Oberammergau's Kolben Ski Area to End Snowmaking, Shift to Free Ungroomed Terrain

The Kolben ski area near Oberammergau, Germany, is discontinuing its artificial snowmaking operations, with the slopes set to become a free, ungroomed skiing space going forward, according to a report from Merkur.de. Local residents reportedly learned of the decision through a letter sent by the operator.

A Sharp Financial Reversal

The move caps a steep financial decline for the resort. Between 2013 and 2020, Kolben was turning a profit of around €45,000 per season. Since 2021, however, the ski operation has run consistently in the red each winter, according to Klement Fend, managing director of AktivArena am Kolben GmbH. Over just the past three seasons, the resort's cumulative deficit has topped €1 million.

Fend and resort management point primarily to climate change as the driver of the shift. Warmer temperatures have reduced natural snowfall, while the window for making artificial snow has grown shorter each year — a combination that has cut into the number of operating days and, in turn, revenue. Rising energy costs have compounded the pressure, ultimately leading to the decision to shut down the snowmaking system after 15 years in operation.

What Comes Next

Despite ending snowmaking, the Kolbensattel area is expected to remain a draw for both locals and tourists in the years ahead. In winter, the terrain will stay open as an ungroomed, natural-snow ski area, and the chairlift and the Kolbensattel hut will continue to operate.

Key Drivers Behind the Decision

Resort leadership attributes the severe financial strain to several compounding factors:

• Climate Change & Shorter Cold Windows: Rising alpine temperatures have significantly reduced natural snowfall while drastically narrowing the necessary cold-weather windows required to run snowmaking machinery effectively.

• Declining Revenue: Fewer viable snowmaking days directly led to a shortened winter season, lower visitor throughput, and falling ticket revenues.

• Surging Energy Costs: High electricity prices made running energy-intensive snow canons economically unsustainable over extended periods.

The Future: 'Free Ski Area' and Year-Round Focus

• Despite halting artificial snow, the Kolbensattel will remain open to the public as a local recreational hub:

• Winter Operations: The area will function as an ungroomed, natural-snow "free ski space," catering to backcountry skiers and natural snow enthusiasts when conditions permit.

• Sustained Infrastructure: The main chairlift and the popular Kolbensattelhütte mountain lodge will continue regular operations.

• Summer Expansion: AktivArena plans to build upon its warm-weather offerings, expanding on the success of its "Alpine Coaster" summer toboggan run, which was acquired 15 years ago.

The resort is placing greater emphasis on the warmer months. Fifteen years ago, shareholders took over the Alpine Coaster summer toboggan run from the municipality, an early step toward building out year-round operations. AktivArena now plans to expand its spring-through-autumn offerings further. Spokesperson Andrea Kabisch confirmed the company has early ideas in the works for that expansion, though she said no concrete details are ready to share yet.

The Kolbensattel ski resort in Oberammergau, Germany, features a compact 1.8 km of slopes and primarily caters to beginners and families. While the main chairlift transports pedestrians and tobogganers, skiers typically rely on several valley drag and practice lifts.

Key Details & Amenities

• Location: Kreislainenweg, 82487 Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany (approx. 10 minutes walking from the town center).

• Elevation: 860m to 1,276m (416m vertical drop).

• Lifts: 6 total (including the Kolbensesselbahn and Wank lifts).

• Night Skiing: Available on Fridays (19:00 to 22:00) on 300 meters of floodlit slopes at the Wank lifts.

• Facilities: Features the Kolbensattel Lodge and the Alpine Coaster.

For many in the community, Kolben carries sentimental weight beyond its balance sheet — it's the hill where many local residents first learned to ski.