Corvatsch is a north facing behemoth up to 3303m elevation and includes a glacier in its terrain.
The polar opposite (literally – it is a lot colder!) of neighbouring Corviglia, it nonetheless has excellent snow quality & more terrain diversity than Corviglia.
We drove ourselves from St Moritz to the empty car park at the valley station of the Furtschellas cable car near Sils/Segl for first tracks on a cold clear morning. While we got changed numerous local public buses arrived, disgorging........... absolutely no one! We figured on being alone for some time - probably because of the excruciatingly low temperatures.
Ascending alone in the cable car, one gets a good look at the terrain & particularly the interesting freeride opportunities. The best off-piste at Corvatsch is skiers left of the wonderfully named 'Crap Mellan' T-bar. Reluctantly though we moved on as much of the western Corvatsch terrain remains in cold shadow for a good portion of the morning. We were quickly freezing and needed to find some warmth from the sun. Shame, because the area was all but deserted for most of the day - so a top spot for powder! Some long traverses linking this area to the rest of the resort may test the patience of our snowboarding brethren.
All the piste trails to the Surlej base were in perfect condition. Fast & fun. The bakery across from the cable car talstation provides delicious morning sustenance. Fortified we headed up again........
The summit area on Corvatsch provides stupendous panoramas across the surrounding peaks & glaciers. The temptation to linger for lunch can be overwhelming, but better options exist away from the humans that inevitably accumulate at the summit. Terrain options include a long intermediate piste trail, off-piste on the glacier, freeride routes to the opposing valley & extreme chutes / couloirs on the shaded north side. Corvatsch certainly has diversity in its playbook, some of which are best explored with the aid of a mountain guide.
On the après scene, Hossa bar is OK for an outdoor bar during the day and has a few dance moves going on for night skiing until 2am on a Friday night. The night skiing run is 4.2km long if you into that kind of thing…… we aren’t!
To get home, the three main valley trails are all excellent. If not going back to a car, the Hahnensee run is 4km long & heads back to St Moritz Bad. The run comes out at the Casino and Kempinski hotel in St Moritz Bad. The last section is a bit of skate, but a drink at the Sonnenstübli yurt will see the day end on a high. The quiet car park at Sils makes a good combination with the valley trail & a meal or drinks at the fabulous Kuhstall on the way down. The Kuhstall is a converted cow barn with a gorgeous rustic interior & delectable bratwursts.
A great day’s adventure was had in the resort. It is clear that there is much to do at Corvatsch & it is worthy of several days exploration.
Coming to St Moritz can be daunting for many, mainly due to the perception of it being an expensive ski destination. Whilst it certainly can be expensive, buying lift passes online in advance & choosing wisely regarding accom & food, the area is approachable to everyone. For those on a budget, the absolute key to skiing St Moritz (& Corvatsch) is to NOT eat out for dinner (unless it is a kepap!) and to stay in accom out of town along the train or bus lines. For everyone else come and experience all that St Moritz has to offer at least once in your life. If you can afford it, stay in one of the many grand 5-star hotels to get the full St Moritz experience.
Note that driving to St Moritz in poor weather or a blizzard can be quite the adventure & not in a good way. If in doubt, take the train!