Every time I take the first gondola ride up from town I sit facing downhill so I can watch the town disappear as I pass through the mid station. Once at the top of the lift and what I consider the base of the main Mountain, the massive terrain seems to envelop you. Off in the distance there are endless powder fields doted by cliffs. The glacier is full of giant blue ice walls and lift access is located everywhere you would want it to be.



There’s something about Engelberg that draws me in. When ‘m there I feel like I’m at home. When ‘I’m not there, I’m wondering how the skiing is and dreaming about where Id be venturing to at that particular moment. The town is rich with history. An old monastery sits under Angel Mountain, which also hosts a cheese factory. I always take the time to enjoy a lunch special while watching the masters create their cheese. I’ve had beers with Geny Hess who many consider the pioneer of freeskiing in Engelberg. I’ve sat captivated listening to his personal tales of first descents that he can point out from the pub stool where he sits.



This year we arrived with warning that the snow pack wasn’t very deep. Never the less the sky was blue and the beer was cold. There was also something new! At the base of the main mountain sat an extra large pile of snow with a large entrance carved into it. We poked our heads in to find out that it was an Ice Hotel. The entire structure carved out of the ice featuring a pub style lobby, rooms featuring fur bedding and even a 16 person hot tub out back to ease away the day’s hucks while soaking under the stars.



Familiar areas on the mountain had a totally different look this season. The beautiful powder landings of old were now jagged rock outcroppings making some great cliffs impossible to hit. Other areas that had been completely white now had some nice little ten to twenty footers that the guys were happy to play on.



This time back was a short venture but I felt compelled to make sure I revisited the mountain. I strolled into the Yucatan restaurant with a feeling that I would run into a few old friends. Sure enough Sebb sat at the bar and offered me a beer and a puff remembering our meeting the year previous. Nadia served it up with a story of how she'd just finished traveling America and meeting up with Micah and a few others down in Jackson Hole. I even ran into Brian Barlow back at the hotel! Remember the cover of Powder last year with the incredibly deep shot of some guy’s face and fist in Engelberg? Ya… That’d be Barlow! He was back looking for more of the same- as was I.



I didn’t find the deep Pow that I had hoped for but I did come to the conclusion that Engelberg is a place I want to be- as often as possible! I’ve skied the mountain in deep virgin pow and I’ve skied it on one of its driest streaks ever. Regardless I’ve always felt great about my experiences there. Whether it is the mountain itself or the people I’ve pounded beers with, Engelberg is first class.

This will be the first year in a few that I won’t be heading to Engelberg, but I’ll be thinking about it! I will be back, hopefully sooner than later!


all photos copyright: Bryan Ralph 2006