DER ANDERMATTER Winter 2017

Schneeerzeuger sorgen für beständiges Weiss in der SkiArena. Snow cannons ensure the SkiArena stays white.
Snow farming is the term used to describe the preservation
of snow, and has been used with great success by the SkiArena
Andermatt-Sedrun since 2004. In that time, snow depots have
been established on the Gurschen glacier and more recently at
the neighbouring St. Anna Firn glacier, with around 10,000 m²
of fleece-like material being used to cover the ice in each
location. In this way, around 50,000 cubic metres of snow are
saved from melting each year. The SkiArena will use the preserved
snow mass to prepare its pistes early for the 2017/18
season and to create perfect conditions on the Gemsstock from
late October until May.
“Technical snow” is used in the ski area between Andermatt
and Sedrun. Often incorrectly referred to as “artificial snow”,
the process actually involves forcing chilled water through the
fine nozzles of the snow making machines to produce minute
droplets, which freeze and trickle to the ground as ice granules
Using this method, a total of 550,000 square metres of pistes
in the SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun can be covered with snow.
200 snow making machines – 30 snow cannons and 170 snow
lances – are on hand to do this. Since this winter, the machines
for the Andermatt-Gütsch-Schneehüenerstock ski area have
been supplied with water from the Lake Oberalp by a pumping
station on the Oberalp Pass road.
These efficient snow making facilities mean that the Ski-
Arena is ideally prepared – even if winter arrives a bit late.
Nevertheless, the snow making machines are only used if they
are really needed. After all, natural snow is still considerably
cheaper – and wonderful to watch as it floats in great flakes
from the skies.
www.skiarena.ch
GLETSCHERABDECKUNG
COVERING THE GLACIER
Jeweils im September entfernen die Mitarbeiter der SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun
Tausende Quadratmeter Vlies vom Gurschen gletscher.
Die weissen Bahnen wurden nach Saisonende im vergangenen Frühling
ausgerollt, fest vernäht und mit Sandsäcken beschwert. Über die
Sommermonate blieben Schnee und Gletschereis darunter konserviert.
2004 hat die SkiArena den Gletscher an der Abfahrtsrampe vom
Gemsstockgipfel erstmals mit diesem Verfahren geschützt. Seither
führt sie diese aufwendige Massnahme Jahr für Jahr durch, um das
Abschmelzen des Eises zu mindern.
Every year in September the SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun staff remove
thousands of square metres of fleece material from the Gurschen glacier.
The white blankets were rolled out last spring after the end of the season,
firmly stitched together and weighted down with sandbags. Snow and
glacier ice remained preserved underneath during the summer months.
The SkiArena used the method for the first time in 2004 to protect the
glacier on the slope running down from the summit of the Gemsstock.
Since then this elaborate measure has been put in place every year to help
prevent the ice from melting.
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