Switzerland 

                                     Spotlight On Klosters 

                                                                (Originally written for OnTheSnow.com)
                                                                                    by Ted Heck

There's a photo of Prince Charles in a mountain hut on the slopes above Klosters. It is just one indication of the kinds of clientele whose adventures over the years have been chronicled in magazines like People. Film stars and other celebrities have had chalets here for decades.

However, you don't have to be on a magazine cover to feel at home in this picturesque village in Graubünden, the easternmost canton of Switzerland. You can stay modestly in a two-star hotel for under $100 a day, walk past buildings weathered by time, shop in boutiques, and have access to the same slopes on which the stars cavort.

Klosters shares a vast snowy arena with Davos, the better-known resort eight miles away and 1,200 feet higher. Five separate ski areas have nearly 200 miles of marked runs, vertical drops of more than a mile, and a longest run of seven miles. A common lift pass opens gates at 50 lifts.

Nearly 35 miles of tracks are prepared for cross country fans, with a similar amount of winter wandering paths. Just about every other winter activity is available.

Skiers and snowboarders who prefer the ambiance of Klosters for lodging can go up to the popular Parsenn area above Davos to ski. A cable car rises from the center of Klosters to the top of the Gotschnagrat Mountain. From there they ski over to lifts that connect with the Parsenn.

One of Switzerland's memorable runs is that seven-mile journey that starts atop the Parsenn and follows a groomed track through vast snowfields, drops down into the trees, goes through farm pastures and ends up in the village of Küblis. Skiers replay the day over a drink at the train station while waiting for the train back to Klosters.

Another adventure is on the Madrisa, a south-facing mountain with comfortable terrain for youngsters. But it is also the starting point for a backcountry trek over to Gargellen in Austria.

At the end of the day, skiers have a wide choice of places to relax - colorful bars or tea rooms and dining in fine restaurants. Every day there is an event to match a visitor's interests, including various exhibitions, concerts, and sport contests.

When you look up from the menu in a gourmet restaurant like the Walserhof and think you recognize someone, the person staring back at you might be thinking that you, too, are somebody special.

You are; you're skiing in Klosters.