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10.05.2005
A novel application of nonwovens below the summit station of the Gemsstock aerial ropeway in Andermatt enables year-round preservation of the snow on the skiers' departure ramp to the Gurschen glacier. By this ecological method and with a considerably reduced machine effort it is now possible to guarantee the access to the glacier which receded in the particular spot by approx. 20 metres in the last 15 years.
For more than 40 years the Gemsstock (2961 m above sea level) has been the starting point for ski runs over the Gurschen glacier down to the Gurschen middle station (2222 m above sea level) as well as unique variants and tours in the Gotthard massif.
In the last 15 years the end of the Gurschen glacier has descended from the top station by approx. 20 m. Without resorting to „artificial structures“ it is no longer possible to reach the pistes and variants on the receded glacier at the start of the winter season.
In the last years the personnel of the Andermatt Gotthard Sportbahnen AG prepared a ramp down to the glacier by a process developed especially for the purpose. The snow falling each year in early autumn and winter results in a solid snow cover which can subsequently be worked by the track preparation vehicles like any normal ski piste.
The problem arises in summer, when the snow and ice melt away. Every autumn and in the early skiing season it gets difficult to reach the glacier over this ramp. With a major personnel and equipment effort the track preparation crew succeeded so far in having a run ready for the beginning of the winter. However, a portion of good luck was always required as well in that natural snow fell in time during October/November, seeing that technical snowing is not possible in this spot due to the absence of a suitable infrastructure (electricity and water).
Based on an evaluation of different possibilities to preserve the natural snow cover during the warm season, the Andermatt Gotthard Sportbahnen AG are starting a test in May 2005, i.e. at the end of the European winter, applying a glacier covering nonwoven initially to a surface of 2500 m². The entire departure ramp, the rock areas and the ice at the glacier on the North side of the summit will be covered. In autumn 2005 the nonwoven will be removed, put into storage and applied again during the next summer.
The nonwoven made from continuous filament under the name of Ice Protector OPTIFORCE® is produced in Switzerland by Fritz Landolt AG of Näfels and has already been used successfully in comparable test projects in Austria. It effectively protects the snow cover from heat and UV radiation, filters further natural environmental influences and in this way largely prevents the snow and glacier from melting. The material is a 2-layer, needle-punched composite nonwoven. It is ecologically friendly, free of harmful substances and has been used for many years all over the world in millions of square metres in below-grade, tunnel and hydro construction.
The pilot project on the Gemsstock impressively highlights the future-oriented combination of nature and technology in the interest of safety.
Näfels, 10th May 2005 / IS
Further informations:
www.gemsstock.ch
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