Bergbahnen Wildhaus: Summary Of Winter Season 2021/22

Bergbahnen Wildhaus ended a successful and challenging winter season. The corona situation shaped the operational business for another winter. The new offers that were realized as part of the Wildhaus 2.0 project in 2020 have definitely arrived on the market. At the end of the season, the millionth ride was counted on the new family lift in the second year of operation.

Little snow and many sunny weekends

It was a tailor-made start: the heavy snowfall at the end of November enabled an early start to the winter season on December 11, 2021, and because many schools were closed due to corona, the number of guests was already extremely high before the festive season. However, just in time for Christmas, a mild west wind prevailed with lots of rain and very mild temperatures. With the technical snowmaking, which has been successively expanded in recent years, it has been possible to maintain an attractive range of slopes over the festive period. 

January was calm in terms of weather and brought many weekends with many visitors to Toggenburg. The start of the holiday season was then in turn characterized by westerly wind conditions, which also resulted in some operational suspensions. Overall, however, the demand over the holiday season was very good and the second homes were also used intensively. The extended holiday constellation gave a brilliant start to March, with the persistently beautiful weather attracting many snow sports enthusiasts to the slopes, the winter hiking trails and the toboggan run. 

In the final accounts, Bergbahnen Wildhaus AG recorded a very pleasing 175,000 first-time visitors last winter. This is the total number of guests who visited the area as snow sports enthusiasts or hikers. This value is 30% above the average of the last five years. The detailed annual and financial results will be published with the annual report at the beginning of August. 

Another Corona winter

While there were still extensive restrictions last winter, these were largely eliminated for transport with the chairlifts and ski lifts. The gastronomy division, which also includes 200 beds, initially suffered from the cancellations of schools and companies, but was then able to catch up and sometimes even overcompensate. This is because the sun terraces were allowed to be served again and the interior rooms were available to guests throughout the season in compliance with the obligation to obtain certificates. A certain amount of pent-up demand was noticeable, especially after the last opening step at the beginning of March, and generated a few additional reservations for overnight stays and snow sports days from schools. The situation among employees remained tense throughout the winter. So it was always to replace corona-related failures. It was only possible to compensate for these shortfalls thanks to a high degree of flexibility and the exemplary commitment of the individual employees.

Wildhaus 2.0 exceeds expectations

The new offers that were realized as part of the Wildhaus 2.0 renovation project made a particular contribution to the good overall result. As is well known, this includes the new Freienalpbahn, a new practice lift in Oberdorf, the Oberdorf-Wildhaus toboggan run and various improvements to the slopes. After Wildhaus 2.0 had passed the baptism of fire last winter with numerous Covid restrictions, it can now be said in the first regular winter with a high number of guests that the innovations around Wildhaus 2.0 have more than proven themselves. The expectations in this regard were even clearly exceeded. This both in terms of guest flows and waiting times. The two main facilities, the Freienalpbahn and the Gamsalpbahn, transport practically the same number of guests on peak days. Families and beginners enjoy the newly designed pistes between the Freienalp and the Oberdorf, while the good skiers use the offer up to the 2,076 m high Gamserrugg with reduced waiting times at the Gamsalpbahn. All this with a clear increase in comfort and target group-oriented attractions such as the new Klangslope and the Funpark Snowland.ch.

The new family railway has already transported the millionth guest

Already in the second winter, the mark of one million rides on the new family railway was reached. On the third to last day of the season, the time had come: Monika Gantenbein completed the one millionth or one millionth and one ride together with Susanne Güntert. The two women from Wildhaus were warmly welcomed at the mountain station by Urs Gantenbein, Managing Director of Bergbahnen Wildhaus, and Patrik Jahn, Operations and Technology Manager. A voucher was given as a thank you.