Overview
- The Kolben operators announced they will stop organized winter piste preparation and artificial snowmaking after 15 years while keeping summer attractions and some small lifts open when conditions allow.
- Operators say every season has been loss-making since 2019/20 and that losses in the most recent three winters exceeded one million euros, driven by higher electricity and diesel bills and greater personnel costs.
- Warmer winters have reduced days cold enough for reliable artificial snow and repeated low water levels in the Ammer river led to restrictions on water withdrawals for snowmaking.
- Kolben’s low elevation — valley 850 m, summit 1,270 m — makes it especially exposed to rain instead of snow and to the narrowing windows when snow can be produced.
- The move is presented as an example of a regional shift that could change local tourism and jobs, while some small resorts respond by finding niches such as family-focused services or earlier investment in snow systems.