Climate change forces ski areas to close: Wachtberg is not alone!

Climate change forces ski areas to close: Wachtberg is not alone!

Weyregg am Attersee, Österreich - climate change strikes mercilessly! More and more ski areas in Europe have to close the slopes forever, and the reasons are alarming: rising temperatures and economic challenges make the operation impossible in many places. The 2024/2025 winter season is just around the corner, but for some ski areas this means the final one!

In Austria, the small ski lift on Wachtberg in Weyregg am Attersee is shut down forever after more than 60 years. The mining work has already started and the lift stands are history. Wolfgang Spießberger, who led the family business, said sadly: "It was no longer possible." Despite the initial hopes of taking over the ski area on a voluntary basis, financial and contractual hurdles failed. The Jenner ski area on Königssee also meets in Germany in the Berchtesgadener Land. A few years ago, a lot of money was invested in the modernization, but the demand is "simply no longer there," said Thomas Mühlthaler from Berchtesgadener Bergbahn AG.

closures in France

In France, the situation doesn't look better. The Alpe du Grand Serre ski area at Grenoble is fighting with "green winters" and high costs for artificial snow. The municipality has decided to hire the company, which endangers around 200 jobs. "It breaks our heart," said MP Marie-Noëlle Battiste. La Sambuy and Le Grand Puy also have to close, while Métabief is planning to shut down about 30 percent of his slopes in the Jura Mountains. Protests of the locals have already become loud! The Region wants to reposition itself as a year -round holiday destination to cushion the economic losses.

These dramatic developments show how climate change puts the winter sports industry under pressure. The ski season is becoming more expensive and the slopes shrink! What will become of the beloved winter sports when the mountains melt?