Samedan (St. Moritz)
Where winter tourism was invented — twice Olympic, forever extravagant.
Difficulty mix
Bonvo Score breakdown
Computed from mapped terrain data — no editorial opinion, no pay-to-rank. How the score works
Skiing St. Moritz, told properly
Winter holidays were literally invented here. In autumn 1864, hotelier Johannes Badrutt bet his departing English summer guests that if they returned in winter and didn't enjoy the sunshine, he'd pay for their trip. They came, they stayed until Easter, and the winter season was born. St. Moritz went on to host the Winter Olympics twice — 1928 and 1948 — and to define alpine glamour so thoroughly that its name is a registered trademark.
The skiing on Corviglia, high above the frozen lake, is sunny, wide and immaculately groomed, with the steep Piz Nair flanks and legendary corduroy for early risers; across the valley, Corvatsch and Diavolezza (on the wider Engadin pass) add glacier skiing and the Alps' most beautiful moonlit runs. The Engadin's 'champagne climate' — dry air, brilliant light, over 300 sunny days claimed a year — makes even an average day look cinematic.
And no resort does spectacle like St. Moritz: skeleton riders hurtling down the natural-ice Cresta Run since 1885, White Turf horse races galloping across the frozen lake, and five-star hotels that treat ski boots as evening wear.
Signature runs
Piz Nair to Marguns
From Corviglia's 3,057 m high point, a long, flattering descent with the whole Upper Engadin lake chain below.
Corviglia race piste
The slope that hosted Olympic and five World Championship races — silk-smooth and fast in the morning.
Hahnensee (Corvatsch)
The classic end-of-day run from Corvatsch toward St. Moritz Bad — sunset light across the frozen lakes.
Local tips
- Book 'Snow Deal' early-bird lift tickets and ride the first Corviglia funicular — Engadin corduroy at dawn is a religion.
- Friday nights, Corvatsch grooms the Alps' longest illuminated run — ski it, then fondue at the mid-station.
- Watch White Turf (February) from the lake ice — free viewing areas ring the racetrack.
- Hallowed, pricey Corviglia has Switzerland's fanciest mountain dining; budget lunches live at Marguns.
Good to know
- St. Moritz hosted the Winter Olympics in 1928 and 1948 — one of only three towns to host twice.
- The Cresta Run, built 1885, still sends riders head-first down natural ice at 130+ km/h every winter.
- Johannes Badrutt's 1864 wager with English guests is credited as the birth of winter tourism in the Alps.
Lift network
2 mapped lifts.
| Lift | Type | Capacity/h | Ride time | Length | Vertical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skilift Survih | T-bar | — | — | 626 m | 162 m |
Samedan (St. Moritz) — quick answers
How many ski runs does Samedan (St. Moritz) have?
Samedan (St. Moritz) has 1 mapped downhill runs totalling about 0.8 km of pistes, with the longest single run measuring 750 m.
What is the vertical drop at Samedan (St. Moritz)?
The mapped skiable terrain spans 162 m of vertical, from 1760 m at the base to 1923 m at the top.
How many lifts does Samedan (St. Moritz) have?
Samedan (St. Moritz) operates 2 mapped lifts.
Ski Samedan (St. Moritz) with the map in your pocket
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