Tobel Trees

Nordkette

A fun adventure with a bit of everything from open slopes to tight trees.

Freeride Skiing Difficult

Distance: 1.9 km
Ascent: 5 m
Descent: 749 m

Low Point: 1.2 km
High Point: 1.9 km
Gradient: 42˚

Facing south and lying at low altitude, getting the bottom section of the Nordkette resort in good condition is a rare treat. If you do hit the jackpot and come here when there's deep, fresh snow, this is one of the best lines to hit. It starts out easy and gets increasingly technical as you descend, so try to spot from the cable car on the way up whether there is enough snow low on the mountain for this route to be skiable. Getting halfway down it and running out of snow would entail some pretty epic bushwhacking!

The lower part of the route in great conditions. Photo: Charlie Boscoe

Description

Start out by skiing plum south down a rounded shoulder and then, when this peters out, turn skier's right and ski down a gorgeous opening through the forests. Almost immediately after starting this opening splits in 2 and you can take either branch. The line drawn here takes the narrower and slightly steeper righthand branch. Both options lead you into a secondary opening through the trees which winds down, via some epically fun skiing, to the snow covered jeep track which marks the end of the Höttinger Alm run. Follow this briefly to where it joins the 3er Abfahrt track. Just after where the tracks meet, drop right into a brief section of mellow tree skiing. Cross over the 3er Abfahrt track and ski through another fun section of trees below to reach a clearing. Once in the clearing, follow the natural fall line down into a tree filled gully.

Ski down the gully, which is tight in places but fun throughout, all the way down to rejoin the 3er Abfahrt track. Follow this down to Hungerburg (where the Nordkette lift system begins) via the Umbruggler Alm mountain hut.