If you’ve already been at the Hochjoch ski area, you’ll probably wonder what’s special about the Zamangspitze as it is easy accessible from the slopes even with bad snow conditions. What makes it special is the downhill to St. Gallenkirch and not the east face back to the gondola. The exposition of this route is – unfortunately – southern. There’re some steep parts above, which tend to slide down in an avalanche and then there’s not always snow in the lower parts, which tend to make you walk, a lot.

But let’s start from scratch. The peak of the mountain is at 2.387 meters, located in the Hochjoch/Grasjoch area of the Silvretta Montafon ski resort. Easiest access would be from the ridge of the Kreuzjoch mountain (summit station of the Panorama gondola). Although the access to the peak is easy, the way down isn’t. Not only because of the avalanches (be careful of the exposition and local rising temperature) but because you really need to know the way down. I highly recommend a guide. There’re just too many dangerous possibilities to get lost (right from the start).

As you already know, last winter brought us lots of snow. And so one day we totally lucked out, because we had a guide and a fresh load of powder. We started with our little group at the summit of the panorama gondola, from where we raced to the ski-route no. 11 Zamang (counter slope, so yeah, racing). There we pushed along the ridge for about 400 to 500 meters (snowboarders have to walk). At the end we put the skis on our backpacks (you can also carry them) and hiked/climbed the rest of the way to the summit cross. The panorama is fabulous here: from the Rätikon Mountains (Zimba, Drei Türme, Sulzfluh, Madrisa) to the Silvretta Mountains (Valisera, Litzner, Piz Buin) to the Verwall Mountains (Valschavieler Maderer, Lobspitze).

Our descent started right below the cross first in western direction. Partly on the ridge, after that a virgin powder slope with gorgeous views down the valley. Now through some bushes and a steep slope which ended on a wide meadow. We avoided the avalanche gallery and kept more to the summer hiking trail, which you can find on a card like outdoor-active. We skied past the Zamangalpe and went along the rural road to St. Gallenkirch. With a little luck (we had a lot) the meadows in the valley are still covered in snow. This helped us to ski down right to the L86, from where we only had to walk 250 meters to the gondola. And the best of it all? We did it again some days later!