Is there snow yet? You can hit the slopes in this ski area from tomorrow

The first non-glacier ski area, Diavolezza in the Upper Engadine, opens its slopes in October. This is possible thanks to snow farming. Is it even worth it?

The Diavolezza ski area opens on Saturday. It is the first non-glacier ski area to open its lifts and gondolas in October. Not much snow has fallen yet, but the ski resort has a solution - snow farming.

Marketing Manager of Diavolezza Seilbahnen Michael Nicolà says: "In the pre-season (October 19 - November 22), slopes no. 1 (firn) and no. 2a (Diavolezza glacier) are open. The slopes down to the valley station open from December 21 - depending on the snow situation."

The ski area is not officially a glacier ski area. Nicolà says: "Although some of the open pistes run over the Diavolezza glacier, there are no special lifts directly on the glacier, as is often necessary in other glacier ski resorts."

Snow farming helps the ski area

But how can a ski resort without a glacier welcome guests so early? "Due to the altitude in the Upper Engadine, we do have a certain advantage, especially in connection with technical snowmaking, where temperatures and humidity are decisive factors," explains Nicolà.

But the decisive factor is the successful and uninterrupted snow farming since 2007, which has a positive mass balance. Snow farming refers to the process of storing snow. At the end of the winter, large quantities of artificial snow are produced in suitable outdoor locations. This is covered with an insulating layer, such as sawdust or wood chips, to protect the snow from melting. In the next winter season, the snow from the store can be spread on the slopes again.

Nicolà says: "Not only does it have the advantage that the winter season can start earlier, but the energy and water consumption is also around a third lower than with conventional snow production." It also reduces the amount of machinery needed to prepare the slopes. Since this method of "snow recycling" has been used, the Diavolezza glacier has gained over ten meters in thickness at its thickest point.

Not only professionals ski so early in the year

However, the question remains as to whether such an early opening is worthwhile. The Swiss Ski squad practices on the Diavolezza slopes. So are the slopes only prepared so early for the pros? Nicolà says no: "We not only want to offer Swiss Ski and other junior squads the opportunity to train on snow early in the season, but also give our guests as well as locals and second home skiers the chance to make their first turns on freshly groomed slopes early on."

The slopes are open to the public on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, while they are reserved for training on the other days. Thanks to this combination, a win-win situation can be created.