“Lift tickets: You must buy your pass using a credit card at the Bergbahn (Blue Train) station on Via Stredas in town for each day that you wish to ski. A ski pass for several days will be cheaper than buying one each day. Rates are generally half that in the United States because the insurance liability in Europe is much lower. Your ski pass also entitles you to free bus transportation from the Schulhausplatz to any of the other ski areas in the Engadin Valley, including Diavolezza and Corvatsch (the glacier), as well as use of the ski lifts at those areas. These high-tech passes are like an EZ Pass for the body and need not be removed from your pocket to admit you to the lifts.

Ski Instruction: One of the best deals in Switzerland, ski instructors cost less than half what they do in the U.S. The best in St.Moritz is a young man named Zeno Medici (zenoski@hispeed.ch) whose family comes from the Italian side of the mountain. For a number of years he trained the 5 and 6 year olds to race, so you can imagine that everyone in the valley trusts him, and his English is amusing if not perfect. If Zeno is busy, ask him for a recommendation, including his current girlfriend (Jenny) or for Alwin.

Special Bonus: Ask Zeno to arrange a helicopter flight to the top of the Corvatsch glacier on the other side of the valley. The helicopter ride is $50/person, and takes 15 minutes. It will save you an hour plus of travel, and start your day with an incredible view. You can ski down to the bottom at the end of the day. Alternatively, a breathtaking experience is to ski on the Morterrasch Glacier. It is an all-day event that includes a little walking uphill and some traverses, but not with seal skins on the bottom of your skis, and it will leave you with a deep understanding of the difference between skiing in the Rockies and skiing in Europe. The glacier is not always open, and you must always go with a guide, so book ahead.”

From a longtime regular visitor from N.Y.

“Considered one of Europe’s top winter sporting events, White Turf is like an alpine Triple Crown where the big hats are replaced with fur. Races, which take place on St. Moritz’s frozen lake, occur over three Sundays in February (the 3rd, 10th and 17th) and include regular flat races, trotting or carriage races and skijoring, in which a skier is hitched to a horse and pulled around. Many of the top restaurants and hotels set up little eateries and you can expect the glamour quotient to be high—apparently no one shows up in ski clothes.”

From the longtime regular visitor from N.Y.