Water

It requires enormous water resources to operate a ski region. Ski resort operators are aware that they are constantly in the area of tension between the use and protection of nature. Due to its high location and orientation on the Alpine ridge, Andermatt has a natural location advantage. Four rivers rise around Andermatt; Reuss, Ticino, Rhine and Rhone. The region is known as the Water Castle of Europe and therefore has no water shortages.

In a 10 annual statistic, about four meters of snow fall in Andermatt during the winter months. From a natural point of view, this leads to significantly lower use of snow cannons compared to other regions. Since 2016, there have also been major technical developments. Snowmaking systems have become more efficient and economical. There are already systems that do without compressors; the necessary water and air pressure is generated solely by the gradient and sophisticated nozzles. According to newspaper reports and information provided by Dani Meyer, who is responsible for snowmaking in the SkiArena, snow cannons are only used in an emergency and no artificial snow depots are formed. In the winter of 2018/19, the ski arena could already open in November. Only 5% artificial snow shards were produced, 95% of the open slopes were made of natural snow.

Another innovation is so-called snowfarming. Snowfarming is also used in the ski arena on the Gemsstock. Natural snow masses are pushed together at the end of the season and stored and covered under tarpaulins, so most of them survive the summer and can be redistributed at the beginning of winter.