Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Skiing for 15 years and visited resorts in:
🇦🇺 Australia (6) • 🇺🇸 USA (15) • 🇯🇵 Japan (5) • 🇪🇺 Europe (10)
Corvatsch rises to 3,303 metres above the Upper Engadin valley, claiming the highest mountain station in Graubünden and a commanding 1,506-metre vertical drop. The resort spreads 120 kilometres of piste across 26 marked runs, with 74 per cent graded intermediate and north-facing slopes that hold snow reliably from late November through April. Three aerial tramways access separate sectors at Corvatsch, Furtschellas and Murtèl, whilst the peak station sits above a small glacier that extends skiing well into spring.
Intermediate terrain dominates with wide cruising runs and sustained descents reaching 1,000 vertical metres on several lines. The 9-kilometre Hahnensee piste drops from Corvatsch summit to St Moritz Bad, threading through varied pitch and aspect. Furtschellas offers gentler graded blues for progression, whilst expert terrain includes steep couloirs and marked freeride zones above the glacier. Corvatsch Park ranks among the Alps' larger terrain parks, hosting FIS Freeski and Snowboard World Cup events annually.
The mountain attracts a sports-focused clientele distinct from the neighbouring Corviglia scene. On-mountain dining centres on substance rather than luxury, with the 3,303-metre summit restaurant serving polenta-based dishes and mid-station Murtèl offering wood-fired pizza. Friday night skiing illuminates a 4.2-kilometre run, Switzerland's longest floodlit descent. The Hossa Bar at mid-mountain anchors après activity.
Ikon Pass holders receive seven days' combined access across all St Moritz areas, with Corvatsch included in the Engadin Mountain Pool regional pass. The 2025-26 season runs 22 November to 26 April. Corvatsch suits confident intermediates and expert skiers seeking sustained vertical and reliable snow conditions away from St Moritz's central crowds.
Total Runs
26
Total Area
120km
74.6 miles
Fourteen lifts service the terrain, comprising three aerial tramways, six chairlifts including one six-pack, and five surface lifts. Two base stations provide primary access: Surlej near Silvaplana operates the main tramway to Murtèl mid-station at 2,702 metres, whilst Sils feeds the Furtschellas sector at 2,786 metres. Total hourly capacity exceeds 12,000 skiers across all installations.
The Surlej-Murtèl tramway ascends 2,711 metres in a single section, built by Garaventa in 1997 with 125-person cabins. A second 100-person tramway continues from Murtèl to the 3,303-metre summit, installed by Leitner in 2008. The Sils-Furtschellas tramway, renewed in 2021, carries 65 passengers per cabin over 1,580 metres. These three reversible ropeways form the backbone of uplift capacity.
The 2016-installed Curtinella six-seater links Furtschellas to the main Corvatsch sector, spanning 2,200 metres with Porsche-designed heated bubbles and leather seating. Four quad chairs and five T-bars distribute skiers across upper mountain sectors. The Giand'Alva chair accesses the Hahnensee descent towards St Moritz, whilst the Murtèl quad returns from the terrain park.
Infrastructure investments focused on comfort and connectivity rather than pure speed. Over 300 parking spaces occupy a two-storey garage at Surlej base. No gondolas operate within the system. Plans for a direct St Moritz Bad connection via the Hahnenseebahn remain unrealised, leaving the advanced Hahnensee piste as the sole ski link to St Moritz.
Total Lifts
14
Lift Types
5
The 2025-26 season opened 22 November and runs through 26 April, spanning five months of lift-served skiing. Corvatsch typically operates one of the Engadin's longer seasons, with north-facing aspects and high elevation preserving coverage into late spring. Early-season openings in late November align with the resort's 3,303-metre summit elevation advantage.
Snowfall averages 760 centimetres annually at upper elevations, though recent seasons show variability. The 30-year average sits near 170 centimetres, whilst the 2023-24 season delivered only 80 centimetres. North-facing exposure and glacier presence help maintain base depths above 100 centimetres during peak winter. Limited snowmaking supplements natural accumulation on key runs including the night skiing route.
January through March delivers prime conditions, with February offering the deepest snowpack and coldest temperatures for powder preservation. April extends the season on upper slopes, where spring corn develops reliably on sun-exposed aspects. Powder can linger for days in shaded sectors given Corvatsch's quieter midweek traffic compared to Corviglia.
Friday night skiing runs 7pm to 1am December through January and 7pm to 2am February through April on the 4.2-kilometre illuminated descent. The Corvatsch Park terrain features and halfpipe operate throughout the season. No summer glacier skiing operates despite the summit's elevation. Mid-November through early May represents the reliable window for snow conditions.
Current Season
2025 - 2026
Opening Day
11/22/2025
Closing Day
4/26/2026
Days Open
156
Corvatsch occupies the south-western flank of the Upper Engadin valley in Graubünden canton, opposite St Moritz across the valley floor. Base facilities sit between 1,797 and 1,870 metres elevation near the villages of Surlej, Silvaplana and Sils im Engadin. The resort stands 12 kilometres by road south-west of St Moritz town centre, surrounded by peaks including the 3,451-metre Piz Corvatsch summit.
Silvaplana (population 900) and neighbouring Surlej provide the closest accommodation options, connected by free electric shuttle buses running every 20 minutes to the Corvatsch tramway. Sils im Engadin lies 1.1 kilometres from base facilities, whilst St Moritz sits 7 kilometres distant with regular PostBus connections. The valley's lake plateau stretches below at 1,800 metres, flanked by Piz Bernina at 4,049 metres to the south.
Road access follows Route 3 through the Engadin valley, reached via Julier Pass from the north or Maloja Pass from the south. Zurich lies 203 kilometres distant with a 2.5-hour drive via Chur, the Graubünden capital 86 kilometres north. Milan sits 125 kilometres south-west over the Maloja Pass. The Vereina rail tunnel offers an alternative approach from Austria.
Zurich Airport (ZRH) provides the primary international gateway at 211 kilometres, requiring 2 hours 47 minutes by car. Milan Malpensa (MXP) sits 183 kilometres distant. Train connections run from both airports to St Moritz station via Chur on the Rhaetian Railway, with journey times near 4.5 hours from Zurich. Local buses complete the final 8-kilometre transfer from St Moritz to Corvatsch base stations.
