A week riding Laax, Switzerland. Hosted by Nicolas Müller & Ingemar Backman.
Join Mint Tours and all-time legends Nicolas Müller and Ingemar Backman for a truly unique trip to the home of European snowboarding in LAAX, Switzerland. We’ve timed this trip to run during the legendary Sudden Rush Banked Slalom. Expect to see European snowboarding legends and local shredders compete. Whether you want to watch the action for the sidelines or are keen to enter, this trip is about bringing snowboarders together, having a blast and shredding with like-minded people.
Laax is one Europe’s most snow-sure regions. You can expect anything from perfect bluebird to deep powder days. LAAX is the ultimate training ground for some of the worlds best snowboarders. Whether its park laps or pow turns you’ll be stoked to be riding some of the best terrain in Europe
Laax is to Switzerland what Mammoth is to California – a freestyle Mecca that attracts snowboarders from far and wide to its perfectly built parks and pipes. Although Laax trades on the reputation of its freestyle terrain, there’s a whole lot more to it than that with incredible natural features from rock drops to open pistes and gullies. It says a lot that Nicolas Müller, widely known as one of the world’s best snowboarders, has chosen to make his home here.
Our lodging is based at the famous Riders Hotel located on-mountain and is is hosted by Ingemar Backman who will show you why this is one of the best freeride and freestyle resorts in Europe.
Dates
3 - 9 March, 2024
Duration
6 nights I 5 days riding
Price
POA
Tour Type
Freeride - on/off-piste and in the trees
Why Travel With Mint
In a rapidly changing travel industry it’s important to know that your travel provider is accredited, accountable and responsible. We are a registered member of AFTA and IATA and conduct business in accordance with the ATAS Charter and Code of Conduct. When you travel with Mint you can have peace of mind that you are booking with a qualified and established travel operator with over 20 years of expertise. And as a full-service travel agent, we are able to take care of your flights, insurance, stopovers and pre or post tour arrangements.
LAAX
Freeride Tour
Get in touch for a detailed tour itinerary and more info
ABOUT LAAX
The Flims Laax Falera ski resort is one Europe's most snow-sure regions and is located only 90 minutes from Zurich Airport and 20 minutes from the township of Chur. With 220 kms of runs and altitudes ranging from 1,100 metres to 3,018 metres (Vorab Glacier), there's plenty of terrain to ride for every ability level from bowls, pistes, parks, pipes and trees.
SNOW & CONDITIONS
You can expect anything from alpine powder and tree riding to perfect bluebird days. Even if we don’t get fresh snow overnight, the altitude and our local knowledge will ensure you’ll be able to ride light dry snow days after a storm. Temperatures range from +5 during the days through to -10 celsius at nights.
LAAX POWDER
When there’s fresh snow, the best place to head for open, high alpine lines is up to the top of the Vorab glacier. Ride straight down from the top of the T bar, and make a short hike to the top of the Vorab Pign peak at 2,897m. You’ll be rewarded with the kind of wide-open powdery bowl that dreams are made of. It’s not particularly steep or technical (though you can make it more so, depending on where you drop in) but you’ll be howling for more as soon as you finish. If the snow’s coming down hard there are plenty of good tree run off the Plaun chair. This area is also great if you want to tap into your inner Müller and practice your methods off of wind lips, rocks and pillows – there is plenty of amazing natural terrain round here.
LAAX PARKS
Laax has the best park setup in Europe with four parks that cater for all different ability levels. Laax’s parks are not only massive, they’re impeccably shaped. Every kicker, from the smallest green right up to the monster booters of the pro line, will send you perfectly to the sweet spot. They’re all well-spaced too, so it won’t kill your run if you scuff your first trick, and the gradual steps ups make progressing easy. It also boasts not one but two halfpipes both of which are shaped on a daily basis and regularly used by pros like Jan Scherrer and Markus Keller to train. And then of course there’s the 2km long piste-come-fun park. Lapping this in the sunshine is about the most fun you can possibly have on a snowboard.
LAAX PISTES
It’s hard to find fault with Laax’s pistes. Riders will enjoy 224 kilometres of perfectly groomed, wide-open slopes, serviced by 28 ultra-modern lifts, 70 per cent of which are situated at 2,000–3,000 metres above sea level, making LAAX one of the most reliable snowboarding regions in the world to find snow. There’s nothing too steep or tricky here – it’s all just fun. The amazing Curnius piste is a run created by the park staff that is not only full of park features from top to bottom but also has heaps of side hits and fun natural shapes to jib off. There are some great runs down from the Vorab glacier at the top of the resort – big, wide, cruisy reds and blues. The run down into Flims is probably the most epic – you can start right from the glacier if you really want to give your legs a test. But the best bit is the red 18 on the piste map, which winds down through the trees and even cuts through a rock tunnel at one stage.
LAAX PARTY
There’s no avoiding the fact that food and drink are pricey which is why we include breakfasts and dinners as part of this tour. If you do want to eat on the hill, the best place to have a beer a bite and maybe do a spot of pro-stalking is the GALAAXY up at the top of the snowpark. They do great coffee too, and you won’t have to remortgage your house for a latté. The Rocks Resort, clustered around the bottom of the slopes in Laax, has a few restaurant options including the Nooba noodle place and the imaginatively-named Burgers which serves, you guessed it, burgers. Rustica Pizza just down the road which does good Pizza for an affordable price. If you’re after an après pint, the famous Crap Bar (‘crap’ means ‘rock’ in Romansh, so stop sniggering at the back!) at the bottom of the slopes is a good place to start. The Living Room Bar is probably the pick of the bunch for après.
ESSENTIAL INFO
YOUR TOUR INCLUDES
- 6 nights twin share accommodation at Riders Hotel, LAAX
- 6 breakfasts at Riders Hotel, LAAX
- Welcome night dinner
- 5 day LAAX lift ticket
- Arrival and departure day airport transfers from Zurich
- Mint hosts on hand throughout the week
DATES 3 – 9 March, 2024 (6 nights / 5 days riding)
PRO-TIP – GO PRIVATE!
Book this tour as a private departure – with your own guide and all the benefits of a Mint group tour – for any group, big or small (even just one traveller). Get in touch to discuss.
WHY TRAVEL WITH MINT?
In a rapidly changing travel industry it’s important to know that your travel provider is accredited, accountable and responsible. Mint is a registered member of AFTA and IATA and conducts business in accordance with the ATAS Charter and Code of Conduct. When you travel with Mint you can have peace of mind that you are booking with a qualified and established travel operator with over 20 years of expertise. And as a full-service travel agent, we can take care of your flights, insurance, stopovers and pre-or post tour arrangements.
WHAT HAPPENS IF BORDERS ARE CLOSED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)?
The global health crisis has impacted everyone enormously, so we want to make sure your future travel plans are safe and reassure you that we are committed to supporting our customers in the best way that we can. You can view our latest Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates HERE
WHAT IS A FREERIDE TOUR?
The LAAX Freeride Tour is all about the snowboarding. We spend the week exploring the entire resort of LAAX with our experienced guides have an in-depth knowledge of the terrain which gives you the ultimate advantage when chasing deep, un-tracked snow or simply riding varied terrain. We’ll aim to snowboard a lot of powder, glades and trees so please be prepared to ride in the trees for multiple days straight. Of course weather and conditions are impossible to predict so guests must be prepared to ride anything.
WHAT HAPPENS ON ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE DAY?
Once you’ve signed up for the tour we will send you through a comprehensive guide with details about the tour including the arrival and departure day process, a map of where we meet, recommended arrival and departure times, flight options, Visa requirements and transportation information.
WHAT IF I’M TRAVELLING SOLO?
About 99% of our guests are travelling solo, so you’ll be in good company. Our groups generally mix well due to a shared interest in snow sports and an eagerness to explore all that Europe has to offer. If you are travelling solo, you will be paired with another guest to room with. The accommodation for this tour is twin share i.e. 2 beds per room.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON THIS TOUR?
Each tour is different, but we know that by offering one of the smallest client to guide ratio in the industry allows you to ski or snowboard at your preferred pace, and ultimately leads to a better experience for everyone. When we are on mountain, we have a maximum of 6 people per guide. This ensures you get the most out of your time with us, and keeping the groups small means less time waiting and more time riding powder.
IS THIS TOUR RIGHT FOR ME?
This tour is best suited for confident snowboarders. Weather and conditions are impossible to predict so guests must be prepared to ride anything. If you have never ridden in powder or shy away from it at your local resort, this is not the tour to learn. There is lots of glades and trees – please be prepared to ride in the trees. If you’re not sure of your ability, simply give us a call.
CAN I ARRIVE EARLY OR STAY ON AFTER THE TOUR?
For most tours you can arrive earlier or stay later. We can tailor the trip to suit your travel plans. Speak with one of our tour specialists when you are booking and they will be more than happy to assist.
WHO ARE THE GUIDES?
All of our tours are guided by friendly, knowledgeable and expertly trained guides who are passionate about the mountains. Most of our guides work for us season after season. If you have a preferred Mint guide, just let us know and we’ll be able to tell you which tours they are leading.
ARE FLIGHTS INCLUDED?
No, flights are not included. If you need assistance booking flights, we can book you the best flight options for the tour, with no booking fees.
DO I NEED TRAVEL INSURANCE?
Yes. All guests on tour need to be covered by comprehensive travel insurance. Once you have booked on the tour, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance. We offer all of our tour guests discounted snow specific travel insurance.
WHAT HAPPENS ONCE I’VE BOOKED?
Once you’ve booked your spot on tour, we will send you through a booking confirmation and provide updates about the tour including the arrival and departure day process, a map of where we meet, recommended arrival and departure times, flight options, Visa requirements and transportation information. We will send out a Pre Departure Guide 30 days prior to departure. Prior to the tour commencing we will invite you to a group chat which is managed by your tour manager and guides.
HOW DO I CHECK MY ABILITY LEVEL?
The best way to check if a tour is suited to your ability is by speaking with one of our tour specialists. They will be able to determine if the tour you have selected is a good fit for your ability, as well as suggesting other tour options.
HOW DO I GET TO LAAX?
We’ll provide you with airport meet & greet times at Zurich Airport and recommended departure times for Zurich Airport. If it’s your fist time to Europe or if you’re unsure about travel arrangements, often we can link you up with other tour guests to travel with.
HOW DO I CHECK AVAILABILITY?
Speak with one of our tour specialists. As this is a small group tour with limited availability, it’s best to get in touch early to avoid disappointment.
DO YOU TAKE SKIERS & SNOWBOARDERS?
Yes! We are ski and snowboard friendly. Please note that all our tours are led by snowboard guides.
CAN I RENT EQUIPMENT?
Yes. LAAX has quality rental equipment to rent.
WHAT EQUIPMENT SHOULD I BRING?
LAAX can be a cold place in winter, with temperatures typically ranging from 0 to -15. We strongly recommend that guests dress in clothing specific for traveling in backcountry areas. We recommend that guests have a good quality waterproof jacket and pants, lightweight insulated layer, merino base layers, merino gloves and waterproof gloves, goggles with low light & high light lenses, sunglasses, balaclava, beanie, and helmet. We recommend that all guests bring their own snowboarding equipment for the tour (board, boots, bindings & outerwear).
WHO WILL BE ON MY TOUR?
Your group will be made up of travellers from diverse backgrounds and will be varied in age. Our groups generally mix well due to a shared interest in snow sports and an eagerness to explore all that snowboarding in Europe has to offer.
ARE LIFT TICKETS INCLUDED?
Yes. You’ll get a 6 day lift ticket for LAAX. These are pre-paid as part of the tour inclusions and cannot be excluded from the tour price.
If you would like some more information or a quote for the tour you can contact us by:
1. ONLINE
Enquire below. Once we receive your request one of our Europe Snowboard Tour Specialists will be in touch with a with a quote, availability and further details about the tour.
2. OVER THE PHONE
Call us and follow the prompts to speak to one of our Europe Snowboard Tour specialists.
Within Australia (03) 5296 0314