Skiing despite climate change: the sense and nonsense of the new giga ski areas

Missing the last lift to the summit can have unpleasant consequences in Ischgl. The ski area extends over both sides of a mountain range on the border of two countries: Austria with Ischgl and Switzerland with Samnaun. It is a few kilometers as the crow flies over the summits, but there is a distance of almost 80 kilometers on the road between the two locations.

So stupid if you are stranded on the wrong side. Even if the time of the last ascent is clearly marked on every lift: in the Tyrolean giant ski area with more than 230 kilometers of slopes there is a risk of accidentally landing at the wrong end and of not coming back. However, this is not only the case in Ischgl.

On the way in the alpine huddle

Many areas in the Alps extend over several peaks and valleys. When looking at the piste maps of giant resorts such as Ski Arlberg (Austria), 4 Vallées (Switzerland) and Les Trois Vallées (France), some skiers should ask themselves how they shouldn't get lost in this alpine muddle without GPS.

But surveys show it, and the marketing offices of large areas also point to it time and again: variety of slopes attracts and is the most important reason for many vacationers to choose an Alpine destination. Many guests staying at one end of the ski resort should realistically never see the other end.

Anyone who tries it has to hurry – often it is only possible to do it directly. It is not possible to drive other slopes on the left and right of the route or to stop in a hut. Unless you want to run the risk of running aground. In any case, the enjoyment falls by the wayside. At least for all those skiers who don't just want to ski until their feet burn.

Size of the ski area as a status symbol

But in the end, many are not interested in exploring every corner of a ski area, says Oliver Kern from the Skiresort.de portal: "People want large ski areas, even if they don't want to ski everything." From Kern's point of view, the size of the ski area is a kind of status symbol for many, similar to an expensive wristwatch or handbag: "They just want to be able to say that they were on the Arlberg or in the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm."

Gigantic resorts: 600 kilometers of slopes in France

The Skicircus, another such giant resort. Several valleys, 270 kilometers of slopes. And soon even bigger. At least the plans provide for the Skicircus to connect with the Schmittenhöhe – the local mountain of Zell am See. That would make it 347 kilometers of slopes that you can experience on skis. If the strength is enough.

And it's not just about swinging between the peaks of an area. Each mountain offers a large number of slopes. In the French Les Trois Vallées, the largest ski area in the world, there are a total of 600 kilometers. "They will never ski all of them in a week's skiing holiday," says Kern. At least for normal skiers that is impossible, he estimates.

Who takes advantage of the variety of slopes?

The ski resorts, however, insist on their thesis: Especially the guests who are on site for longer use the variety of slopes. Ski Arlberg, for example, communicates it on request. For a sporty skier, it is also feasible to get from one end of the association to the other and back again in one day.

Anyone who wants to cross a giant ski area back and forth must definitely plan well. For example, in Valais 4 Vallées it can happen that, when you arrive at the other end of the area, you realize with horror that it is high time to start again in the other direction. At shortly after 1 p.m., about three hours before the last lift.

Incorrectly calculated winter sports enthusiasts cannot hope for the good will of the cable car operators. "Some lifts will not close the minute if you are a little late," Kern estimates. "But in the end there are signs everywhere when the last lifts are going. And every skier has to make sure that he comes back in time."

Bus and taxi instead of cable car and lift

In an emergency, guests could switch to public transport, Ski Arlberg explains. Even if this could be "a bit cumbersome" due to the winter closure of the Lechtalstrasse between the towns.

A look at the map shows just how complicated this is: if you get stuck in Warth and want to go back to St. Anton, you have to put up with a journey of 105 kilometers.

In Ischgl it happens in rare cases that guests miss the last cable car ride, reports the Silvrettaseilbahn AG. And then? There are two options: a three-hour bus journey with changes for around 14 euros or around an hour and 15 minutes by taxi for around 200 euros.

Alternatives to giantism

Even if unwanted beaching in the wrong place is actually experienced by a few skiers in the end – it highlights the meaning and possibly nonsense behind large ski areas.

Oliver Kern, who tests ski areas with his colleagues and claims to have already traveled to 900 resorts worldwide, does not go by piste kilometers alone in his personal selection: "That is a criterion, but not everything." Many ski areas do not offer countless kilometers of slopes, but score points with great fun parks or family offers. "They found their niche."

Kern is also convinced that a beautiful area with 30 kilometers of slopes could be worthwhile: "That doesn't sound like much, but even a normal skier can hardly do that in one day."

By Tom Nebe, dpa