On a visit that promised so much, yet delivered so little, to say we were both disappointed and frustrated by Obersaxon Mundaun is an understatement. Maybe we missed the memo? Perhaps the gloomy day put out our 'spider senses'? Or maybe it is just a mundane, undulating ski resort of little interest to expert skiers. Who knows? We pride ourselves about being open-minded & objective about ski resorts ....... it’s just that we struggled to find much to truly love at Obersaxon Mundaun. But that doesn’t mean you wont!

The trip started perfectly. An easy drive up from our accommodation in Ilanz to free parking in an empty lot right next to the chairlift at Valata. Heavy snow falling and lots of fresh already on the hill. No one else around. Threw a ball for a young hound that was loving the new snow. Got let onto the chairlift 10 minutes early. And then it happened......

Perhaps, with snow falling heavily and a big powder day beckoning, it was the decrepitude inducing slowness of the first chairlift ride. Maybe it was the confusing exit. Maybe it was the closure of the 6-seater chair up to Piz Mundaun. Maybe it was the long flat, sometimes uphill trail across to Misanenga. Or maybe it was the group of young skiers that emerged from some nearby ski-in ski-out accommodation that mindlessly blocked our skating momentum on the trail. Or maybe it was all of these things that reset the tone of the day from enthusiasm to bemusement and then ultimately disappointment.

Did we ski powder? Yes. Did we wait in lift lines? Maybe only twice the whole day. And that’s good right? Sure, but even as we dived into the huge bowl skiers left of the Wali-Stein triple chair into what should have an awesome powder run from Stein summit into Wali, we found it ruined; traversed into oblivion by everyone in front of us. Ride the fall line you fools …….. aaargh!! (Our lack of local knowledge meant we didn't ski this zone until just before lunch - rookie mistake as it is probably one of the few ‘go to’ sectors on a powder day before it gets the scheiße traversed out of it.)

Maybe if the 10km+ long meandering pistes to Lumbrein, Vignogn & Vella from Piz Sezner were open, the visit would have had the whiff of adventure that we so adore? Or maybe if the visibility had been better? But seriously, we ski a lot of places for the first time in poor weather, so this is a little unlikely! Maybe if we didn’t get sucked in by the ambiguous ski trail map that appears to indicate one can ski to Wali from the top of Kartitscha; and then had to repeat that lamentable journey again….. Turns out we could have if we’d skied the bloody sled trail and not the piste, of course!! Gosh this is festival of whining, but whine I shall!

Standing on the highest lifted point of Piz Sezner, we thought here we go, straight under the chair on the steepest bit. Chopped up powder was ok but short again and then unpleasant as we went lower toward Wali. Ho Hum… Elsewhere, off-piste powder from Hitzeggen into La Tegia was ok but short too. It’s the Wali-Stein triple chair that serves the best off-piste ski terrain (but to be fair we didn’t ski off Piz Mundaun so we don’t truly know.). Realistically though, despite its skiable vertical, it’s only the top 250 to 300m of vertical at the resort that holds one’s interest if looking for anything with reasonable pitch.

And what is the story here with the modern antiseptic mountain huts? Yuk! They look nice enough from the outside (non-traditionally speaking), but the food offerings plus any real Swiss Alps ambiance are sorely lacking. And you are here to get some Swiss ambiance in the mountains!

In some ways it is a shame that we chose the Valata triple chair as our starting point for the day’s skiing. Beginning elsewhere may have assisted our mood. Aside from the resort’s two triples that date from the early 1980s, the rest of the chairlifts are reasonably modern high-speed quads or sixers. But hindsight is always a wonderful thing, and why I will have to return to Obersaxon to look at through different eyes.

For a final run of our visit to the resort, we went from the second highest lifted point (on Stein) all the way along to Cuolm Sura and then down to Valata. We hardly sighted any signage or piste trail markers making navigation for the uninitiated a challenge at best. A long undulating trail in the middle with some exceptionally stiff uphill sections. And then once we meandered around the top station of the Valata chair and headed down a blue run, we skived off and enjoyed two pitches of lovely powder before having to ski across a road. A road that is not marked on the trail map, naturally! Good grief. Never mind. It was a fitting way to end a day of bemusement.

Would we come here again? Possibly not and only under a certain amount of sufferance (…oh the sacrifices we make😊). Just because Obersaxon is not for us, doesn't mean it is not for you. The many cutesy villages, the cruisy family friendly slopes (ignoring the uphill bits!), the distance one can travel on skis, opportunities for a bit of off-piste, the sledding and winter walking trails; there's a bit to love here. It’s just not enough for us. In a country where the choices are wide & there are some outstanding places to visit, Obersaxon Mundaun perhaps occupies a niche for family friendly ski holidays but that's about it.

You know what, having said I'll never go back, one never says never. In good viz, fresh snow and all lifts open, maybe this place is the juice. I wouldn't be holding my breath over it though!

See our thoughts on the resort’s pros & cons via the Obersaxon Mundaun overview page.

See our video here

Obersaxon Mundaun started well. Parked car in front of lift, quaint ticket box and friendly staff with a cute dog thrown in for good measure.

After that it was just a bewildering experience. There was sooo much traversing, which is ok if its well-planned, but this traversing was up hill (sometimes extreme), flat, down. The trails are not well marked, as in there are poles but little or no identifying features. It is a seriously confusing experience.

This is all exacerbated when visibility is poor, and might explain why, despite there being plenty of room that I found myself with fellow snow enthusiasts practically on top of me. Stop on the side of a piste and I'd end up surrounded. Check out a completely empty and wide off piste, then find people dropping on top of you after you've clearly shown it's safe. The few cafes I checked out had little describing that they were a cafe, or open, or there were public toilets (had a lot of skiers asking questions of us because we were there and there wasn't any identifying features). The options in the cafes I checked out were minimal, poor quality and expensive. Once again, despite there being heaps of room, tables, options and visibility I ended up with people sitting in our seats while we were ordering, with our gear on the table and hooks in front of them.

Some of the best snow & terrain had been severely traversed, but maybe there are some options on a good day with fresh powder once you know all the tricks to getting around?

We stayed in nearby Ilanz which was fantastic as a base to ski other, better ski resorts like Brigels & Vals. Go there instead
See our video here