Active environmental protection

Operating a glacial skiing area is subject to extremely strict environmental criteria.

The Kaunertaler Glacierbahnen GmbH feels it is their responsibility to carefully interact with nature, to operate while enforcing a sensible balance between tourism, the most important economic factor in the valley, and und with the environment.  

We would gladly list a few examples of this in sequence.
There has been, and will be every effort made to protect the environment at this high elevation, while operating an economically efficient skiing area. Therefore acquiring experience while overcoming a few hurdles was necessary:

Water supply for the Glacier Restaurants at 2750m

In the first years of operation, drinking water needed to be provided by means of tank wagons being transported up to the glacier.

Since this was neither an environmental nor economically sound solution, a rather expensive Water processing plant with UV-filter system in the water finishing area, a tank for automatic chlorination and filtration tank with activated charcoal filters was put into service.  This also proved to be an inadequate end result for providing water. At the beginning of the 90’s, the cleanest solution proved to be boring a deep well.   

Since then, this deep well has delivered drinking and industrial water to the restaurant from approx. 180m underground. The water has been tested as having the highest quality, and constant checking makes certain that it remains as such.  

Completely biological clear water system

From the very beginning of opening the restaurant, the sewerage handling has been run by a completely biological clear water system at 2,750 m above sea level. The industrialized water is sent to a continuous floating sludge separator, the clearing tank and the sludge piling container, by means of a seeping pipe which leads back to the water circulation.

Electrification

For almost 25 years now, all the facilities at the glacier which operate on electricity have needed to be provided with power, which has been generated through a diesel aggregate.  

 After long negotiations with the Tyrolean Government and the TIWAG (=Tyrolean Waterworks AG), an agreement was finally reached  in 2005 to construct a power line at 2750m elevation, and to provide all the systems with the cleanest energy supply.  

Now with the electrification, there is finally a basis given for completing the remaining projects at the Glacier.   

Solar energy

Enormous collectors on the south side of the Glacier Restaurant hare helping to provide solar energy in addition to using electricity, gas and oil.

In the summer months, over 2/3 of the total energy supply to the restaurant is covered through this solar power.

Latest contribution Michael Kuhn – Executive Board Member of the Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics at the University of Innsbruck:

Skiing does not cause any damage to the glacier

Mass tourism and environmental protection cannot be ruled out, according to glaciologist Michael Kuhn. The glacier can cope with a great deal itself.

Wounds in the ice heal very fast. “If all gondolas, tow lifts and chairlifts were to be dismantled at a glacial skiing area,” says glaciologist Michael Kuhn, from the University of Innsbruck, "there would be no traces seen at the glacier next year, or the following winter at the latest.”  The surface of the glacier replaces itself continuously through melting and new snowfall.   

Advantage through Ratrac

Tourism is visible where there is no ice. Through leveling the slopes, there are scars in nature which takes years for the meager vegetation at 3000 meters to regenerate.  Preparing the slopes even has its advantages through using the "slope grooming machinery", says Kuhn, "churns the snow up and transports dust particles, which normally lie on the surface, into deeper levels.  From the air above, the snow is clearly brighter on the slopes as it is on the surrounding snow." On the other side, however, he doesn’t know a skiing area where the snow on the slopes is stronger than all around.  

Covering the glaciers with a fleece mat makes sense on prominent areas, says Kuhn. On the Stubaier Glacier, the white felt protects the combination between lift exit and the beginning of the glacier.  Ski Slope Manager, Walter Müller explains that he was able to raise the ice surface about 2 meters with the mats surrounding the Panorama Restaurant, Jochdohle at 3150 meters.

Discipline in the ices

it is very important on the glacier to dispose of trash and sewerage in the valley.  There is currently a large amount of trash from the 1950’s along popular touring routes.  In the meantime, all slope grooming equipment operate on biologically degradable oil, which is not as bad if some of it should leak out.  A report from Oct. 29, 2006  - Tiroler Tageszeitung.