Saas-Fee keeps glacier skiing open with extensive work

Saas-Fee’s ski lifts on the Allalin Glacier have partly reopened after an eight-week shutdown, but keeping the slopes usable has required extensive work, SRF reports.

The mountain railway company has prepared the pistes with snow saved from last winter. “No new snow has fallen,” said Simon Bumann, director of Saastal Bergbahnen. The snow cover is currently very thin, he said, but skiing is still possible.

Workers have built terraces to catch drifting snow and spent many hours on maintenance. They also cleared rockfall from the upper section and closed crevasses so the lifts could operate. Bumann said new crevasses form as the glacier moves and must be closed for safety. Summer work is also necessary for winter operations.

About 800 athletes are currently using the prepared slopes. Swiss ski cross racer Saskja Lack said autumn training is essential to be ready for December. She has trained in Saas-Fee in previous years, when there was metres of snow, and said she had never seen the glacier in such a condition.

Summer skiing has limited importance for tourism, according to Damian Constantin, director of the Valais tourism organisation. He said summer visitors mainly come to enjoy mountain views, whether or not the glacier ski area is open. However, the training facilities can benefit Swiss junior skiers who cannot afford to travel to South America.

Bumann said the company knows glacier skiing has an end point and is preparing for the day it is no longer possible. If ski training can no longer take place, the company will need to develop alternative activities.