Density stress in the Alpine region

The merger of the Kühtai and Hochötz ski areas in the Northern Stubai Alps between Sellraintal in the east and Ötztal in the west has been a major topic for the respective lift operators for years. Many options have already been considered, but none have been successful to date. The nature conservation concerns were often too great. As the ski resorts operate a ticket network together, shuttle buses run seasonally to transport skiers back and forth. A direct connecting lift without new slopes in the area of the road is hardly feasible due to the numerous avalanche paths. It would also be over 6 km long and therefore not reasonable for anyone - neither a local freerider nor a foreign vacationer, just like the stupid bus ride. In the meantime, an implementation idea past the Pirchkogel via the Schafjoch to the hamlet of Marlstein is taking shape.

To specify the reporting on this for those familiar with the area: This will not affect the Feldringer Böden, it will only be touched at its eastern end. The planned lifts & pistes run past the Schafjoch and Pirchkogel, to Marlstein and cross the Grieskogelscharte.

I recently attended the project presentation including a critical discussion panel. Organized by the project opponents, with the participation of ski resort operators, Alpine Club officials and politicians from both camps. As expected, the negative attitude prevailed. Nevertheless, the discussion was factual and by no means ended in a mud fight.

Thought-provoking - Part 1: Density stress

Density stress occurs, for example, when too many farm animals are crammed into too small a space. Pigs start biting off their tails and ears, chickens first peck out their feathers, then they peck each other bloody and finally they eat each other. Something similar is currently happening in the Alps. There are more and more people who have to live crammed into very small spaces. Anyone who sees it differently has probably never left Central Europe. The most diverse interests come together in a relatively small space. This is where the friction begins. The denser the population, the greater the points of contact and the arguments. It is the opposite of snow, where the bond between people improves with a greater number of points of contact. You notice this more and more every year in the Alpine region. Different interests are clashing more and more: be it hunting versus forestry or tourism versus local recreationists.

The only way to prevent this is with strict rules. These rules are our laws. In my opinion, at some point we won't be able to avoid regulating exactly who is allowed to do what and when. This means: on the one hand, of course, setting clear expansion limits, but also regulating the use of the entire natural area. Wild animals, for example, are much more affected by irregular crowds of people in every conceivable corner of the mountains than by permanently installed infrastructure.

Be it grouse, deer or chamois - anyone who spends a lot of time in snowy terrain already has a few of them on their conscience. Even if you haven't noticed them yourself. The energy balance of many animals is very sensitive in winter. One or more escapes from powder-hungry, nature-loving skiers are life-threatening. Just think of the thousands of young trees that die every winter due to ski edge injuries in ski touring and freeride terrain. Or the lichens that die by being scraped off by crampons from the ski depot to the summit. If you honestly want to protect nature, you have to stay at home, especially in winter.

But nobody likes that, and I don't either. I'm too selfish for that. That's why we not only need expansion limits for ski resorts, but also regulation of natural areas for recreational athletes. In other words: areas where there are strict access bans - as is already the case in Switzerland. This is the only way to really preserve nature, at least in some areas, and leave it in its natural state. There is hardly any truly "natural" status left in the Alpine region anyway. All areas are already more or less influenced by humans.

Man - not "an addition to" but "a part of" nature

However, I actually find the whole discussion extremely petty and viewed from a human-egocentric world view. I think humans are part of nature and not above it. Every action that each of us takes is integrated into nature with its subjectively (!) perceived positive and negative consequences. Everything is connected and interacts with each other. Man is part of nature and nature will always integrate him with all his oh-so-good or bad deeds and the entire system will always adapt to each other. But this view can be described as unworldly in today's zeitgeist...

For reflection - Part 2: Of pride and shame, emotion and objectivity

I am a proud Alpine Club member. Proud of the achievements of the Alpine clubs. In the construction of mountain huts, in the best cartography far and wide, in the archiving of historical pictures, writings and stories, in the Alpine Club guides, in the uniquely great prevention work on alpine dangers (the Sheriff!) and much, much more. However, the Alpine Association often does not help the ever-increasing density stress within the population in Tyrol, Austria and the Alps. By taking an exaggerated partisan stance and highly emotional reporting on the issue of lift construction, it is spreading an atmosphere that reminds me of a hunt. In which the lift operators are shot at head-on time and time again. In my opinion, this turns the population against each other. Because the population includes ski resort operators, lift staff, private room landlords, hotel operators as well as freeriders, ski tourers, hikers and ice climbers. Many are even two in one and many of those shot at are also members of the Alpine Club themselves. Regardless of whether you think it is right and honest, ski resort operators or supporters of lift projects are also guilty of this.

During the discussion in the Inntal Valley municipality of Mötz, project critics also largely relied on emotional consternation. A slide show with the soundtrack "Conquest of paradise" was shown at the very beginning. At the end, there was a film in which an 89-year-old from the Stubai Valley very movingly shared his detached opinion with the audience. This disappoints me personally, as it always reminds me of populism in politics - and this from a group that I assume is largely highly educated.

In addition, I keep thinking that it is precisely the active Alpine Club members who prefer to use ascent aids and the resulting framework infrastructure as an additional means for their tours.

In addition to pride, this also fills me with shame from time to time. Unfortunately.

Thought-provoking - Part 5: Isn't "making a living from it" enough?

An interesting, thought-provoking quote from this article about tourism in Peru:

When a region is spoiled by tourism, natural hospitality often gives way to professional hospitality geared towards maximum value creation.

I have long wondered whether this also applies to "my" region of Ochsengarten-Hochötz-Kühtai-Sellraintal. At the moment I think: No, it doesn't apply to most hosts and especially not to the ski resort operators. On the contrary: we are happy not to look like the "big ones" in the holy land of Tyrol.

After a potential merger of the ski resorts, we want to focus on authenticity, originality and new, unique ideas - because that is what makes us truly unique in the tough competition for paying guests. In the long term, quality definitely counts. Everyone can define for themselves what quality is and whether the size of a ski resort is part of it.

The moral of the story

I don't think we should always be beating each other's heads in. We're all in the same boat and no matter how you feel about the construction of new lifts and slopes, it's always about live and let live. Even if you don't like the other side's point of view and are not directly influenced by it. It may be getting tighter and tighter - but there is definitely still enough for everyone. Even in Tirol. Even with a handful of new lifts and pistes. Let's not let the density stress set us against each other - let's find good solutions together!

Sooner or later, there will be no getting around precise regulation and regulation of all interests. Not only with regard to the expansion limits of ski resorts, but also to wild-forest-nature quiet zones with strict access bans for us mountaineers. To finally put an end to the grueling legal uncertainty of ski resort operators and give them planning certainty. So that they finally know exactly what they can and cannot do. And to avoid such tiresome discussions, where there are always only losers and enmities result.

A blacklist for mountains that are left completely undeveloped or closed again, both materially and immaterially.

A blacklist for mountains that are left completely undeveloped, both materially and immaterially, is also worth considering in order to preserve some of the necessary independence for our own children.

The crowds of people that can now be seen hiking and ski touring in the Alps have no less of an impact on fauna and flora than buildings - just in a different way. We should finally become aware of this.