A 30-minute drive from the city of Lucerne is the freeriding heaven of Engelberg-Titlis, based around the mighty 3,238m-high Titlis mountain. Sticking strictly to the pistes, Engelberg is a resort more accommodating to intermediate and advanced skiers than it is beginners, even though there are plenty of routes for all, and the little circle of blue runs at the top of the Jochpass chairlift is a veritable playground for skiers of all levels. What really brings powder fiends – and international freeride teams – to Engelberg, though, are the vast opportunities beyond the boundaries.
You can reach Engelberg’s recommended powder runs, known as the ‘Big 5’, without ever removing your skis. The most famous of these, the Laub – a huge mountain face visible from Engelberg village – is steep, fierce and an absolute blast to ski. Also, one of the big 5, the Galtiberg run consists of a huge descent from 3,020m to 1,020m, via cliff-edge traverses. Needless to say, hiring a mountain guide in Engelberg is near-enough a must if you’re a powder hound, but you’ll be rewarded for the expense as you lay new tracks all day. Once you feel the legs begin to tire, it’s worth one last trip up the mountain to traverse the Titlis Cliff Walk, which is the highest suspension bridge in Europe at 3,020m and has panoramas of mountaintops on every side. Come for the powder lines, stay for the views (see engelberg.ch)