The High Art of Grooming Ski Trails

The Seefeld region, just behind the Bavarian-Tyrolean border, is famous for its cross-country skiing trails. Every morning, guests and locals alike are welcomed by a freshly groomed trail network of over 245 kilometers. How this works and what the high art of trail grooming entails is explained by trail manager Wolfgang Kratzer, whom we accompanied for a workday.

Wolfgang Kratzer has a full view through the large panoramic window of the 406 hp trail grooming vehicle, Prinoth Bison X. There is enough space on the Seefelder Saddle for the blue, approximately six-meter-wide ten-ton vehicle, which is often used in other areas for slope preparation. During the drive, the experienced groomer frequently shifts his gaze between the rearview mirror, the display, and the SnowSat device, which determines the exact snow depth beneath him via satellite. As the head of the trails, he is obsessed with the idea of preparing perfect tracks. The winter panorama does not particularly interest him on this evening; the view serves to keep the terrain in sight. While others are finishing up their work for the day, the 34-year-old sets out with his colossal machine, crawling over the snow at about 12 to 16 km/h. When the white splendor is hard-frozen, it can take half as slow at times. He has previously distributed his seven-member team, who are using the smaller siblings, the six-ton red snow groomers, along the 245-kilometer trail network between Seefeld, Scharnitz, and Leutasch. From 4:30 PM onwards, the trails are closed to cross-country skiers, with the exception of the night trail in Seefeld. Then, the vast white fields and dark forests belong to the groomers.

It is the outer calm and freedom that Wolfgang Kratzer and many of his colleagues love about their work. Although there are also stressful phases, for example during snowmaking, when difficult weather conditions or fresh snow come into play. "But that's nothing compared to my time as a cook. You can't speed up the processes because the machine doesn't run faster." Especially in spring, when daytime temperatures climb above zero degrees and quickly drop below freezing at night, the driver’s entire know-how is required as they make decisions about the right preparation timing and pressure of the grooming plate. "You have to catch the right moment to go out, otherwise you make the track worse rather than better." Technical aids and individual knowledge merge here into an inseparable symbiosis. Kratzer uses up to six different weather apps to mix his own forecast and assign his team. Here, flexibility is required: working hours can sometimes be four, eight, or even twelve hours, depending on snow, wind, and temperature conditions.

Wolfgang Kratzer has caught fire since he first climbed into a snow grooming machine in the winter of 2014. The key qualification here is multitasking. "Without the ability to keep many things in view simultaneously, you cannot do the job." Here, it involves operating both the sign and the snow cutter at the same moment, steering with the 4-axis joystick, keeping an eye on the SnowSat, and not losing sight of the terrain. In his grooming machine, Kratzer operates the multi-directional multifunction joystick with his right hand. With this, he controls the pre-cutter, track plate, plow, and folding finisher. His left arm rests on the armrest. Instead of maneuvering with a steering wheel, he drives the heavy machine with two steering levers. This is not for everyone, especially reversing becomes a challenge, as each lever is assigned to one of the two snow chains, which are controlled separately.

To prepare a good track for classic cross-country skiing and skating, the work begins in autumn. After the last hay harvest, the meadows in the track area are mulched for protection. In November, the track team is ready to go. With the first snowfall, a solid base is created, which is supplemented on some tracks with technical snow from 80 snow cannons. An eighty-centimeter thick layer of snow extends the season in spring by approximately two weeks. After a week of preparation work, it's time to say: "To the track, ready, go!". An early start to the cross-country skiing season is made possible by the snow farming track in Leutasch. Under suitable weather conditions, snow from the previous season—stored in a large pile under wood chips over the summer—will be distributed in the shady forest clearings and prepared as the first track.

Once the base is done, trail manager Kratzer studies the weather forecast in minute intervals for the rest of the winter, with the workday usually lasting from dusk until late evening. First, the snow is evenly spread over the trail with the twelve-position adjustable blade at the front of the vehicle, followed by the fresh tracks being carved out with the Track Dealer at the rear. The parallel classic track is pre-groomed by a front cutter, which is only used by a few regions and provides an exceptionally high quality of skiing track. The main groomer-finishers, consisting of a track plate and pre-cutters, perfectly finish the trail. The skating track is groomed first, and during a second pass, the classic track is shaped. The rest is taken care of by nature, which, with low nighttime temperatures, ensures that the track can solidify. Ambitious skiers skating with headlamps on the freshly prepared trail late at night are a thorn in the side of the night workers. "They ruin our hours of work in a matter of minutes for hundreds of skiers, and we have to go out again late into the night." However, if fresh snow is forecast for the night, the trail groomers can enjoy a family evening or go to the cinema. However, the alarm clock rings at 5 AM, waking them up, and the trail service takes place before sunrise.

Text: Monika Neiheisser