Gotthard Oberalp Arena
Encyclopedia
The Gotthard Oberalp Arena is a ski area located in Andermatt
Andermatt
Andermatt is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.With Realp and Hospental, it is located in the Urseren valley, south of Altdorf.-Geography:...

 and Sedrun, in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

. It has 16 ski lift
Ski lift
The term ski lift generally refers to any transport device that carries skiers up a hill. A ski lift may fall into one of the following three main classes:-Lift systems and networks:...

s and approximately 30 runs, and just over 100km of pistes. The ski area covers three separate mountains:
  • Naetschen
    Naetschen
    Naetschen railway station is run and served by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn It has 1 platform, but also has a passing track for when trains need to pass each other....

  • Gemsstock
    Gemsstock
    Gemsstock is a mountain in the Lepontine Alps, overlooking Andermatt in the canton of Uri. A glacier named Gurschenfirn lies over its northern flanks...

  • Oberalp/Sedrun


Train services (run by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn) are vital in this resort as they are the only means of transport available to travel from Andermatt (Naetschen and Gemsstock) to Sedrun (Sedrun/Oberalp).

Naetschen

Naetschen is one of the three mountains making the ski area. It has 9 runs (21km of pistes) and 4 lifts, and is located north of Andermatt
Andermatt
Andermatt is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.With Realp and Hospental, it is located in the Urseren valley, south of Altdorf.-Geography:...

. Naetschen is a mountain mainly for beginners, as it is covered mainly with easy pistes.

Naetschen normally closes early for the summer, as it is south facing and is quite low. The only way to access Naetschen from Sedrun/Oberalp, in the winter, is to get the train.

Gemsstock

Gemsstock is located south of Andermatt
Andermatt
Andermatt is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.With Realp and Hospental, it is located in the Urseren valley, south of Altdorf.-Geography:...

. It has 8 runs (31km of pistes) and 5 ski lifts. Gemsstock also has a terrain park. Gemsstock is a mountain mainly for intermediate skiers, but is also suitable for beginner skiers.

In the winter the only way to access Gemsstock from Sedrun/Oberalp, is on the train.

Sedrun/Oberalp

Sedrun/Oberalp is located near Dieni, and is the biggest of all of the three mountains' ski areas. It is good for skiers and snowboarders of all levels. It has 7 ski lifts and Sedrun has 13 pistes (50km of pistes). Sedrun also has a ski cross course, a big terrain park with a high amount of jumps, a half pipe, and a ski cross course.

In the winter the only access to Sedrun/Oberalp from Andermatt
Andermatt
Andermatt is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.With Realp and Hospental, it is located in the Urseren valley, south of Altdorf.-Geography:...

 is by railway. The services are run by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn.

Skilift System

There are in total 16 operating ski lifts in the Gotthard Oberalp Arena, including a Detachable 6-man Chairlift.
Mountain Name Type Height of
ground
station(m)
Height of
mountain
station(m)
Construction
year
Gemsstock
Gemsstock
Gemsstock is a mountain in the Lepontine Alps, overlooking Andermatt in the canton of Uri. A glacier named Gurschenfirn lies over its northern flanks...

 
Andermatt - Gurschen Aerial tramway
Aerial tramway
An aerial tramway , cable car , ropeway or aerial tram is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion...

 
1445 2219 1991
Naetschen
Naetschen
Naetschen railway station is run and served by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn It has 1 platform, but also has a passing track for when trains need to pass each other....

 
Andermatt - Naetschen Double chairlift
Chairlift
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel cable loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs...

 
1444 1842 1983
Sedrun/Oberalp  Dieni - Milez Detachable quad chairlift
Detachable chairlift
A detachable chairlift or high-speed chairlift is a type of passenger aerial lift, which, like a fixed-grip chairlift, consists of numerous chairs attached to a constantly moving wire rope that is strung between two terminals over intermediate towers. They are now commonplace at all but the...

 
1452 1881 1994
Naetschen
Naetschen
Naetschen railway station is run and served by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn It has 1 platform, but also has a passing track for when trains need to pass each other....

 
Duerstelen T-Bar  2015 2310 1981
Naetschen
Naetschen
Naetschen railway station is run and served by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn It has 1 platform, but also has a passing track for when trains need to pass each other....

 
Grossboden T-Bar  2150 2364 1994
Gemsstock
Gemsstock
Gemsstock is a mountain in the Lepontine Alps, overlooking Andermatt in the canton of Uri. A glacier named Gurschenfirn lies over its northern flanks...

 
Gurschen - Gemsstock Aerial tramway
Aerial tramway
An aerial tramway , cable car , ropeway or aerial tram is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion...

 
2219 2955 1990
Gemsstock
Gemsstock
Gemsstock is a mountain in the Lepontine Alps, overlooking Andermatt in the canton of Uri. A glacier named Gurschenfirn lies over its northern flanks...

 
Gurschenalp T-Bar  2050 2285 1962
Gemsstock
Gemsstock
Gemsstock is a mountain in the Lepontine Alps, overlooking Andermatt in the canton of Uri. A glacier named Gurschenfirn lies over its northern flanks...

 
Gurtschen Double chairlift
Chairlift
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel cable loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs...

 
2000 2205 1982
Gemsstock
Gemsstock
Gemsstock is a mountain in the Lepontine Alps, overlooking Andermatt in the canton of Uri. A glacier named Gurschenfirn lies over its northern flanks...

 
Lutersee T-Bar  2026 2398 1975
Sedrun/Oberalp  Mulinatsch - Cuolm Val Detachable 6-man chairlift
Detachable chairlift
A detachable chairlift or high-speed chairlift is a type of passenger aerial lift, which, like a fixed-grip chairlift, consists of numerous chairs attached to a constantly moving wire rope that is strung between two terminals over intermediate towers. They are now commonplace at all but the...

 
1658 2213 2006
Naetschen
Naetschen
Naetschen railway station is run and served by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn It has 1 platform, but also has a passing track for when trains need to pass each other....

 
Naetschen - Stoeckli Detachable quad chairlift
Detachable chairlift
A detachable chairlift or high-speed chairlift is a type of passenger aerial lift, which, like a fixed-grip chairlift, consists of numerous chairs attached to a constantly moving wire rope that is strung between two terminals over intermediate towers. They are now commonplace at all but the...

 
1858 2314 1994
Sedrun/Oberalp  Oberalp - Alpsu T-Bar  2049 2299 1987
Sedrun/Oberalp  Planatsch - Milez T-Bar  1706 1972 1973
Sedrun/Oberalp  Tegia Gronda T-Bar  2020 2260 1969
Sedrun/Oberalp  Val Val - Calmut Quad chairlift
Chairlift
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel cable loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs...

 
1950 2299 1988
Sedrun/Oberalp  Val Val - Coulm Val Quad chairlift
Chairlift
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel cable loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs...

 
1950 2184 1988

Ski School

The Gotthard Oberalp Arena has 2 different ski schools. One for the Sedrun ski area, and one for the Andermatt
Andermatt
Andermatt is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.With Realp and Hospental, it is located in the Urseren valley, south of Altdorf.-Geography:...

 ski areas. Each have several different classes, based on age and ability.

Andermatt Ski School

The Andermatt ski school has several classes. Students are put into classes based on their age and skiing ability. Because Andermatt has 2 mountains to ski on the ski school usually does a mixture of both. At the end of the week there is a race, in which the students go down a slalom. The fastest person wins.

Later that evening there is a celebration in Andermatt, in which medals are awarded to all people participating.

Sedrun Ski School

Sedrun ski school is similar to Andermatt. The Sedrun ski school is on the Oberalp/Sedrun ski area.

Prices

Prices in Gotthard Oberalp Arena are often considered extremely high, considering it has quite limited ski pistes.

For the Andermatt areas (Naetschen
Naetschen
Naetschen railway station is run and served by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn It has 1 platform, but also has a passing track for when trains need to pass each other....

 and Gemsstock
Gemsstock
Gemsstock is a mountain in the Lepontine Alps, overlooking Andermatt in the canton of Uri. A glacier named Gurschenfirn lies over its northern flanks...

) prices start at 22CHF (£15) for a child, or 44CHF (£30) for adults, for a day pass. For a child a weekend pass will cost approximately 40CHF (£28) for children, and almost double for adults (80CHF/£56) .

Passes for a specific period of time can be also purchased. In Andermatt passes can be bought from Andermatt railway station
Andermatt railway station
Andermatt railway station is an important railway junction on the metre gauge Furka Oberalp Bahn . It serves the municipality of Andermatt, in the Canton of Uri, Switzerland...

, or at the bottom terminal of the Andermatt-Gurschen cable car.

Future

As part of Orascom Hotels and Development's plans to make Andermatt a bigger resort, many of the lifts will be overhauled and replaced, as well as new lifts and runs. The plans include
  • Over 120km of ski runs
  • Upgraded ski lifts on Naetschen
    Naetschen
    Naetschen railway station is run and served by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn It has 1 platform, but also has a passing track for when trains need to pass each other....

     and Gemsstock
    Gemsstock
    Gemsstock is a mountain in the Lepontine Alps, overlooking Andermatt in the canton of Uri. A glacier named Gurschenfirn lies over its northern flanks...

  • The Naetschen and Sedrun/Oberalp being connected with 3 ski lifts


These plans are expected to be completed by the year 2020.

Naetschen and Oberalp Connection

There are plans for Sedrun/Oberalp to be connected with Naetschen
Naetschen
Naetschen railway station is run and served by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn It has 1 platform, but also has a passing track for when trains need to pass each other....

. These plans are to have over 20km of runs (mainly intermediate/red runs) and 3 ski lifts (most probably chairlifts), and a total of 8 stations (2 of the lifts will have middle stations), linking the two up ski areas. The Oberalp - Alpsu T-Bar will also be replaced.

This connection will mean that skiers and snowboarders will no longer have to rely on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn train services.

Planning Permission Problems

In October 2011 it was announced that the current plans to construct 15 new ski lifts had not actually received planning permission to build these new lifts. This is a problem, as some of the lifts were already under construction, and if these lifts are not built the Andermatt project might not even be complete .
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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