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Switzerland’s high, iconic mountains play host to some of the finest off piste on the planet, and these ten resorts have the very best of it.
Clue up on avalanche safety, pray for powder, then hire a local guide to show you the greatest hidden stashes, or go-all out on the heli-ski trip of a lifetime.
Switzerland: Top 10 Ski Resorts for Backcountry
Posh parties and luxury lodgings aside, the off-piste here makes Verbier one of the world's greats. The Chassoure-Tortin “Wall” itinerary is one of the best mogul runs we’ve skied, but shuffle your way across the top bit and you can plummet into the Col de Mouches, a bracing bowl… + more
Davos’ gift to powder skiers is the Pischa, fondly known as the ‘Freeride Mountain’. This is the place to get back in touch with nature, where descents are marked and hazard-controlled, but left gloriously ungroomed (our favourite trail from the top is the long and varied… + more
Spend the whole week on groomers and you’re only scratching the surface of Zermatt’s world-leading terrain. Look beyond the lines and there’s a whole other world of steep, deep powder waiting to be carved. For starters, you’ll find trails of the hazard-protected variety totalling… + more
Just like St M’s dazzling hotels, the off-piste here’s in a league of its own. The powder on either side of the Corviglia run is great if you’re dipping your toes into the soft stuff for the first time, while you’ll find more daring descents from the Piz Nair summit with loads of… + more
Lifts link Nendaz to the rest of the mammoth 4 Valleys, but there are some cracking local itineraries to lap up before you head off to Verbier’s legendary descents. We love the Plan-du-Fou, which links onto a steep groomer down to Prarion. Dent du Nendaz has ski lifts taking care… + more
It may be Blofeld’s lair in the Bond film, but the real baddies here are Mürren’s powder descents. It goes without saying that you’ll need a guide to show you the best of them: the terrain is rocky and snow can be sketchy, but with a local expert in the lead, it’s an absolute… + more
Despite its small proportions and reputation for refinement, when it comes to off-piste, Klosters is big - with some positively beastly gradients. If we could, we’d ski the Rätschengang (a 45 degree stomach drop to the base of the Rätschenhorn) over and over again - there’s… + more
This power couple forms one of the most attractive ski hubs in all of the Valais and the powder offerings are a treat. There’s oodles of opportunity in the La Toula, La Tza and Chetzeron areas, and they provide thick, forested protection from any winds or white outs. Head down… + more
You’ll thank the heavens Arosa is also a bona fide spa resort, because a few days on the powder here will leave even the most seasoned ski-legs in need of some pampering. The Weisshorn, Brüggerhorn and Rothorn are brimming with zoomy couloirs, steep slopes and fresh stashes. Try… + more
When it’s in favour with the snow gods, Grindelwald’s powder terrain is nothing short of celestial. To throw yourself in the deep end, heli-skiing’s the way to reach the untouched mountainsides of the Jungfrau region, with astounding drop off points on the Ebnefluh and Petersgrat.… + more
Spend a ski or snowboard holiday in one of the top places for powder terrain in Switzerland, using this definitive list of 10 best off-piste Swiss ski resorts.
The ski and snowboard resorts mentioned here have won awards like the "Best Off Piste Resort In Switzerland" or "Number 1 European Freeride Resort".
Simply put, this is where you’ll find the best off piste in the country.
These Swiss resorts should be on every seasoned snow lover’s bucket list, but if you want to extend your search to include other nations, have a look at our other Top 10 pages.
You can read about the finest freeride in France, Austria’s awesome powder and the incredible offerings in Italy – as well as the terrific terrain over the pond in Canada and America. And for the best powder on the planet, there’s our Worldwide Top 10.
Switzerland - best off piste ski resorts
| Resort | Best features |
|---|---|
| Verbier | Stop on the Freeride World Tour, world-class backcountry terrain, itinerary runs, powder bowls |
| Davos | Has a ‘Freeride Mountain’, steep powder runs, long off-piste trails |
| Zermatt | Plenty of ungroomed trails, backcountry, heli-skiing, glacier runs |
| St Moritz | Glacier trail, range of powder runs, natural jumps |
| Nendaz | Itinerary runs, brilliant backcountry, Mont Fort glacier trails |
| Murren | Expert level rocky powder runs, panoramic steeps, bowls, valley descents |
| Klosters | Huge network of powder trails, steeps & deeps, long valley runs |
| Crans Montana | Tree runs, powder fields, glacier terrain |
| Arosa | Steeps, couloirs, glades, options for ski safaris |
| Grindelwald | Heli-skiing, lift-served itineraries, incredible scenery |
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