for dinner.
Sparkling soda, rosé, espresso with Baileys, shots, dessert, and great company all evening long.
I love Switzerland.
But I especially love Italian-speaking Switzerland.
These guys know how to party.
And the skiing is sick.
Grazie mille.
Airolo Stats
Airolo is a popular ski resort in the Swiss Alps, offering a diverse range of terrain for winter sports enthusiasts.
Vertical Drop
The resort features a significant vertical drop of 1,075 meters (3,530 feet), providing skiers and snowboarders with varied terrain and challenging runs.
- Elevation:
- Base: 1,175 meters (3,855 feet)
- Summit: 2,250 meters (7,385 feet)
- Skiable Terrain: 30 kilometers (19 miles) of pistes
- Longest Run: 4 kilometers (2.5 miles)
- Lift System:
- Total Lifts: 8
- Types: Includes gondolas, chair lifts, and surface lifts
- Snow Conditions:
- Average Snowfall: 94 cm (37 inches) at summit, 40 cm (16 inches) at base
- Snowmaking: Available on some slopes
- Season: Typically runs from mid-December to early April
Terrain Breakdown
- Beginner: 1 km (3%)
- Intermediate: 15 km (50%)
- Advanced: 14 km (47%)
Airolo is known for its varied terrain, including a snowpark and freeride areas. The resort is particularly popular among intermediate and advanced skiers, with a good mix of challenging runs. It also offers ski routes and off-piste opportunities for more adventurous skiers and snowboarders.
Weather
Photos
