Snow depths of between 3 and 4 meters, even in early and mid-winter, are nothing unusual on the Säntis. Another advantage: the Säntis cable car takes you from Schwägalp to this panoramic peak in north-eastern Switzerland in just a few minutes. There are a whole range of rewarding downhill and touring options from the summit, whether as a pure descent - the way back works by post bus or train, but takes a while - or as a freeride tour with a short intermediate ascent and long descent.
As the cable car only takes winter sports enthusiasts from a moderate avalanche danger level (warning level 2), the Säntis is ideal when the powder in the freeride terrain of the ski resorts has long since been tracked out.
Säntis and Alpstein area freeride tour suggestions
See also the Walenstadt ski tour map and the SAC tour guide Glarus - St. Gallen - Appenzell. Some options:
- Gentle and easy: From the Säntis summit via Meglisalp and the Rotsteinpass (ascent again) to Unterwasser.
- Wild and spicy: Säntis (exit at the intermediate stop at support 2) via Hundstein to Unterwasser.
- The long one: From Säntis through the Wagenlücke via Seealp to Wasserauen.
- Long, lonely, wild: Säntis summit via Meglisalp to the Widderalpsattel (ascent again). From there via Hundsteinhütte and Saxer Lücke (ascent again) to Mutschensattel and then to Wildhaus.
Tip: For the shorter tours, depending on how much time you have, you can also make two descents a day, but you will need at least an hour to get back to Schwägalp or the Säntisbahn by post bus.
Another option is to do one of the shorter direct descents and then visit the Unterwasser-Wildhaus ski resort in Toggenburg. There you will find powder terrain below the tree line, especially on bad weather days.
