Crans Montana

Freeriders in search of off-piste and fresh powder, need to hook up with a guide and set off to areas around the Plaine Morte Glacier, where you can make your way to nearby Anzere. The route goes through some tunnels, which makes it well worth the effort. The area known as the Faverges is cool and for riders with some idea of what they're doing, there are some decent steeps to tackle - but watch out for the thigh burning traverse on the way back. For those who can afford it, you can do some cool heli-boarding on some major terrain. Those looking to tour the mountain will find the lift system well linked, but the map could do with being a little clearer.

Freestyle riders will be in their element in the ‘Swatch’ sponsored freestyle park. A park that can truly lay claim to being up there as the best freestyle area in Switzerland and one of the best in Europe. At over 100,000 m2 it has loads of features including an olympic sized half-pipe.

Not that this is a place just for the pros to tick off, the list of features are endless and cater for all levels of rider. The park includes progressive lines with a vast amount of kickers, rails and boxes to progress on. As well as all the normal park features there is also a SBX course to head down if you fancy racing your mates or the clock.

For freestyle tuition there are a number of schools including the ESS ski school, that will help out those who want to find out how to ride a pipe correctly or how to get big air, all of which offer some of the highest levels of snowboard tuition in Europe.

 

 

Crans-Montana offers a healthy 140km of pistes that mostly cater too intermediate level riders looking to cruise on some wide open pistes. 

For the early riser aiming to ride those first tracks head up to the Bella Lui area at (2543m). As well as spectacular views over the Swiss alps, this area also has a mixture of blue and red pistes and you can take  a variety of routes down to the bottom gondola at Cry D’ere at Crans Montona.
 

Riders wanting to draw some arcs have plenty of long reds to check out. In particular the red run that drops away from the Plaine Morte down to the village of Les Barzettes, this is the perfect piste to lay out some big lines and with a length of 7.5 miles, you have plenty of time to get it right.

If your lucky enough to drop on a bluebird day then you could do far worse than head up to to the top of the resort where at 2,927m you will find the Plain Morte Glacier. As well as a spectacular view point this area has some long blacks for riders after more of a challenge, these piste also offer you the opportunity to head to the Petit Bonvin area where there are a selection of blue and red pistes to throw some wide turns on.

 

Beginners are treated to a variety of no nonsense blues which may require some navigation to avoid drag lifts. That said, this is a good novices resort, apart from the sometimes busy slopes. Once you're up and running the resort has some well maintained pistes to progress onto.

In town itself you can find a nursery slope down by the golf course which is great for getting started on. Further up the mountain the Cry d’Er (2267m) is probably the next best place to head. If you are happy riding drag lifts it offers a good selection of blue pistes to learn your turns on, if not you can use one of the magic carpets until you get the hang of things.

This area is easily accessible from both the Crans and Montana gondola stations which makes it a good place for beginners to head whether you are staying in Crans or Montana.