Powering up the snow groomers: outdoor staff in Tyrol

Whilst cross-country-skiing or ascending on a hike: it’s great to be outdoors in the winter. Keeping the paths and cross-country trails safe, the outdoor staff in Tyrol start work in the dead of night – while everyone else is asleep.

A snowstorm rages in the bitter cold, while in some huts the dying beats of après-ski parties can still be heard. Fresh snow covers the region like a blanket. In the valley, the houses are plunged into darkness. All of them? Not quite, because a few bedside lamps can be seen flickering on in the windows. There was thick snowfall last night – so the Tyrolean outdoor staff need to start earlier today.

A typical day in the life of the Tyrolean outdoor staff

Someone who knows exactly what goes on behind the scenes at this time of day is Thomas Koch. He’s been the infrastructure manager for the Tiroler Zugspitz Arena outdoor staff service since 2015. Together with his team, he makes sure that the cross-country trails, and hiking trails are cleared and perfectly groomed by morning. It’s not long, then, before the stillness of the night is broken by the sound of the first snow groomers’ engines, their headlights brightly illuminating the cross-country trails.

It’s a tight schedule, because everything has to be ready for the athletes and hikers by mid-morning. About 131 kilometres of trails for cross-country skiers need to be prepared. And hikers don’t want to trudge through deep snow, either. Obstacles and fresh snow are removed and the paths are freshly gritted. Ten men set out to clear what needs to be cleared.

Thomas, what exactly do you do as infrastructure manager for outdoor staff in Tyrol?

Thomas Koch: My team and I look after hiking trails and mountain bike routes, signposts, bridges, and litter collection points in the Tiroler Zugspitz Arena. We make sure that the paths are safe, passable, and drivable. This includes clearing up after storms or hail and maintaining signposts. We also have many litter collection and dog points, which we empty weekly.

How is your work different in the winter?

Thomas Koch: We have a 130-kilometre network of cross-country trails. It needs to be signposted and freshly groomed every day, especially when it snows. Then there are the winter hiking trails, which need to be cleared and gritted. It’s the only way to make sure that visitors can have fun without risk. When it snows, of course, the team has to be out earlier. It might mean a 5 o’clock start, or sometimes even as early as 2 am. We’re a 24-hour service.

Clearing the winter hiking trails takes the most time. Something that’s very important to me and my outdoor staff is clearing the benches in the sunny and beautiful spots all around the Tiroler Zugspitz Arena.

What do you need for your night-time work in the Tiroler Zugspitz Arena?

Thomas Koch: On the winter hiking trails, four groomers, wheeled loaders, and narrow-track tractors are out gritting and clearing. Other equipment is needed for the ski areas. To prepare the cross-country trails, for example, we have six snow groomers at our disposal, some of which are used at the same time. That’s because of the size and complexity of the area. To ensure that the outdoor team remains flexible, one groomer is assigned to each of the Tyrolean areas, and this way we can cover the entire area. Apart from the machinery, however, we also need the people who can operate the equipment. Working in the winter requires extensive knowledge: locksmiths to wheeled loader drivers to carpenters. If you want to be a part of our outdoor staff, you need to be a person of many talents.

What’s the best thing about your work?

Thomas Koch: Getting the cross-country trails shipshape, because it’s not just simply about driving the groomer. This work demands sensitivity and a certain flair. If you’re one of the outdoor staff in Tyrol, you need to develop a feeling for the conditions out there, because every mountain and every day are different as the snow and weather conditions change. I think it’s brilliant that no two days are the same.