winter mountain
For the coming weekend it will probably be cold again in many places and white on the slopes. About 70 lifts are said to run in Sauerland. Preparations are also being made for skiing in Thuringia.
After weeks of thawing, the lift operators in the Sauerland are hoping for particularly good winter sports conditions this coming weekend. Around 70 lifts could run – as many as never before this winter, said the Sauerland winter sports arena. 25 centimeters of new natural snow are expected this week. In addition, the snow cannons are in continuous operation every night in the freezing temperatures.
Since Christmas, double-digit temperatures with rain and strong winds had melted the snow quickly. Most recently, skiing and snowboarding in the Sauerland was only possible in Winterberg on a few narrow swathes of artificial snow in the otherwise green landscape. That should now change again.
Slopes could also open with natural snow alone
So far, ski areas with snow-making systems in particular have planned to open at the weekend. “Should the announced snowfall come, a few slopes could also open with natural snow at higher altitudes,” said a spokeswoman. “The conditions on the snow-covered slopes are very good. The natural snow slopes should at least offer good conditions.”
Some skating routes are prepared for cross-country skiers. “Should the announced amount of snow come, there could even be a few classic cross-country trails,” said the spokeswoman. Several toboggan lifts should also be running again. In the Neuastenberg ski area, floodlit winter sports are planned for the first time this season on Saturday evening.
The weather could be pleasant for winter sports enthusiasts at the weekend: Saturday is expected to remain mostly dry, with fresh snowfall expected again on Sunday. In addition, the German Weather Service in Essen expects permafrost at high altitudes.
Thaw in the Christmas holidays
So far, winter has thrown quite a spanner in the works for many lift operators. After December was cold and the first lifts went into operation at the beginning of December, it got rainy and warm during the important Christmas holidays of all days. In the middle of the winter season, some summer toboggan runs were reopened to offer something to the tourists.
The rush to the few ski lifts that were still able to open was still great. “People want to get out into the fresh air on vacation, exercise and experience something – and in winter they want to go skiing and tobogganing,” said Florian Leber, lift operator in Winterberg.
the Winter sports arena Sauerland is a merger of the ski areas in the districts of Hochsauerland, Siegen-Wittgenstein, Olpe and the Hessian municipality of Willingen. This includes 34 ski areas with 126 lifts.
Skiing again in the Thuringian Forest at the weekend
After the return of snow and frost, ski fans can indulge in winter sports again in the Thuringian Forest at the weekend. Then the lifts in Steinach, Schmiedefeld, Heubach and probably also in the Oberhofer Snowpark will be started, he announced Regional association Thuringian Forest on. In Steinach, night skiing starts on Friday (January 20) from 5 p.m. According to the information, 35 winter hiking trails in the Thuringian Forest are also prepared and three toboggan slopes are open.
While artificial snow is being used on the ski slopes, the natural snow in the region has so far hardly been sufficient for cross-country skiing. However, more fresh snow is expected at the weekend, so that the winter sports resorts are preparing for the traces of the trails at the beginning of next week. Only the sports field trail in Schmiedefeld and the multifunctional trail in Masserberg are currently prepared for cross-country skiers.
For the lift operators, the season started early in December, but initially only for a short time. The Christmas and New Year’s business failed completely. Since then they have been waiting longingly for winter weather.
