Published December 8, 2009 10:23PM
Anatomy: Engelberg's Titlis Peak
This mountain looms nearly 6,500 glaciated feet above the town of Engelberg, home to one of Switzerland's longest-operating monasteries. Go there and pray for snow stability and for one of the many transplanted Swedes to show you around so you don't get cliffed out. Or you could bypass Jesus and follow these directions.
1. Gaff
When the snow blows in here, this can be the deepest line on the mountain. From the top of the Titlis Rotair, Engelberg’s highest lift, zigzag down the obvious ramps, avoiding the dangerous convex rolls. Keep trending right while inching your way down to the rock wall. Once there, stay close to it. Some pitches tilt as steep as 38 degrees. Dig in, and dine on face shots for 4,300 vertical feet to the valley floor. If it’s bad weather, skip the crevasse zone by skiing the groomer to the Ice Flyer lift and dropping in from there.
2. Mainline
More wind-exposed than the rest of the glacier, this line is best skied after a dump with minimal wind. From the lift, traverse skier’s right along the fence. Ski past the fence, and then bank left to square up with the lift station. The crux is the steep rollover at the top. If it’s bare ice, sideslip this 50-foot section while doing your best not to fall into the man-eating crevasses to your right. Once cleared, the line is a series of 600-foot shots interrupted by short benches.
3. Standard
Above the sideslip section of Mainline, immediately work your way left, near the enormous cliffs. The top half is a straightforward off-camber fall line, but make sure you don’t get cliffed out on one of the two massive rock bands below. Worm between them and be careful; the slope rolls over and it’s hard to pinpoint your location. Worse, there may be sucker tracks that lead to the twin drops of doom. Better to meet up with a local who can show you the lower section, a 35-degree, 800-foot apron.
4. The Laub
Also accessible from a lower lift, this is one of the best lift-served powder laps in existence. From the top of the Rotair, traverse right on the cat track and drop into the open snowfield hugging the rock wall of the Rotstöckli spire. When you reach a traverse, make a right. The Laub begins just below the top of the Laubersgrat lift. Follow the cat track to the trail sign and enter a wide gully. It leads to a 35-degree face that drops 3,400 feet to the flats without so much as a ripple in your path.