Alp wanted!

Here's The Out Traveler grand Heidi tour of four "Swish Alps" resorts and their queer quotient. Switzerland may be itsy-bitsy, but she packs a winter wallop.

ST. MORITZ                    ENGELBERG

THE 411

Not as ritzy as Gstaad, but   Small, peaceful, nestled
Madonna and Robbie            between glaciers. "Angel
Williams still whoosh here.   Mountain" may be built
A resort with                 around an 800-year-old
a mix of class                monastery, but it welcomes
and rural                     an annual gay and lesbian
grandeur.                     ski week, Eurobound, in
                              January.

CHECK OUT

Is that an alpenhorn in       Hey, size queens, the
your pocket? The Alphorn      largest organ in
Ensemble Engiadina            Switzerland is in
(call 011-41-81-837-3350      Engelberg's baroque
for a schedule) performs      monastery (011-41-
traditional Swiss music.      41-639-7777).

CRASH

Hotel Misani (011-41-81-      Haus sweet haus. Renting
833-3314; $45-$300) lets      an apartment or staying
you customize your room       in a pension is an oh,
with cuckoo clocks, hunting   so Euro and comfortable
trophies, or satin sheets.    bargain ($16-$50).

PIG OUT

Varmints for dinner! At       Show Cheese Factory
Restorant Alpetta             (011-41-41-638-0888, $5)
(011-41-81-828-8630,          is in said monastery, with
$11-$16) chef Dorigo          all the monk-made cheese
shoots and serves the         samples you can
rabbit you may have           stomach.
skied past, in a rustic,
snug Swiss setting.

CHEERS

Avoid St. Moritz's trendy,    Schnitzeled out? Down a
overpriced bars. The truly    Mexican margarita at one
cool kids score at Bobby's    of Yucatan's (011-41-41-
Pub (011-41-81-834-4283;      637-1324; $9-$24) famed
a pint of local beer is       wild parties.
$5-$7).

DAVOS                            ZERMATT

THE 411

Young, hip, and the largest      Hidden, car-free, with old-
of the Swiss resorts, Davos      fashioned chalets everywhere
has an urban kick with a         you turn. A vertical
happening nightlife and a        train takes you straight up
snowboarder following. Top       to this old village, where
athletes from around the         the Matterhorn looms
world are drawn to its           overhead.
Olympic training facilities.

CHECK OUT

The Spielzeugmuseum              The Alpine Museum
(011-41-81-413-2848; $5)         (011-41-27-967-4100, $7)
is is a funky folk-art           has scale reliefs of the Alps,
museum with displays of          writings by Winston
handcrafted toys.                Churchill about the area,
                                 and a body count of
                                 mountaineering accidents.

CRASH

At the Morosani                  The four-star Walliserhof
Posthotel (011-41-81-            (011-41-27-966-6555,
415-4500; $130-$167) the         $175-$350) is the oldest
hills are alive ... with the     lodge in Zermatt, complete
sight of knotty pine. Enjoy      with dark wood beams and
its four-star elegance.          fiery-red shutters.

PIG OUT

Restaurant Walserhuus            Rifugio Teodulo (011-39-
(011-41-81-410-6030;             0166-94-9400, $20-$30) is
$8-$37) is guaranteed to         a hut--smack-dab on the
turn you into a Eurocentric      border between Italy and
cuisine snob.                    Switzerland--where you
                                 can order fondue or
                                 fettuccini and ski back
                                 to either country.

CHEERS

If your ski legs are still up    Drink up at Chez
to doing the hustle, slide       Heini (011-41-27-
over to Cabanna Club             967-1630, $25-$40)
(011-41-81-413-1200), pictured   as singing chef Dan
above, which serves              Daniell (the "Don Ho
up the latest house music.       of Zermatt"), belts out
                                 the tunes.