"Smallest ski area in the world" St. Gallen T-bar lift to run without a permit

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31.1.2025 - 19:00

A group of artists has built "the smallest ski resort in the world" on a slope in St. Gallen. One or two little things are missing for the ski operation.
A group of artists has built "the smallest ski resort in the world" on a slope in St. Gallen. One or two little things are missing for the ski operation.
Bild: Grauer Himmel

The "smallest ski resort in the world" is due to open on Saturday at 3 pm. Despite uncovered costs, a lack of snow and a denied permit. But the initiators supposedly have a solution for everything.

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  • The "smallest ski area in the world" is due to open tomorrow, Saturday, in St. Gallen: a 20-metre-long T-bar lift with a black slope.
  • However, the responsible authorities have refused to grant the operating group a permit for the ski lift.
  • The artists' collective, which is realizing the project on the outskirts of St. Gallen, wants to put the lift into operation despite the lack of a permit, uncovered costs and a lack of snow.

Two days before the opening, the supposed death blow for the art project of the "smallest ski area in the world" comes. The responsible authority does not issue a permit for the operation of the already installed ski lift.

The reason given: The skiers have too little space to ski down, writes the "St. Galler Tagblatt". The lack of space is not surprising. After all, the only slope - a black one - measures just 20 meters. There are five hangers on the ski lift.

Nevertheless, Anita Zimmermann and her art collective want to put the drag lift, which was dismantled in Grub in Ausserrhod, into operation tomorrow, Saturday. They are clarifying whether it is possible for guests to sign a liability waiver, says Christian Meier, one of the operators. If this were not possible, they would operate their mini ski area as part of private events. They would have to comply with fewer regulations.

Snow from the Aletsch Glacier

The permit is not the only thing that the group behind the "Gray Sky" art project lacks. The costs are not covered, as the SVP and FDP in the St. Gallen cantonal council rejected a contribution from the lottery fund, which would have covered a quarter of the costs.

The group has tried to plug the hole with crowdfunding. At present, just under 5,000 of the 45,000 francs are still missing. The total cost is estimated at 187,000 francs, as the collective told the culture magazine "Saiten".

And one important ingredient is still missing: snow. St. Gallen, at 675 meters above sea level, receives more of it than any other major city in Switzerland. Nevertheless, there is currently no base. The operators have had an initial load delivered by the Lerchenfeld artificial ice rink. The rest, which is still missing, will be flown in from the Aletsch Glacier.

Opening takes place - with or without skiing

They want to spread the snow over the steep slope using a tiller from a window of the adjacent building. They wanted to make it snow, explains artist Anita Zimmermann.

The opening ceremony is planned for tomorrow Saturday afternoon - with mulled wine, music and a performance by artist Roman Signer. However, the group admits that it is not certain whether the snow that has been brought in will actually be enough for skiing.