Triemel restaurant in Hochwang in the Grisons mountains is a sad sight: In a normal winter season, the slopes would be covered with snow and full of skiers. However, for the moment, there is no skiing pleasure on the slopes. Tufts of grass are shining all over the ski slopes, in some places all over the meadows. And this despite the fact that the restaurant is at an altitude of 1880 meters above sea level.
The scenery is astonishing: it is nothing new when ski areas at low altitudes occasionally come across with green meadows instead of perfectly manicured slopes. However, Hochwang reaches a height of 2284 meters. Such altitudes are supposed to guarantee snow safety. However, all eleven slopes are currently closed.
Important New Year’s work gone
That means things crash for railroads during the important New Year’s week. Many mountain railroads earn up to 15 percent of their annual turnover during Christmas and New Years. And Hochwang in particular could use the money: In the past, financially distressed sports railroads didn’t have the money to expand their profit-making systems. They only needed to raise funds at the beginning of summer so that they could secure operations for the current winter season.
However, even snow machines currently do not guarantee a functioning ski operation at higher altitudes. On Monday, the Splügen-Tambo region in Graubünden had to stop skiing. Although it goes up to 2215 meters. And local railroads can snow 60 percent of the slopes and advertise that they’re snowproof. “We have a lot of water on the tracks. “There was a relatively large amount of rain, followed by rain,” Hans “Hacher” Bernet, CEO of Bergbahnen, explains to Blick. An unfavorable combination that ends the snow cover on the mountain.
Will other ski areas close soon?
Now should skiers fear that in the next few weeks there will be a number of other areas, such as Hochwang and Splügen-Tambo, which are between about 1500 meters and 2200 meters? «No, the artificial snow cover is much denser and more compact. Anyone who can snow in December will be able to offer good conditions for skiing in the next few weeks,” says Berno Stoffel (52), Manager of Seilbahnen Schweiz. Unless an area is affected by an unfortunate combination of weather as in Splügen.
Cross-country skiing instead of downhill skiing
In the meantime, it is hoped that the closure of the ski area in the hospitality sector and the rest of the tourism sector in Splügen will not spoil their business. Fortunately, there are currently no cancellations at hotels, as a small Blick survey shows. However, it is too early to really assess the effect.
The cross-country ski trail is an alternative for skiers. “The conditions on the track are good. The slopes are rough until half past noon, as in the spring,” says cross-country ski instructor Ernst Steiner (65). Other guests take a walk around town.
Railroads hope temperatures drop quickly so they can restart the ski season with a new layer of artificial snow.