Almost all slopes in Germany were closed for a year and a half due to the pandemic. It should start again shortly, despite the rapidly increasing incidence.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen – Bags of french fries are piled up in the kitchen. There are six five-kilo packages. “That’s enough for the first half an hour,” says the deputy gastronomic director of the Bavarian Zugspitzbahn, Hannes Berkmann.
It is the last day before a short closure before winter operations start this Friday (November 19th). Guests often consume hundreds of kilograms of fries in one day. Berkmann and his people expect around 6,000 visitors every day during the winter season on Germany’s highest mountain (2962 meters).
The Zugspitze ski area will be the first to open in Germany. Only those who have been vaccinated and those who have recovered are allowed to get on the mountain railways there for the time being. In Bavaria, a disaster applies, the hospital traffic light is red. The cabins travel with a maximum of two thirds of the guests – for more distance.
How that will be in other German ski areas is still open. With skiing days in Austria, it gets difficult at first: Almost the entire neighboring country has been classified as a high-risk area since Friday.
There is a lack of planning security
In this country too, the incidences are increasing rapidly. According to the lift operators, you are guided by the official requirements. However, there is a lack of planning security. “We can only always plan up to the deadline of the respective infection control measures ordinance,” says Antonia Asenstorfer from the Alpenbahnen Spitzingsee, Brauneck and Wallbergbahn. But one is planning clearly with ski operation.
Also on the Wurmberg in the Harz (971 meters) it is not yet entirely clear how Corona will be dealt with. Perhaps there will be hourly instead of day tickets, said Fabian Brockschmidt, operations manager of the Wurmberg cable car. In any case, 3G and a mask requirement should apply in all lifts. The production of artificial snow should start soon. “Our goal is to enable the first ski operation at Christmas.” Most are aiming for the start before Christmas.
“We are waiting for winter to come,” says the project manager of the Sauerland winter sports arena, Julian Pape. The experiences from the spring have shown that the operation works with restrictions. According to Pape, the areas of Willingen and Winterberg were able to open for a few weeks in spring as a major exception. “Those who were there were happier than ever.” Some even came from the south and east.
Reluctance can still be felt
Now winter sports enthusiasts are looking forward to the new season. At the Zugspitzbahn, the first people with skis had recently been standing – and had to be put off, employees report. The ski area was still closed. The sale of season tickets is not the same as before the pandemic, but there were many inquiries, says spokeswoman Verena Altenhofen.
Hotels and overnight stays are also feeling the reluctance. “At the moment we are mainly receiving short-term booking inquiries. Compared to the years before the pandemic, the booking situation for the coming winter – including the Christmas season – is noticeably subdued, ”says Teresa Hallinger from the Berchtesgaden Mountain Experience Association. The specifications for the season must be made known as quickly as possible for the different scenarios in order to give tourism officials and guests planning security.
Meanwhile, work on the Zugspitze is in full swing. A whole ox, roughly cut, arrived in the kitchen. Red cabbage is pre-cooked. The caterpillars are in great use on the slopes. The snow from last year, pushed together in sheltered hollows and north-facing locations as a depot, must be distributed so that at least the slopes at the two chairlifts can be used next Friday, even if there is no fresh snow. There are no snow cannons here.
Great anticipation
“We’re on the last legs,” says Tobi Gansler, head of the lifts and snow groomer fleet. He and his colleagues are currently out and about on the slopes from morning until sunset. We look forward to the next few weeks with optimism. “We’re all looking forward to it.” Looking back on the lost season still sounds bitter. “We would have been ready. It would have been a great winter. “
Again and again it had looked as if it could be opened: at least after Christmas, at least on Mardi Gras – or at Easter. But the lockdown remained. The Association of German Cable Cars and T-bar lifts (VDS) estimates the losses of the members at 99 million euros. And, according to the association: “In terms of weather conditions, the past winter season was one of the best in a long time and thus sales would have been well above average.”
Hunger for snow
Winter sports enthusiasts are hungry for snow. Student Max Sailler is looking forward to “the first few turns”. Father Mathias Wochnig goes tobogganing with his daughters on the Zugspitze. The youngest should do the first turns this year, the oldest is already mastering black slopes. He himself has some catching up to do: Last winter, he said he hadn’t been on skis for the first time in 40 years.
The corona situation requires additional measures. Some companies hire more employees, for example for controls. There is a lot to think about. Cutlery, for example. The guests are not allowed to take it themselves, the staff has to put it in bags. “That’s why I ordered another 2,000 knives and forks,” says Vice Gastro Manager Berkmann. So more cutlery can be bagged before the rush.
Nobody here likes to think that the season might still break in view of the difficult Corona situation. “That would be a disaster,” says Berkmann. “We’re having a great winter.”
According to the VDS, the hygiene concepts are in place, while skiing you are almost only in the fresh air. Après-ski like in Ischgl, where the virus spread rapidly at the beginning of 2020, does not exist in this country. Antonia Asenstorfer from the Alpen Plus area becomes clear. “We clearly demand that there should no longer be a lockdown for ski areas.” Dpa
