Artificial snow defies the thaw: lifts in the Miesbach district continue to operate

Created: 12/31/2021, 7:00 AM

From: Gabi Werner

The gaps in the snowpack are getting bigger.

Nevertheless, the Waldkopf in the Sudelfeld area was still very busy these days.

The main runs are still open.

© Ralf Poeplau

Rain, thaw, gusts of wind: this mixture is currently affecting the ski areas in the Miesbach district.

Nevertheless, many lifts are in operation beyond the turn of the year.

Bayrischzell / Schliersee / Rottach-Egern

- It is thanks to the stable artificial snow underlay that most of the lifts are still running, at least in the large Alpenplus ski areas.

In the small ski areas, on the other hand, operations should soon come to a standstill if the cold and there are still no snow supplies.

Some slopes in the Sudelfeld ski area are already closed

Egid Stadler, Managing Director of Bergbahnen Sudelfeld in Bayrischzell, has already had to close the slopes where artificial snow-making is not possible.

The rain had destroyed the last remnants of natural snow.

"The main runs are open, however, and the conditions are still good," says Stadler, describing the situation on Sudelfeld.

The fact that the temperatures were in the basement in early winter and that a lot of artificial snow could be produced now saves the season over the turn of the year.

"We have a machine snow cover of at least 30 to 40 centimeters - it holds up well," says the managing director.

Artificial snow-making is currently not possible due to the temperatures

Still, Stadler hopes that the cold nights will return soon.

Then the freshly groomed slope could freeze in the evening and provide a stable base for the skiers the next morning.

Snow supplies are also urgently needed.

The production of artificial snow is currently not an issue.

“That only makes sense from minus five degrees,” explains Stadler.

In the Spitzingsee area, at least all of the main runs are in operation

The situation in the Spitzingsee-Tegernsee ski area is very similar. "Due to the weather, we can no longer provide the full range of offers," says Alpenplus spokeswoman Antonia Asenstorfer.

The curve lift, the Nordhang lift and the Dreitannen lift, for example, have already had to be closed.

"The main runs are in operation," reports the spokeswoman.

In order to protect the slopes, which are already stressed by the heat, the popular night skiing on the Stümpfling run cannot yet start, as Asenstorfer explains.

Night skiing usually takes place on Thursdays and Fridays.

When it's that time again, skiers and snowboarders can find out on the homepage of the Alpenbahnen Spitzingsee.

Despite wind and weather: a surprising number of people on the slopes

Despite the dwindling snow cover and the often adverse weather conditions, the Brettl fans have been romping around on the slopes of the Alpenplus areas.

Asenstorfer is satisfied with the number of visitors.

“Even in wind and weather, there were a surprising number of people there,” she reports.

Asenstorfer also attributes the great popularity to the more difficult entry requirements for Austria.

That scares off and probably has the consequence that the skiers prefer to stay in their home areas.

Operation under 2G conditions has worked well

The 2G regulation still applies to the ski areas.

In other words: anyone who wants to use the lifts has to be vaccinated or have recovered.

Both Stadler and Asenstorfer report that the company has adjusted well under these conditions.

“What still causes us problems is the mask requirement,” admits Asenstorfer.

Both when queuing in line and in the lifts themselves, visitors have to wear an FFP2 mask - a regulation that is often ignored in the ski area despite the information and the corresponding announcements, admits the press spokeswoman.

Operation is only possible to a limited extent in small ski areas

So while Sudelfeld and Spitzingsee offer boarding fun even after the turn of the year, the lifts in many small areas will soon have to cease operations.

"We're still driving on a narrow strip of artificial snow," reported Georg Reisberger from Oedberg in Ostin on Thursday, for example.

It is uncertain whether the lifts there will continue to run beyond New Year's Eve.

It is also advisable to take a look at the Internet at the Kirchberg and Hirschberg lifts in Kreuth.

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