Ski lifts to start operating on the Raten this weekend

Thanks to snowfall which even settled in lower-lying areas, the ski-lift on the Raten will be opening this weekend, four weeks earlier than last year.
 
Between 30 and 40 centimetres of snow fell on the 1119-metre-high Raten yesterday, prompting the Skilift Raten AG company to announce they would be opening both ski lifts with their family tariffs this weekend. What is also good is that, with temperatures falling to -6°, the ground could freeze, providing a firm foundation for the runs.
 
“Last year we could not operate the lifts until 27 December,” said Karl Inglin. He is hoping for as good a season as last year, during which the lifts were in operation on no fewer than 56 days.
 
While limited public funding is forthcoming, in order to keep expenses down, a large number of voluntary helpers will be involved in maintaining the lifts and the board of the company waives any fees. Many locals also make a financial contribution to the upkeep of the lifts or order season-tickets which they then give away.
 
Seasoned skiers may remember that, last year, a new platter lift called Megastar was inaugurated there. And in January next year, a new, state-of-the-art snow groomer costing CHF 230,000 will enter into operation. It even comes with selective catalytic reduction and a particle filter, hence it is exceptionally clean and in fact the first of its type to be used in Switzerland.
 
Jürg Rogenmoser, the president of the Skilift Raten AG company, said that the kiosk there had also been extended, so parents and children can enjoy a break from skiing and have a wider range of snacks to choose from. “It is in such small skiing areas as this that many families and children have their first taste of the sport,” he said.
 
Not surprisingly, Rogenmoser himself is a very keen skier and gets great pleasure from seeing others become equally enthused at smaller skiing areas like this one on the Raten. “It is here where young ones learn before eventually heading off for the more demanding pistes in Engelberg, Andermatt and Zermatt,” he said.
 
More information about the ski lifts can be found on www.raten.ch. More advanced skiers will be pleased to know the lifts at Sattel/Hochstuckli are also opening this weekend. However, those in Menzingen, on the Nollen and on the Zugerberg are still closed. 
 
When a photographer accompanied the journalist to the Raten yesterday, it was a bit foggy, so the one shown was actually taken in Melchsee Frutt in the canton of Obwalden.