Power. Precision. Slope magic
Snow groomers
in the Aletsch Arena
Technology & performance
-
Weight: up to 14 tons, which is up to 10 cars
-
Engine power: 530 hp
-
Tracks instead of wheels, so that the weight is ideally distributed / hardly sinks in the snow
Work in the snow
-
Slope grooming at night: usually between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m
-
Incline up to 100% (45 degrees) possible with winch (1,200 meters of steel cable with a pulling force of 4.5 tons)
-
Snow depth is ‘felt’: drivers sense bumps and vibrations
-
GPS and 3D snow measurement are also used: the slope is modeled with centimeter precision on every vehicle
Human & machine
-
A driver is responsible for several kilometers of piste
-
In the Aletsch Arena, there are currently 21 piste vehicle drivers, 15 of whom are on duty daily to ensure top piste quality
-
5 mechanics and 2 snow groomer mechanic apprentices ensure the maintenance and daily availability of the vehicles
-
Aletsch Bahnen has around 60 vehicles with license plates and about the same number of equipment without plates (snow blowers, etc.)
-
This corresponds to an annual investment of around 1.3 million in the vehicles and an annual maintenance budget of approximately CHF 450,000
-
To become a piste vehicle driver, one needs training that lasts several weeks
-
The cabin comes equipped with heating, a joystick, and offers a stunning panoramic view of the Aletsch Arena
Fun facts
-
A snow groomer costs CHF 500,000 – 600,000
-
The name PistenBully is a brand name
-
Aletsch Bahnen AG follows a two-brand strategy with Prinoth and PistenBully
-
Without the snow groomers, there would be no ski operations in the morning
-
Well-groomed slopes increase safety many times over
