Our contribution

Sustainability in three dimensions

The incomparable nature of the Alps is what makes our summer and winter sports region so unique and special. We live from and with nature, so it is in our own interest to preserve our magnificent landscape.

Sustainability is therefore a central guideline for our actions and decisions. In addition to ecological sustainability, the focus is also on social and economic sustainability.

And: Our guests can also contribute! By visiting us as a nearby area rather than driving further distances - and, ideally, by traveling to us by public transport.

Connected to the mountains, committed to nature

Connected to the mountains, committed to nature

Ecological sustainability

Our aim is to preserve the natural beauty of the mountains. Slopes and hiking trails play an important guiding role. This creates clearly separated, large-scale protected areas for animals and plants.

In cooperation with the alpine farmers, we take care of the alpine pastures and landscape. Animal and plant species often settle more frequently in areas around ski resorts because they find optimal living conditions thanks to landscape management.

Not to be underestimated: We keep the mountains clean and dispose of any garbage left behind.

Mountain experience and enjoyment of nature for everyone

Alpenbahnen Spitzingsee - Photographer Dietmar Denger (4)

Mountain experience and enjoyment of nature for everyone

Social sustainability.

We want to make nature accessible to our guests and thus contribute to their physical and mental health. The corona pandemic has shown how important small breaks from everyday life are - especially for children and young people. Cable cars also enable people with health restrictions, senior citizens and children to enjoy relaxing mountain experiences.

Skiing or snowboarding is suitable for all ages and the whole family. It's easy to motivate children and young people to leave their screens and get out into the fresh air in winter!

Revitalizing, promoting and supporting the region

Alpenbahnen Spitzngsee - Photographer Dietmar Denger (69)

Revitalizing, promoting and supporting the region

Economic sustainability.

Mountain railroads increase the economic power of a region, make it more attractive to tourists and prevent emigration or long commuting times to work. In many areas, they have secured the existence of regional companies and the standard of living of the local population for decades.

The value creation factor of German cable cars is 5.3 - i.e. one job at the cable car secures around 5 jobs in the region. (Source: VDS)

As a company that pays income tax, the cable car is a central component of the municipality's income.

Your questions - our answers

How much of the Alps are used as ski slopes?

0.8 % of the entire Bavarian Alpine area is temporarily used as a ski slope. (Source: VDS)

How are new lifts or similar projects monitored?

All construction activities on the mountain are supported by ecological construction supervision by external experts. Furthermore, we do not develop any new areas or clear any forests. There are only projects for the maintenance and modernization of existing buildings.

Can't you do without snowmaking?

Snowmaking has a bad reputation, and wrongly so. Snowmaking is a plus for nature. Snow-covered and groomed slopes ensure a closed snow cover for months. This protects against erosion and supplies the meadow with water in the long term. As a result, the lush alpine meadows thrive in summer - which are also an Eldorado for many rare and endangered animal species.

Does artificial snow harm nature?

The term "artificial snow" is misleading. No chemical or biotechnical substances or other additives are used. Whether natural snow or technical snow - it consists exclusively of the elements water and air. In Germany, additives are generally prohibited. The difference is therefore only in the machine production. And this is where external conditions play an important role: for example, the air temperature should be colder than -3 degrees, the humidity lower than 80 percent and the water temperature colder than +2 degrees.

Using the cable car or lifts for hiking or skiing is an expensive pleasure for families - how do you justify the prices?

We want to offer a safe and attractive service at fair prices. We only pass on some of the additional costs to our guests - and only if we really cannot shoulder them alone. In doing so, we try to burden families in particular as little as possible. We offer discounted offers for families and school classes, and children up to the age of 6 travel free of charge.
However, if you compare the prices with other leisure activities, they are quickly put into perspective: a family day ski pass costs around 120 euros - but you can use all the lifts and slopes to your heart's content all day long. An amusement park is considerably more expensive!

Further information

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