The Urner Traverse

We are on one of the finer summits found along the Urner Traverse, one of the Alps' lesser-known ski touring itineraries. It's March, and Mike Douglas and Alexis Godbout have joined photographer Mattias Fredriksson and me to try the Urner. The Swiss Alps are littered with famous Haute Routes that snake through famous valleys and climb over steep cols to connect myriad huts. Many of these routes cross stunning landscapes, but often follow the path of least resistance with long glacier crossings and conservative descents. The Urner, however, in Switzerland's central Alps, is known as the "Skier's Haute Route" for its freeride terrain, connecting the mountains between Andermatt and Engelberg.

We hoped to experience the Swiss hut culture while skiing some exciting lines along the six-day route. Beginning in Realp near Andermatt, a popular route climbs up underneath Winterstock towards Tiefenstock at 3,515 meters and onwards to the Chelenalphütte 2,350 meters. From here, there are numerous options, but our plan is to reach Tierberglihütte – 2,795 meters with the hope of summiting Sustenhorn at 3,503 meters. Then we have the option to move on to the Steingletscher Hotel before a shorter day to the Sustlihütte and finally what may be the best descent, a 1,500 meter north-facing shot straight down to valley bottom from the coveted Grassengrat.

Covering more than 30 kilometers with approximately 5,000 meters of ascending through big alpine terrain, we certainly needed clear conditions. Arriving in Engelberg, we are somewhat disappointed to find it snowing. Christian Aschwanden, our local guide, explains that we won't be able to start our trip for a few days until the weather improves. Instead, we venture up Brunni to ski 50 centimeters of new snow in the trees. Each evening over a beer at Ski Lodge Engelberg, we check the forecast and examine the map, debating our options for the traverse. Because the weather doesn't cooperate, we decide to explore smaller chunks of the traverse. With a clear day before the snow starts again, we make head south of the Gotthard tunnel to Andermatt.

From the top of Gemsstock, we drop into perfect, south-facing powder, a cold cloud of crystals following each of us. Skinning up, we contour to reach a col to the west where a long shaded spine makes for a second beautiful descent. Climbing out a switchbacked skin track, we then begin a long rolling run towards Hospental. Later, Godbout is ecstatic about his first day of ski touring in the Alps. As one of the best slopestyle skiers in the world, it's a change of pace. After three consecutive knee injuries, Godbout is now reinventing himself as a big mountain skier, seeking more "powder and softer landings." For Douglas, ski touring is also a new venture. Known as the "Godfather of Freeskiing," he led the twin-tip ski revolution.

Formerly a mogul and freestyle skier, he evolved to become one of the best big mountain skiers, but he has never undertaken a traverse through the Alps. And this trip doesn't look like it will yield this experience either as the weather finally crushes our hopes of doing the full crossing. Christian suggests to visit a few of the huts and ski as long as the conditions are somewhat ok. Soon the jagged spires of Gross Spannort come into view at the head of the valley. Reaching a col, the wind buffets us as the last of the previous day's storm blows itself out. Wide bowls of fresh snow shaded by the steep valley walls offer boot-top powder. Following Christian's fluid turns, we ski to the Kröntenhütte to be greeted by Markus Wyrsch and his wife, Irene.

Situated at 1,903 meters, the hut is one of 152 operated by the Swiss Alpine Club. During the winter, many of them remain closed until late spring. The next morning, we rise early. Christian sets a brisk pace as we rush to warm our toes before the sun creeps into the tight valley to reveal a playground of freeride terrain. Douglas and Godbout ascend to a wide knob where Godbout has picked out a wide slope broken by two diving board cliffs with steep landings. Douglas begins the day with a steep, diagonal shelf that sloughs behind him as he rockets out the bottom. Climbing back to the top, Douglas remarks how ski touring feels like a natural progression.

It is more than just a little ironic that the inventor of the twin tip is now skiing technical freeride lines on a lightweight, flat-tail ski with low tech bindings in a boot with a walk mode. Dropping into a steep, spiny line Douglas has lost nothing of his big mountain prowess, and the gear certainly isn't holding him back. The same can be said for Godbout, stomping another 10 meters cliff and infusing the line with his trademark style. We leave the Kröntenhütte and head to Tierberglihütte for a night and an attempt to climb Sustenhorn. Situated on a rocky knob and surrounded by the Steingletscher, the views are spectacular. We find the hut unoccupied, and the door snowed in. After digging out the entrance, Christian prepares dinner.

Godbout is exhausted from the days skiing but enamored by the slower pace of earning his turns. The night is freezing cold. The morning dawns clear, but the wind is sharp and keeps us moving as we set out across the glacier for the Sustenhorn. It's a long gradual climb that deposits us on the summit shortly after lunch. A worthy peak summited by some unlikely ski mountaineers. Christian indicates the Urner to the south towards Andermatt. To the north, we can see back towards Engelberg and Grassengrat. It's a truly spectacular region with limitless skiing potential that even six days of good weather would not do justice to. Signing the guest book on our behalf, Douglas promises that we will return in the future to ski the Skier's Haute Route. But for now, we have 700 meters to ski back to the hut.