Hotel & Offers Engadin St. Moritz - Pontresina

The Engadin lakes
In winter, the lakes of the Engadin valley freeze over and are covered by a thick
blanket of snow – adding to the sense of boundless freedom that this high
valley inspires. They offer visitors a beautiful setting for winter walks, crosscountry
skiing and snowkiting, and provide a dramatic venue for exclusive
events, such as the spectacular St. Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow, the legendary
White Turf horse races and the traditional Engadin Ski Marathon.
Snow crystals
A combination of low temperatures, dry air and snow makes everything in the
Upper Engadin glitter. On particularly cold, sunny days, the air appears to be
full of millions of tiny diamonds, sparkling in the sunlight. Curious phenomena
take place on the ground, too – for example in the Val Trupchun. As the sun
rarely reaches the valley floor in winter, the snow crystals grow to up to 4
centimetres (2 inches) across – and glisten magically.
White giants: the glaciers of the Engadin
Among the highlights of the magnificent Alpine landscape of the Upper Engadin
are 173 glaciers. Draped regally around the highest peaks in the Eastern Alps,
they extend for more than 40 sq. km (15 sq. miles) in all – 6 per cent of the
region’s surface area. Undisputed leader among them is the Morteratsch Glacier
– at around 7 kilometres (4.5 miles), the longest in the Engadin. But other
glaciers – again with intriguing names, such as Roseg, Tschierva, Sella and
Pers – also put on an impressive display of nature. Under a winter blanket of
snow, however, the ice giants are barely discernible. At most, you can make out
the odd crevasse, offering a glimpse of the eerie blue interior. Equally intriguing
are the ice caves, created in summer when the relatively warm meltwater makes
its way out of the glacier. Exploring the ice giants on your own is, however, very
dangerous. Anyone seeking the ultimate glacier experience is well advised to
book an experienced guide.
Typical Engadin ice crystals
Unspoilt nature Page 29
Further information on the
region’s unspoilt nature:
www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/
unspoilt_nature