As of: February 20, 2024, 1:00 p.m
By: Sebastian Grauvogl
Comments
Press
Split
Well frequented: the ski areas in the Miesbach district, here a queue at the eight-person chairlift at Sudelfeldkopf in mid-January.
The combination of artificial and natural snow from December has held up to this day.
© Thomas Plettenberg
The ski stop at Jenner in Berchtesgaden sent the scene into turmoil.
However, the lift operators in the Miesbach district see no reason to be afraid of the future.
Schliersee/Bayrischzell
– A lot of effort for a few good days: In April 2015, this was roughly the reason given by the Alpine Railways Spitzingsee-Tegernsee to stop winter operations of the Taubensteinbahn and thus alpine skiing in the area.
The news still caused a small shock wave in the scene.
And many ski fans were reminded of this when the Jennerbahn in Berchtesgaden gave the skiing fans the cold shoulder a good two weeks ago and explained this with falling demand and at the same time high costs for snowmaking and preparation in the sometimes challenging terrain.
The latter was also the deciding factor at Taubenstein for foregoing the otherwise necessary investments in snowmaking on the slopes, which until then had relied solely on natural snow, and modernizing lift systems, says the managing director of the Alpine Railways, Antonia Asenstorfer.
As a result, she can definitely understand Jenner's motives.
However, Asenstorfer cannot at all recognize a change in the industry barometer that some have derived from this.
Every ski area is different, so 1:1 comparisons are not possible.
Full operation even during the carnival holidays
The managing director is satisfied with how the season has gone so far at Spitzingsee.
The combination of artificial and natural snow at the beginning of winter created an optimal basis for remaining in full operation until the end of the carnival holidays despite repeated warm spells.
Even though the slopes became muddy from midday onwards, the guests enjoyed the “early spring skiing”.
In the medium term, there will be more snow on the mountain, so that the current “dry spell” has not yet marked the end of the season, emphasizes Asenstorfer.
In general, the number of visitors has remained largely constant over the past winter.
The continued high demand for ski courses from kindergarten age onwards is an important sign that future generations will remain loyal to Alpine skiing.
Egid Stadler, managing director of Bergbahnen Sudelfeld, is also convinced of this, as he reported in an interview with the Oberbayerischen Volksblatt (OVB).
With the decision to expand snowmaking including a storage pond just ten years ago, Bayrischzell positioned itself in favor of alpine skiing.
The success was also evident this season, when the Sudelfeld was literally “overrun” at the beginning of winter.
Despite the current slump caused by the warm weather, which is encouraging many people to switch from skis to cycling, the problems at Jenner cannot be transferred to other ski areas, emphasizes Stadler.
The panoramic mountain in Berchtesgaden has never been a family ski resort.
“It's too steep and too narrow for that.” Sudelfeld, on the other hand, is purely an alpine area where just 20 centimeters of snow would be enough for fun on the slopes.
Artificial snowmaking, which despite everything has been repeatedly criticized, plays a crucial role in this concept, says Stadler: “People have to understand that this creates the basis for later in early winter.”
Ski operations at Wendelstein “not economically tested”
The Wendelsteinbahn does not have this option.
Nevertheless, ski operations at Wendelstein will continue in the coming winters - provided there is adequate natural snow conditions - managing director Florian Vogt told our newspaper when asked: "As long as no major investments are necessary, we are not putting it to the test from a business perspective." That is the demand This was shown on the six days on which the east run to the Mitteralm and the two variants at the Bockstein and Lacher lifts were open this winter.
“The conditions and the encouragement from the ski fans were very good.”
Also read: Exclusive rental offer for the ski lift at the Maxlraineralm
Since 2015, the Taubenstein has shown that it can be done without lifts or snow groomers.
It has developed into a touring magnet.
And in summer, when the cable car runs, many hikers are drawn to the panoramic area, emphasizes Asenstorfer.
All in all, the decision made nine years ago has proven successful.
My news
Hotel Terofal is once again for sale
Walking and cycle path from Hausham to Ostin: New information about the route and the start of construction
They were due: trees removed from Habererplatz in Miesbach
Police on calls for witnesses: “We are grateful for any information” read
Mountain bike trail in Hausham: Route on Brenten becomes legal
Miesbach: Radl-Rowdy crashes into the rear window - second accident during the escape reading
sg