Summer life in the Silvretta Arena
The Silvretta Arena Ischgl/Samnaun is one of the most popular ski destinations in winter, but in summer it shows a completely new side. While nature sprouts on the slopes, cows graze on organic pastures and employees dedicate themselves to the care and maintenance of the ski area. But what exactly happens when the snow melts and summer arrives? The Silvretta Arena becomes a colourful habitat that has much more to offer than just hiking and biking trails.
Summer in the Silvretta Arena Ischgl/Samnaun
Cleanliness as part of nature conservation
An important aspect of the summer work is the thorough cleaning of the ski area surfaces. After the end of the ski season, the employees of Silvrettaseilbahn AG take care of cleaning the pistes and cable car routes. Cigarette butts, packaging and other rubbish are collected by hand - an essential contribution to keeping nature clean and intact.
Sustainable maintenance and biodiversity
When the Silvretta Arena is on its summer break, extensive mowing and mulching work is carried out. The targeted maintenance of the piste areas through mowing and mulching promotes the natural species composition of the vegetation and helps to create a diverse plant population. These measures strengthen biodiversity and turn the pistes into flowering pastures in summer, increasing the recreational value of the region and ensuring sustainable use for wildlife. To promote plant growth and maintain soil quality, Silvretta Arena employees rely on natural methods. Every year, around 300 tonnes of manure from regional farms are used to fertilise the slopes and alpine pastures. In addition, the annual planting of new trees contributes to sustainable maintenance and helps to preserve the balance of nature.
Alpine pastures: cows on the summer slopes
In summer, cows take over the slopes of the Silvretta Arena. Used as modern organic alpine pastures, the green areas of the pistes provide space for many animals and thus enable nature-loving alpine farming. Around 200 cows graze on the alpine pastures of the Silvretta Arena on the Idalp, the Paznauner Thaya and the Gampenalp, while around 800 cows from Ischgl and Samnaun spend their summer in the Fimba Valley. Thanks to the new alpine pastures, even more cattle can be kept than before the ski area was opened up - a sign of the successful combination of tourism and traditional alpine farming.
Active summer: hiking and biking on the slopes
In summer, the Silvretta Arena delights guests with almost 100 kilometres of hiking trails and over 100 kilometres of mountain bike trails around the pistes used as pastureland. The Silvretta Bike Arena Ischgl/Samnaun invites you to enjoy a variety of tours and offers routes for every fitness level. Whether for hiking enthusiasts or mountain bike pros - the arena offers an impressive outdoor experience in the midst of the Alpine landscape, where every trail and every path allows you to discover the diversity of the terrain anew.
Preparing for the coming winter season
While nature unfolds, and the guests with it, preparations for the winter are also in full swing. Around 100 workers are busy in the Silvretta Arena in summer maintaining the chairlifts, gondola lifts, snow-making facilities and pistes. From the vehicle fleet to the snow cannon, every detail is looked after and maintained in order to offer winter guests a first-class experience.
