Reaching for the moon.
In early January, winter storm Andrea chased 120 mph winds across Switzerland. As heavy snowfall delivered up to a metre of fresh Powder in less than 24 hours, many parts of the Alps were temporarily inaccessible due to considerable avalanche risk. The long list included Switzerland's cradle of winter tourism, the Alpine metropolis of St Moritz. This was disappointing news for me, as I was due start the new year in style with a full moon train ride across the Bernina massif.
The good news came at the eleventh hour. The train lines re-opened just in time and--as if waiting for the signal--the heavy clouds that had blanketed the country for days began to disperse. I could hardly believe my luck. Not only was I going to get to go, but also there was an increasing chance that I might even get to see the fun moon.
Tripping along
After travelling along the Albula line to Engadin, I arrive at St. Moritz station at 6 p.m. and am promptly welcomed by a Japanese film crew that has crossed continents to capture every second of this unique experience and is visibly relieved that its efforts have not been in vain. I echo the sentiment with a smile and introduce myself to Stefanie Cramerie and Irene Pluss, our hostesses on this Extrafahrt (special service), courtesy of the Rhaetian Railway.
Inside the second panoramic carriage, I find my designated seat and gladly receive the complementary glass of Prosecco that awaits me atop a neatly folded napkin. As raise my glass to my fellow passengers, I am pleasantly surprised to see a wide mix of ages and nationalities--across the corridor from me are four Swiss friends in their early twenties, and right in front of me, there is an elderly English couple and a Russian family with two young kids. The chatter grows louder as the Prosecco continues to flow and we slowly commence our journey along the UNESCO World Heritage track into the Bernina massif.
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Chasing stars
As we travel through the dark night, the large illuminated carriages with their 2-metre tall observation windows shed light onto the edge of the outside world, revealing animal tracks and a staggering metre-and-a-half of glistening snow At every bend, the locomotive comes into view, huffing and puffing while ploughing its way through the white winter landscape.
After Pontresina station, village lights become increasingly infrequent and larch forests grow less and less dense. Ahead ties the Bernina massif...
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