Winter 2016/17
ALPE Alpe di Siusi Magazine
CASTELROTTO · SIUSI ALLO SCILIAR · FIÈ ALLO SCILIAR · ALPE DI SIUSI · TIRES AL CATINACCIO
Ski touring Powdery snow and blustery peaks
Mountain rescue The lords of the air
The Kofel A mystical site in Castelrotto
South Tyrol welcomes you.
A trip to South Tyrol is always the start of something special. Whether you’re after nature and culture or wine and dine, here you’re certain to find just the holiday experience you’re looking for! www.suedtirol.info
Photo: Helmuth Rier
Editorial & Contents
Dear guests! Winter time and Christmas magic, culture and culinary delights: Skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and cross country skiing, paragliding over the Dolomites and ice-skating at the Lake Laghetto di Fiè, huts charm and alpine wellness – Alpe di Siusi is the place of unlimited incantation. Whatever you decide to do, you will forget the everyday life in any case for the duration of your holiday. Perhaps some of the following articles may stimulate you to try out something out of the ordinary that will really excite you. Taking centre stage in this issue we find the three Kostner brothers, dedicated mountain rescuers who are at the service of ‘Aiut Alpin Dolomites’ each and every day. From the air to the slopes, we move on to the Alpe di Siusi Witches’ Ski Tour. And if you’re feeling a little peckish when you finish the loop, you won’t want to miss out on a taste of our Scheiterhaufen apple & raisin bread and butter pudding. Another top tip for gourmands is the Furscher Mill in Siusi, where you will be welcomed as a guest among friends. Yield to the call of the powdery-snow and join us on a ski tour on the Orli di Fassa. If it’s spectacular jumps you’re after, then the Alpe di Siusi Snowpark is the place to go. Relive the Giro d’Italia, visit the San Cipriano Church, one of the most photographed images of
the Tires Valley, and join us on a trip to a unique site of worship and of relaxation, the Kofel hill in Castelrotto. Last but by no means least, in “The Venice of the Alps” Regional Governor Arno Kompatscher reveals his views on the prospects for tourism in South Tyrol. ALPE wishes to be your daily guide through your Alpe di Siusi holidays. Apart from important information regarding public services and interesting events, it gives much advice regarding the best restaurants, inns and clubs as well as many attractive shopping possibilities in the villages of the plateau and its surrounding areas. This magazine also contains the highlights in our events calendar. Should you decide to participate, your holiday album will be full of unforgettable happy moments. We wish you a happy and relaxing holiday of wellness und unforgettable moments.
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Peter Fill, Kitzbühel and World Cup Downhill Winner Page 6
Breathtakingly beautiful: Ski touring on the Orli di Fassa Page 10
The Lords of the Air: Aiut Alpin Mountain Rescue Page 18
Alpe di Siusi Snowpark Page 20
Where Witches Fly: The Witches’ Ski Tour Page 24
Interview with the Governor, Arno Kompatscher Page 30
The Kofel: A mystical site in Castelrotto Page 34
Scheiterhaufen: A recipe to enjoy Page 36
A guest among friends: The Furscher Mill Page 46
Winter highlights 2016/17 Page 48
Eduard Tröbinger Scherlin President for Alpe di Siusi Marketing and the Tourist Offices of Castelrotto, Siusi allo Sciliar, Fiè allo Sciliar, Alpe di Siusi and Tires al Catinaccio.
Summer preview 2017 Page 50
Around & about
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Peter Fill In the World Championship season 2015/2016 Peter Fill crowned his ski career to date, taking the victory on the legendary KitzbĂźhel Streif and the small crystal globe for the downhill. He is the first Italian skier in history to win the downhill World Cup. Peter Fill, who grew up on the ski slopes of Castelrotto and the Alpe di Siusi, first skied at the age of three years old. He celebrated his World Cup debut in March 2002 and is heading into his 2016/2017 season fit and focused. His dream: a victory at the Lauberhorn in Wengen.
Text: Michaela Baur Photo: Helmuth Rier
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Powdery snow and blustery peaks A ski tour on the Orli di Fassa ridge
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Text: Rosa Maria Erlacher Photo: Helmuth Rier
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There are two absolute musts on the Alpe di Siusi for ski mountaineers: The Antermoia Loop and the Sassopiatto. Both are skiable only when weather conditions are optimal - that means excellent snow conditions, low avalanche risk and good weather forecast. The Antermoia Classic leads around the Catinaccio d’Antermoia in the Catinaccio Group directly to the heart of the Dolomites and back again to the Alpe di Siusi. This route takes at least six hours and is fairly long, time and energy-consuming and technically challenging. The ski tour on the Sassopiatto is shorter, but is suitable only for proficient ski mountaineers. The elevation
difference of around 1,260 m requires stamina and good physical condition, and the downhill stretch calls for a sure-footed deep-snow skiing style. Both ski-tour variants are great favourites with freeriding fans for a number of reasons, one of which is the relatively easy entrance to Saltria, directly under the Sassopiatto and its good public transport connections. Our tour also begins in Saltria, and is neither particularly long nor challenging. From the Alpe di Siusi cable car, you can opt to either straight onto
the slopes or take one of the regular public buses. The sun doesn’t necessarily have to be shining to enjoy this tour, but the skies should at least be clear. There must be absolutely no avalanche risk. This kind of ‘pleasure tour’ can still be treacherous at times; even heading uphill there are a few slopes to cross and the straight-downhill stretch from the Orli di Fassa over the dips and hollows of the Alpe di Siusi does not tolerate any risky snow conditions. Into the open. The group of friends warming up, so to speak, for the ski tour season, are all expe-
rienced mountaineers. They know the mountains, they take no risks. The destination is the Orli di Fassa, which forms a link between the Sassopiatto and the Denti di Terrarossa, a narrow ridge leading south towards the Fassa Valley and north to the Alpe di Siusi. The lifts are still running, so the group takes the Florian chairlift to the Williams Mountain Hut. On arrival, they strap on their skis and make their way down until they are just above the Zallinger Mountain Hut (2,037 m). Here is where the real tour begins. The climbing skins are affixed carefully to the »
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Breathtaking: The fresh powdery snow on the slopes of the Dolomites is a feast for the eyes of ski mountaineers.
skis, the light ski touring boots clicked into bindings and then it’s off and away. Resolutely constant, the mountaineers lift their skis up through the snow, just as the Scandinavians, founding fathers of skiing, did thousands of years ago - or at least, that’s what the “Hoting Ski”, a 110 cm long and 10 cm wide board found in a moor near Hoting in Sweden, would suggest. In Norway, similarly, a 4,000 year old rock carving depicts a skier with long slats on his feet. We can see, then, that although the materials have improved immensely over time, the technique seems to have remained practically unaltered. The rucksacks are filled to bursting, and hold everything that could possibly be needed to keep warm. Only the bare necessities of clothing are actually worn. The warmth comes from within as the heart rate quickens and the whole body breathes. “I enjoy getting away from it all and making my way through the untouched countryside, concentrating only on myself and what I feel,” says Florian. Heading upwards at the foot of the giant rocky slab of the Sassopiatto, the group carve a pronounced double trail through the snow, the white powder underfoot crunching under their weight. As their eyes become accustomed to the gentle light above the edge of the wood, the view opens out over Dolomite peaks near and far, the mighty Marmolada, the peaks and turrets of the Catinaccio Group, the Latemar and the Sella Massif. On the Orli di Fassa ridge. Past the Sassopiatto Hut, the tourers cross the Giogo di Fassa saddle. It’s windy. The notorious Fassa wind howls over the ridge. Notorious, as when a northerly wind blows,
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it’s a sure sign of bad weather to come. Then again, it’s always a bit on the windy side up here, as evidenced by the thick snowdrifts, overhangs, and the hard-packed, glistening snow. When you cross the remote slopes of the Duron Valley below the ridge and then climb up again to the highest point, the Palàcia (2,351 m), you must be sure to dig the edges of your skis well into the snow. From here, the view covers the whole of the Alpe di Siusi, Europe‘s largest mountain pasture, and all around the breathtaking mountain landscape of the Alps. It’s taken the mountaineers an hour and a half to get up here. Now they hurriedly pull out their warm clothes, stow away their skins in their rucksacks, buckle on their ski boots, fasten the bindings, check that their rucksacks and glasses are in position, grab their ski poles and take off into the silky-soft snow. “This feeling of letting-go, this unbounded freedom to move around in the wideopen… I enjoy it tremendously,” enthuses Florian. Everybody creates their own trail, always at the same rhythm and at the same distance from one another, gliding through the deep virgin snow. Like a knitting pattern, their trails lead on to the Tschafler Hut, where the friends stop once more. Time for a break. Drinks, sausages, cheese and bread are dug out from their backpacks. And then they take a look back at their trails. They are, indeed, in top form, they assure each other. The trails are the evidence. No question about it, the ski mountaineering season can now begin ... And for now, the downhill stretch through the woods to the nearest hostelry really is just a breeze. «
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The Lords of the Air Raffael Kostner, dedicated mountain rescuer, has covered the peaks and walls of every mountain in South Tyrol on rescue missions. The same goes for his two brothers Marcus and Gabriel, two experienced pilots who offer their services to ‘Aiut Alpin Dolomites’ together with Raffael. But the story doesn’t end there.
I It’s no easy task to get a photo of the three brothers together. They’re far too busy for such nonsense. For the three brothers Raffael, Marcus and Gabriel, there are more important things to do. And right on cue, in comes the next emergency call over the radio: An elderly holidaymaker has run into difficulty on the Santner Pass Via Ferrata. He slipped on the wet rocks and took a tumble of a few metres. Raffael and Marcus hop up into the crimson-red helicopter ready to rise to the occasion with the other men from the Tires Mountain Rescue team. Paolo, an anaesthetist from Milan and one of the 28 mountain rescue doctors at ‘Aiut Alpin Dolomites’ nips under the circling rotor blades and into the H135 T3 along with them.
Text: Elisabeth Augustin Photo: Helmuth Rier
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At the ‘Aiut Alpin Dolomites’ heliport in Pontives at the entrance to the Gardena Valley it’s all systems go, the whole day long: as well as the moun-
tain rescue helicopter, the Elikos GmbH helicopter is also stationed here. And although the two are not connected, they are nevertheless closely linked, and not just in terms of logistics. Marcus and Gabriel Kostner are helicopter pilots and as such, fly on regular rescue missions for ‘Aiut Alpin Dolomites’. They also founded Elikos GmbH helicopter services in 1998, and together with their nephews Manuel and Daniel, offer a number of services ranging from supplying the mountain huts of the Dolomites with foodstuffs to tour flights over the Dolomites and aerial footage for commercials. Flying is in the Kostner brothers’ DNA. Their grandfather, the legendary Leo Demetz, was not only an engineer and a cable car constructor but also earned himself great respect and recognition as the first pilot from the Gardena Valley. His »
Mountain rescuers in action
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Ready for the next mission
son, one of the Kostners’ uncles, was a pilot in the Second World War. And now it’s some of the 3rd and 4th generation cousins who take fearlessly to the air. Raffael, the oldest of the Kostner brothers (there were 8 brothers and sisters in all at the Stlejuc farm in Ortisei) is almost the exception. He has never been interested in getting his pilot’s licence. In the helicopter, the experienced mountaineer is the winchman. One could write an entire book about ‘Aiut Alpin Dolomites’. Raffael Kostner was, and remains to this day, the driving force behind the organisation. As a dedicated mountain rescuer he realised early on in life that in many cases, emergency rescues could only be carried out by air. When he looks back on the first mountain rescue operation carried out by helicopter in the mid-1980s, Raffael says that it was “practically a wonder of the world!” This heralded the third era in recovery of the dead or injured in the mountains. Ever since Alpine mountaineering first became common practice in the 19th century, mountain rescuers tackled rescue missions on foot, and continued to do so right up until the times when military helicopters came into use. Head of the famed ‘Catores’ Gardena Mountain Rescue Association, Raffael Kostner had travelled widely, and was certain that South Tyrol needed a professional air rescue service. And so in the 1970s, he began to work with the armed forces to rescue injured people from the mountains by helicopter. “In 1985, we lifted our first body from the Spallone del Sassolungo by helicopter,” he recalls. That was when Raffael began a lobbying campaign, primarily aimed towards the political decision makers in Bolzano, and in 1986, the White Cross local rescue organisation was supplied with its own helicopter for the first time. The South Tyrol Mountain Rescue Association (BRD) and the national Mountain and Cave Rescue Association (CNSAS) section of the Italian Alpine Mountaineering Club (Club Alpino Italiano) were of the mind, however, that mountain rescue services required particularly agile helicopters and specially trained rescuers. Experience showed that a specialist and efficient helicopter mountain rescue service could only be created through an
The passion for flying can be seen in every corner of the Elikos base.
extended area of operation and the additional involvement of the rescue teams from the neighbouring valleys. In order to get around safely on the rocky turrets and faces of the Dolomites, it was also fundamental that they choose the most suitable aircraft. After a number of discussions with the heads of the mountain rescue services in the Ladin valleys, the founding act of the ‘Union Aiut Alpin Dolomites’ was signed, and Raffael Kostner was appointed technical director. Every mission is teamwork. Raffael Kostner, who set up the emergency switchboard in the summer and winter season at his Sanon Hut on the Alpe di Siusi, which he runs together with his family, had already established a helicopter base in 1987. This location was particularly advantageous for rescue missions in the Dolomites. Raffael equipped the base and, with the help of Dr. Michele Nardin, set up a medical depot, an area for rescue equipment and a fuel supply station. The team were fed in Raffael’s guest house, which was also regularly used for accommodation. Through the aforementioned founding of the ‘Alpine Dolomite Rescue’ in 1990, Kostner’s works took on an official nature, legitimised primarily through the responsibilities assigned to him by the nine mountain rescue teams in the area at that time. Today there are 17 teams, good sponsorship and around 3,000 supporting members behind ‘Aiut Alpin Dolomites’. Emergency calls are taken by the regional South Tyrol emergency services switchboard, who coordinate air rescue services with their helicopters, Pelikan 1 and Pelikan 2 as well as ‘Aiut Alpin Dolomites’. »
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The helicopters and team head out to rescue people in the mountains several times a day.
At ‘Aiut Alpin Dolomites’, which operates around 9 months a year during the climbing season, there is always a pilot, a winchman, a doctor, a mountain rescuer from one of the various teams, and in winter, often an avalanche dog and leader, on board. “Everybody has to give their all when the time comes,” explains Raffael. “A mission is teamwork. And making the right decision quickly is always fundamental.” To this end, crew management is fundamental, as Moritz Peristi, who has been at Raffael’s side since the outset, cannot but confirm. Twelve percent of missions have to be carried out by winch or hoist, as it is impossible for the helicopter to land. In these situations, it’s a case of
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all hands on deck. And there’s always a risk, both in the flying and in the working. Mountain rescue missions have to go ahead, whatever the weather and however windy it may be. “My motivation has always come from my love of mountain rescue,” says Raffael, “and the need to improve the service.” It is an enormous satisfaction to be able to offer help on the mountains in the case of accident and to help somebody out of an emergency situation. “The saddest thing is to have to recover mountain climbing colleagues who have died in an accident, or to have to tell parents that their son or daughter will never come home again.”
“We all work for ‘Aiut Alpin Dolomites’ on a voluntary basis,” Raffael emphasises. He has been in service every Sunday for the last thirty years, while his wife Magdalena and, nowadays, his children, tend to the guests at the Sanon Hut alone. In the past, Raffael was able to help out between one emergency call and the next, but since the helicopter base was relocated from the Sanon Hut to the more up-to-date building in Pontives in Ortisei, Val Gardena in 2003, Raffael is rarely to be found in his own hut on the Alpe di Siusi. He sounds somewhat wistful when he speaks of it, but Raffael is a professional to the core, and has high expectations of himself and his colleagues. The base, with operations centre, hangar, office and crew room, apartments for night rescue missions, meet the needs of the times and the requirements of the authorities. Raffael’s next goal is to extend winter flying hours. “We’re 20 years behind Switzerland,” he says. If Raffael has anything to do with it, night-time rescues with night-vision equipment should be possible from Christmas 2016. The base in Pontives with its rooftop helipad is, in any case, prepared for
the eventuality. Raffael would also like to invest in training and build up a team of young volunteers for the future. On a mountain rescue mission, the experience of the pilot is crucial, and in the early days of ‘Aiut Alpin’, it was no easy task to find suitable operations personnel. Raffael’s brothers Marcus and Gabriel were both enthusiastic hang-gliders and were quickly infected by their brother’s helicopter bug. Marcus, known to everybody as Marco, threw in the towel as a mechanic, trained as a pilot and spent the following three years flying fire-fighting aircraft in Sardinia and Campania. He also gained valuable experience on transportation aircraft in the Aosta Valley before finding his dream job with ‘Aiut Alpin Dolomites’. Gabriel, a trained sculptor, got his pilot’s licence through a special EU project. Since 1998 and 1999 respectively, Marcus and Gabriel have clocked up around 9,000 flying hours each. While mountain rescuer and winchman Raffael holds that “Flying is… of enormous assistance to mountain rescue services,” Marcus says, “Flying »
Three brothers - one team: Gabriel, Raffael and Marcus Kostner (from left to right)
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is… my dream job,” and Gabriel tells us that “Flying is … absolutely wonderful. But flying over the Dolomites is always the most wonderful.” And it also offers the brothers numerous opportunities. With their helicopter service ‘Elikos’, they have significant responsibilities: They frequently work
equipment. The Lords of the Air have also piloted prominent guests: Michael Schumacher, Prince Albert of Monaco, Bernie Ecclestone and many more, as can be seen on the enormous photo gallery in the hangar. Marco has even been the stuntman for Terence Hill in the much loved Italian TV show
for South Tyrol civil protection, and are tasked with fire control and with avalanche blasting and the construction of power transmission facilities. Other important tasks include the maintenance of walking paths, precision assembly and transportation for the renovation or reconstruction of mountain huts. With their many air-freight trips, Marcus und Gabriel are used to working with long cables. This experience is also of great benefit to them on a rescue mission when they are called upon to pinpoint the location of an accident victim amongst the rocks.
Un passo dal cielo (One Step from the Skies), “even though it was by pure chance,” he grins.
Swift and skilled: Aiut Alpin Dolomites
When ‘Elikos’ is called into service for advertising purposes, the rotor blades spin through a somewhat more sophisticated air. For breathtaking tour trips over the Dolomites, Marcus and Gabriel and their two nephews Manuel and Daniel, pilots themselves, are always ready and willing. The big car brands are on their reference list, as are chocolate producers and manufacturers of technical
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When Raffael Kostner was awarded the distinction of Ufficiale dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana (Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic) by President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella in the Quirinal Palace in Rome in October 2015 it was a tremendous moment for him. The reason given for the award was that Raffael is “one of the best-known and esteemed people in the world of mountain rescue services on an international level” and “Kostner‘s dedication and selflessness in rescuing people in the mountains is well known by all mountaineers, both in Italy and abroad.” Raffael was delighted to accept the honour, in the name of all those who carry out rescue missions in the mountains each and every day, for his family who have always supported him and for his brothers Marcus and Gabriel. “Every mission is teamwork.” «
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i Card Comb
Affordably and conveniently to the winter wonderland With the Combi Card or the Nordic Pass
Benefit card for toboganists, hikers and snow shoe hikers, cross-country skiers. Combi Card 3 in 7*
39.00 Euro
Combi Card 7*
52.00 Euro
Combi Card 14*
76.00 Euro
Over the course of 7 successive days (after first use)
Valid for 7 successive days (after first use)
Valid for 14 successive days (after first use)
> 3 times to the Alpe di Siusi and back, with the Aerial Cableway or the Alpe di Siusi Express (Bus Routes 10) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 4, 5 and 15) around the Alpe di Siusi and the Almbus (Bus Routes 11)
> unrestricted use of the Alpe di Siusi Aerial Cableway or the Alpe di Siusi Express (Bus Route 10) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 4, 5 and 15) around the Alpe di Siusi and the Almbus (Bus Routes 11)
> unrestricted use of the Alpe di Siusi Aerial Cableway or the Alpe di Siusi Express (Bus Route 10) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 4, 5 and 15) around the Alpe di Siusi and the Almbus (Bus Routes 11)
Nordic Pass 3 in 7*
Nordic Pass 7*
Nordic Pass 14*
48.00 Euro
68.00 Euro
104.00 Euro
Over the course of 7 successive days (after first use)
Valid for 7 successive days (after first use)
Valid for 14 successive days (after first use)
> on 3 days unrestricted use of the Alpe di Siusi Aerial Cableway or the Alpe di Siusi Express (Bus Route 10), on the same 3 days unrestricted use of using the Cross-Country Ski Courses Alpe di Siusi / Val Gardena and the Almbus (Bus Route 11) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 4, 5 and 15) around the Alpe di Siusi
> unrestricted use of the Cross-Country Ski Courses Alpe di Siusi / Val Gardena, of the Alpe di Siusi Aerial Cableway, the Alpe di Siusi Express (Bus Route 10) and the Almbus (Bus Route 11) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 4, 5 and 15) around the Alpe di Siusi
> unrestricted use of the Cross-Country Ski Courses Alpe di Siusi / Val Gardena, of the Alpe di Siusi Aerial Cableway, the Alpe di Siusi Express (Bus Route 10) and the Almbus (Bus Route 11) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 4, 5 and 15) around the Alpe di Siusi
The Combi Card and the Nordic Pass are not transferable and are available at all cash desks of the Alpe di Siusi Aerial Cableway, at the tourist offices of Fiè allo Sciliar and Siusi, at the Alpin Sports Company in Castelrotto and at your accommodation. * The Mobilcard “Holiday area Alpe di Siusi Live”, which is not available for purchase and is issued to the guests by the participating accommodation, includes a price reduction for the Nordic Pass.
Funivia Siusi - Alpe di Siusi SpA 39040 Siusi allo Sciliar · via Sciliar, 39 Phone +39 0471 704 270 · Fax +39 0471 704 269 www.seiseralmbahn.it · info@seiseralmbahn.it
Alpe di Siusi Snowpark
The best terrain park in Italy and stage-setting for international competitions: The Alpe di Siusi Snowpark impresses the best with perfectly prepared rails, kickers, boxes and wooden obstacles. At 1,500 m in length and boasting 70 obstacles of all levels of difficulty, it is not only the best terrain park in Italy, but also the biggest. The Snowpark was the venue for last year’s FIS European Cup in slopestyle, snowboard and freeski, and this year we are celebrating the World Cup premiere in South Tyrol. The big names on the scene will be putting themselves to the test on the Alpe di Siusi at the end of January.
Text: F-Tech Photo: F-Tech
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Where Witches Fly The Witches’ Ski Tour is a magical opportunity to explore Europe’s largest mountain pasture on skis.
W Witches figure greatly in the folk sagas at the foot of the Sciliar Moutnain. The legends, which have come into being over the course of the years and have been passed down from one generation to the next, generally feature unusual sightings, violent storms, rock-slides, mudslides, illness and epidemics: These were all things for which the people of those times could find no rational explanation, and so they attributed them to demons and devils, or to people allegedly in league with them, in possession of supernatural powers. These beliefs led to the horrific witch hunts of the late middle ages. Throughout Europe, thousands of people - mainly women - were burnt at the stake as witches or sorcerers. Our area was also witness to an inordinate amount of witch hunts. Nowadays, distinguishing between history and legend, these tales have been preserved as an important part of folk culture; the Sciliar witches have been banished to the realms of myth, where they live on as burlesque female figures on brooms, flying through the darkness by the light of the full moon to meet in mystical places and create mayhem. Seven of these places are signposted on the Alpe di Siusi. Skiers and snowboarders can discover them on a loop-route and explore the whole of the Alpe di Siusi at the same time. Witches’ Round. The Witches’ Round is a loop tour which can be accessed from pretty much every slope. All cable cars are child-secured and the tour, with over 60 km of outstanding slopes and an ev-
er-changing mountain backdrop, all encircled by the famed Dolomites, UNESCO World Heritage Site, is guaranteed to be non-stop fun for old and young alike. We set off on our tour from the mountain station of the Alpe di Siusi cable car and head from there to the Spitzbühl chairlift. The Spitzbühl, directly opposite the Sciliar, was seemingly the Sciliar witches’ favourite haunt: The story goes that they caroused here by night, and hid out on the Sciliar during the day. From here, our journey leads on to the Laurin slope. A little apart from the ‘normal’ slopes, this spot in the heart of the Alpe di Siusi is also the site of the biggest and best terrain park in Europe. With a professional pro-line, it is classed as one of the top ten in Europe and boasts innumerable kickers, boxes and rails and a family-fun-line where even the youngest of snow-fans can put their tricks to the test. The next stop on the Witches’ Round is the Panorama, where we can enjoy fabulous views over the Sella Group, the Sassolungo, the Sassopiatto, the Denti di Terra Rossa, the Catinaccio d’Antermoia and the Sciliar Mountains. And head ever closer to the mountains. The Punta d’Oro is yet another playpark for witches and sorcerers. Here, at 2,220 metres, it can get rough and windswept, and is almost a high-Alpine climate: The best place, then, for a speed trap, a 200m long, narrow downhill stretch »
Text: Rosa Maria Erlacher Photo: Helmuth Rier
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with a drop of 75 m with record speeds similar to those on the legendary Kitzbühel Streif. After a long downhill, we get back to the Florian mountain station, yet another spot favoured by the Sciliar witches. On the Gardena side. Our next witches’ spot is on the Gardena side of the Alpe di Siusi, so named as the Gardena Valley lies just beyond. Legend goes that the witches of the area still gather on Monte Piz on the night of a full moon to this very day. It’s the sunny side of the Alpe di Siusi that we’re exploring now, and we just need a few lifts (Sanon, Leo Demetz and Mezdì) and a few downhill runs to get to the sixth witches’ stronghold in the valley of the Mezdì lift. Once we’re up here, our view sweeps over the snowy hills and dips of the Alpe di Siusi, over the vast, undulating highlands of the heart of the Dolomites, right over to the jagged mountain massif of the Sassolungo and the Sasso piatto. Now that we’re on the outer edges of the Alpe di Siusi, the last witches’ spot comes into view. And this is where we close our loop. The dome-like lands of this area on the north-western reaches of the Alpe di Siusi seem virtually predestined to go down in legend as a stomping ground for witches. And now, we make an about-turn, and head back towards Compatsch. The downhill stretches are fabulous, and make the return journey incredibly easy. And when we’re on the Bullaccia, we can see at a glance why a coven of witches and sorcerers would have chosen this spot for a gathering. The all-round view from the Engelrast viewing platform is simply staggering, 360 unbroken degrees of beauty encompassing the Dolomites, the Zillertal, Breonie and Venoste Alps right over to the Ortles and the Adamello!
Witch sculptures by renowned artist Hubert Kostner from Castelrotto mark the trail.
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You can’t take your eyes off the slopes on this loop trail; evening is drawing closer and we have to make sure that we get back to our set-off point safely. So plan your tour carefully, don’t forget to pencil in eating and rest stops or – and why not? Make a two-day tour of it! «
photo: SAM/Helmuth Rier
The fascinating mountain scenery of the Dolomites.
The Myth of the Dolomites In South Tyrolean extreme mountaineer Reinhold Messner‘s words, they are “the most beautiful mountains in the world“. The incomparable beauty of the Dolomites is widely renowned and for many they are synonymous with excellence in winter holidays.
T
he mountains of the Dolomites can be thought of as a fossilised coral reef arching up into the sky in spectacular fashion. Thanks to their monumental beauty as well as their geological and geomorphologic significance, the so-called Pale Mountains were awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2009. Divided into nine areas among which the Sciliar-Catinaccio Nature Park, the Dolomites are considered one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the world.
Sciliar-Catinaccio Nature Park: South Tyrol’s oldest natural reserve, a 7,291-hectare park, is situated in the western Dolomites and was founded in 1974. The Sciliar is an impressive mountain range whose emblematic outline, that includes the Santner and Euringer peaks, stands out as one of the signature landmarks of South Tyrol. The Catinaccio Massif, with its numerous peaks, is also known far beyond the country’s borders. The most striking part of the massif is the Catinaccio D’Antermoia Peak, which stands at a height of 3,002 metres. The natural park also includes the mountain forests around Siusi, Fiè and Tires, and the Ciamin Valley. «
Bruneck Brunico
Südtirol
Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage 1
5 St. Ulrich
Bozen Bolzano
3 Pale San Martino, San Lucano Dolomiti Bellunesi, Vette Feltrine
Auronzo Corvara
Cortina d’Ampezzo
7
Canazei
2
8
Alleghe
Pieve di Cadore
1
Agordo
3
Longarone
Cimolais
Pordenone Fiera di Primiero
9 Trento
Belluno
Udine
Belluno Feltre
Trentino
Ampezzo
4
Zoldo
Madonna di Campiglio
7 Sciliar Catinaccio, Latemar 9 Brenta Dolomites
Tiers/Tires
Cavalese
4 Friulian and d’Oltre Piave Dolomites
8 Bletterbach
6
Fiè allo Sciliar
2 Marmolada
6 Puez-Odle
St. Vigil S. Vigilio
Kastelruth Ortisei Castelrotto Seis am Schlern Seiser Alm Siusi allo Sciliar Alpe di Siusi Völs am Schlern
Pelmo, Croda da Lago
5 Northern Dolomites
Brixen Bressanone
Meran Merano
Lienz Toblach Dobbiaco
Pordenone
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A Regional Governor with a difference: Graffiti by Nini Complojer in Siusi
The Venice of the Alps Arno Kompatscher, Governor of South Tyrol, is convinced that the prospects for tourism in South Tyrol are looking good: “Not only do we have breathtaking countryside and a good climate, we also offer an outstanding service.”
When it comes to the governance of their land, South Tyroleans like continuity: The legendary Silvius Magno stood for 29 years at the head of the local government in Bolzano, while his successor Luis Durnwalder held office for at least 25 years. In 2013, a Fiè man was elected for the job of State Governor in the form of Arno Kompatscher (born 1971). The qualified lawyer and father of seven had already been mayor of his hometown, Fiè allo Sciliar, from 2005 to 2013 and Chairman of the Board of Directors and Managing Director of the Alpe di Siusi Cableways S.p.a. from 2003 – 2014. In this role, he was committed to the traffic decongestion which we see on the Alpe di Siusi today. Nevertheless, Arno Kompatscher regrets that the extensive plans were not implemented in their entirety and maintains that, in the interests of guests and the tourism economy, there should be less evidence of private vehicles on the Alpe di Siusi.
ALPE: The Alps still draw in millions of holidaymakers. What makes South Tyrol, and in particular the Alpe di Siusi, stand out from other regions? Arno Kompatscher: The strengths of South Tyrol clearly lie in the unusual combination of spectacular mountains, where one can enjoy anything from a relaxing wander to mountain and rock climbing, a vast winter sports offer and incredibly good tourist infrastructure. On the Alpe di Siusi, the velvety meadows and rolling landscape, with the rocky Dolomites towering behind, create a unique natural theatre setting. At the same time, our villages and hamlets on the mountain plateau offer an attractive blend of tradition and zeitgeist. The unique landscape requires special care. Do you see this area as being primarily a natural or a ‘shaped’ landscape, and do the different assessments require different guidelines? The Alpe di Siusi is, of course,
first and foremost a shaped landscape; if it weren’t so, it would have become overgrown in the same way as other regions at this altitude. But this is also the crux of the issue: Which form of economy is best able to maintain the natural experience without impacting negatively on the
“The Alpe di Siusi is, above all, a ‘shaped’ landscape”. President Arno Kompatscher
tourism industry and thus, sawing off the very branch we’re sitting on? People have been speaking about ‘soft tourism’ for some time now. Is that still on the cards? The term “soft tourism” first appeared about 30 years ago, and even many of those who first came up with the idea view it with a critical eye these days and have distanced themselves from »
Interview: Sabine Funk Photo: Helmuth Rier
Winter Winter| ALPE | ALPE2525
Firmly grounded: Arno Kompatscher, Governor of South Tyrol, at home in Fiè allo Sciliar
the concept to a certain extent. Today, we favour the term ‘sustainable’ when speaking of tourism concepts. Sustainability also means looking back and taking stock – you have accompanied the tourism development on the high plateau in a number of roles and were strongly in favour of the building of the Alpe di Siusi cable car and, subsequently, the extensive traffic decongestion measures of the Alpe di Siusi. Have you realised your vision of 10-15 years ago? It has been proven that traffic decongestion measures to and on the Alpe di Siusi have had no
“In South Tyrol there are many people who are deeply rooted in their homeland and their traditions.” President Arno Kompatscher
negative effect on the tourist industry. Quite the reverse. The Alpe di Siusi and, along with it, the surrounding holiday area, have increased their appeal. This has been proven time and time again. In my opinion, the concept should be implemented more thoroughly, and even fewer signs of traffic on the Alpe di Siusi should be permitted. We could aspire to the Alpe di Siusi becoming the ‘Venice of the Alps’. The fact that Venice is not easily accessible is what creates its allure. Guests to the Alpe di
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Siusi would accept certain restrictions – but this promise would have to be kept. But the concept has, fundamentally, been successful? Yes, and above all because acceptance has increased in the local community. I’ve never had any doubt about it: If you have the local people on board, then guests will also accept the new traffic concept. The worries of the hospitality providers on the Alpe di Siusi that traffic restriction would cause massive losses has proven unfounded, quite the reverse. We should not be halfhearted now, otherwise we risk bidding farewell to disappointed guests at the end of their stay. How do you rate South Tyrol’s future prospects as a tourism region? I am convinced that South Tyrol has good prospects, generally speaking, as we provide an exceptional service in addition to beautiful landscape and excellent climate. I would also add good cuisine and family-run businesses, good infrastructure and the public transport system. In the future, fewer and fewer people will come here by car. And that will be even more evident on the Alpe di Siusi. Here, we can make car-free holidays our trademark and guarantee a highly exclusive experience – and by exclusive, I mean unusual rather than elite. The belief in unfettered economic growth is fragile. Can, and should, the tourism sector continue to expand? At the risk of sounding cliché, I
would say that we need qualitative growth. Our goal must be to achieve a good capacity almost year-round and to formulate the offers that will achieve this. And that requires a certain degree of courage as regards costs. Given our geographical location, we have a certain cost structure. But we should aim to offset that through a high-quality offer rather than a ‘more and more’ mentality. That goes not only for hotels, but also the outdoors. What are guests looking for, in your opinion – ever-greater levels of comfort? Guests are looking for something unusual. On holiday, it’s always about wanting to have the feeling that one has made the right choice, and hasn’t ended up with a ‘one-size-fits-all’ package. Comfort also comes into that. But guests don’t come here specifically for the comfort; that is, naturally, just a part of the package. The ‘unusual’ is what is key: To that end, the authenticity of our businesses plays a fundamental role. Instead of Ayurveda treatments, perhaps regional offers such as hay baths and Swiss stone pine massages have more impact. The same goes for architecture. It shouldn’t be lederhosen kitsch style but rather in harmony with the landscape, a sensible development of the traditional. Authenticity is a bit of a buzzword in destination marketing. But when the rough and ready bearded mountain farmer in a blue apron no longer exists, what does it become? Folklore? Nothing that is artificial will be
»
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successful. But these people still exist, it’s just that today they might have an earring, a tattoo or long hair. I think that in South Tyrol there are many people who are deeply rooted in their homeland and their traditions and live them authentically. They don’t wear their dirndl solely because the guests like to see it. And that’s exactly how it should be. Credible and authentic. South Tyroleans are a race of their own. They only need to be themselves.
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On one hand there are the expectations of the guests. As a holiday region, can one allow itself to place expectations on the guests in terms of, for example, ecology? In order to do so, you have to give it weight and meaning. I am convinced that, as a holiday region, we can ask for something from the guests, if the request is targeted to the theme. Then it’s not just a case of people joining in, but it ulti-
mately makes the whole region more attractive. A simple example is tap water, which is often of the same quality as mineral water in this area. If I serve this water in a special pitcher and explain what it is, then spring water takes on a new meaning, creates added value to the holiday location and will not be experienced as a mere avoidance of plastic bottled water. Now there are also normal
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villages outwith the protected area. To what extent has South Tyrol been affected by the urbanisation of the valleys and the depopulation of the higher-lying areas in the Alpine region? Urbanisation is, of course, a world-wide trend, which goes hand in hand with the development of the entire community. South Tyrol lies a little outside of this framework, for which we have to thank the foresight of my predecessor Luis Durn-
walder, who always aimed to achieve, even in the outlying areas, all the prerequisites for a higher quality of life. That begins with the roads, which were built right up to the last mountain farm – and that’s why many of these farms are still there today – and goes on to the widespread culture houses in the periphery and the promotion of rural associations. All of this increases the appeal of life on the lands and in the mountains and has forestalled migra-
tion. But tourism remains an extremely important factor – that’s why it is so important that we aim to guarantee its continued existence in the future. That’s why tourism cannot be developed at the expense of either the countryside or the resident population. The locals must be able to participate, and not only in the form of jobs, but by making use of the cultural and leisure offer which, without tourism, would not exist.
Arno Kompatschers’ tips & “top spots”: 1 The Bullaccia ring trail (in winter) 2 The Schnaggen (in summer): “because there’s nothing there” 3 The “Oachner Höfeweg” farm trail in Aica di Fiè (in autumn) 4 Laghetto di Fiè Lake (in every season)
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The Kofel Hill With the view in the village dominated by the Castelrotto tower, this porphyry hill known to the Castelrotto residents as the Kofel can only be seen from afar. The Kofel hill in Castelrotto has always played a special role in the history of the village, whether as a settlement site, a refuge, a mediaeval castle hill or simply as a place of contemplation and relaxation.
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A mystical site in the heart of Castelrotto
C Castellum ruptum. The ‘Broken Castle’. From time to time, guests ask about the castle ruins of the village. Castelrotto’s namesake is none other than this ‘Castellum ruptum’, a castle which once stood on the porphyry hill behind the town hall. Undoubtedly, it is not just an unusual memorial, but, given its location, a site steeped in historical importance. Locals and guests alike treasure the tranquillity of this hill, with its welcoming benches in the winter and shade under the large, leafy trees in summer. The highest point of the Kofel, known to locals as the Infong, is surrounded by a wall. It is a favoured spot for kids to play, and also for older wanderers to take their daily constitutional. Tra-
ditionally, this is the venue for the Oswald von Wolkenstein Riding Tournament and, over the last two years, for the festive open-air gourmet event known as the ‘Krausen Banquet’. Monte Calvario - the Calvary Hill. The right-hand entrance to the town hall leads to the Kofel, bought in the 17th century by Georg von Kraus, in order to build a Calvary. At that time the route was lined by six chapels and the crucifixion group, and a double chapel was built from the ruins of the mediaeval castle keep. The group with the disciples and Christ on the Olive Mount was only added in 1908; the statues were cut to the designs of »
Text: Barbara Pichler Photo: Helmuth Rier
Faith leads the way to the Calvary Hill.
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local painter Eduard Burgauner, who also installed them. In 1908, the Holy Spirit Chapel, at the highest point of the Kofel, was converted by Burgauner into a memorial jubilee fountain in honour of Emperor Franz Josef. Wooden figurines depicting the Passion of Christ are housed within the chapel: Christ parting from his mother, the Mount of Olives, the flagellation, the Crowning with Thorns, Jesus carrying the cross, the Crucifixion Group, the Entombment and the double chapels of Saints Anthony and Cajetan. The chapels are cleaned and cared for by the Castelrotto locals all through the year. “The duty, or rather, the honour, of maintaining the chapels, and of decorating them during the Passion Week, depends on where you live in the village. The families who carry out this service for the community all live close to the Kofel,” says Franz Wendt, who tends the entombment chapel. Life is particularly hectic around the Kofel during Passion Week, when spruce branches are wound into garlands and the ball-shaped glasses are taken up from the cellars and filled with coloured water, tinted with Easter egg dye. “It wasn’t so easy in the past to find good lanterns for the garlands between the three crosses. There wasn’t as much choice as there is nowadays,” says Hans Peter Trocker. His family have looked after the crucifixion group for many years now; even when he was a child, he helped his father with the task. Othmar Burgauner is another who can remember helping his mother to decorate the flagellation chapel. He has been performing the task himself for many years now, assisted by his own son. It is, then, a responsibility which is handed down within families. In the same manner, the Silbernagl family have been looking after the first chapel - Jesus parting from his mother - for generations. “Normally, our housemaid Mena looked after the chapel and I was her helper,” says Martha Silbernagl. Now she tries to do everything exactly as Mena taught her: Heather blossom arranged around the figurines, candles lit behind the balls filled with coloured water to create a warm glow and a festive atmosphere.
Procession. The Holy Thursday and Good Friday processions take place on the Kofel. The chapel attendants arrive early to light the candles. In the St. Anthony Chapel in the tower, the altar has already been illuminated, the pews pushed back to allow enough room for the choir, and Paula Nössing stands ready to greet the congregation. «
Living tradition: The Kofel is sacred to the people of Castelrotto.
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Scheiterhaufen Apple & Raisin Bread Pudding When white bread goes stale, it always seems such a waste to throw it away: Quick-thinking cooks transform it into a mouthwatering dessert and a time-honoured family favourite. Ingredients for 4 people
Preparation
5 day-old rolls 700 g cooking apples 70 g ground almonds 50 g raisins 6 dessert spoons sugar ½ l milk 3 eggs Cinnamon, lemon zest 1 pinch salt, butter
Slice the rolls (or white bread) thickly. Peel and core the apples and slice thickly. Cover a buttered casserole dish with a layer of bread slices and top with some of the apples, raisins and a sprinkling of sugar and almonds. Season with cinnamon and lemon zest, top with a second layer of bread and continue until you have used up all the apples and bread. Finish off with a layer of bread. Whisk milk, eggs, a pinch of salt and the remaining sugar (around 3 dessert spoons) well and pour over the bread. Top with a few knobs of butter and bake in the oven at medium heat for 45 minutes. Recipe taken from “La Cucina nelle Dolomiti� by Anneliese Kompatscher.
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photo: Helmuth Rier
sh Fre ts duc o r p r
ou from al loc rs e a f rm
“Local, unique, authentic ...” The new supermarket Coop in the heart of Castelrotto offers you a wide range of first quality products. In the specialities‘ corner you will find unique culinary delights from local farmers, from biological origin and from fair trade. At the selling desk there is the famous butcher Heinz of the renowned Butcher Shop Silbernagl offering you typical Speck from Castelrotto and Helga, the soul of the Bakery and Confectionery Shop Burgauner, who will contribute with the “Schüttelbrot”. Why don‘t you come around?
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Winter idyll in the Tires Valley
San Cipriano Church at the Valley’s End The San Cipriano Church is one of the most photographed images in the Tires Valley. Oral tradition holds that at one time, when most of the houses were located at the valley’s end, this was the Parish Church of the area.
F From the village district of San Cipriano, known to the locals as the Hintertal, or the valley’s end, the otherwise narrow Tires Valley opens out into woods and meadows. At the valley’s end, there used to be considerably more houses than there are nowadays. It was initially depopulated by an earthquake, and later, in the 17th century, by the plague. The Black Death apparently ravaged through the Tires Valley, and during this time a further small chapel was built on a meadow above what is now the village centre, consecrated to the protectors from the plague, St. Sebastian and St. Rochus. According to the legend, a farmer with his oxen and cart brought the victims of the plague to this spot and buried them there. Every time he loaded up the cart, he is said to have exclaimed “Hü, es Roatn, mit die Toatn!”, which translates roughly as “Giddy up horses, with the corpses!”. The Tires parish church, the St. George Church, was originally much smaller than it is today and was renovated in Romanesque style in the 13th century with a rounded apsis like the San Cipriano Church. The Baroque renovation of the Tires parish church followed in 1767. Today, all that remains is the lower part of the church tower with its arched Roman windows.
Text: Katja Sanin Photo: Helmuth Rier
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The San Cipriano Church, which today stands in the centre of the valley’s end backed by the Catinaccio Mountain, has, in contrast, maintained its original Romanesque style. The valley’s end has always been the door to the woods and mountain
pastures and, most importantly, to the Niger Pass with its link to the Fassa Valley. Up until the flooding of 1882, lining the banks of the Rio Bria there were 46 businesses ranging from mills to sawmills and smithies from San Cipriano to the river mouth in Isarco, in Prato all’Isarco, who used the water from the river. In memory of these times and of the old craftsman professions, an old watermill has been restored to fully-functioning glory at the entrance to the village of Tires. An old Venetian sawmill, which has also been resurrected and is fully functioning, can be visited in the Nature Park House at the end of the valley. Venetian sawmills are wooden, vertical timber band saws. It was invented by Leonardo da Vinci in the 16th century together with Venetian timber merchants. Before its invention, planks were cut using muscle power alone. Weather Bells and Cyprian Bulls. Ever since 1964, when it was plundered dry for the third time, visitors must request permission from the sacristan to see the inside of the small San Cipriano Church. It is often used by the local Tires population for baptisms. Masses are only celebrated during the processions to San Cipriano and the church-days at the end of the valley in honour of Saints Cyprian and Justina, celebrated on September 26th. The family living in the immediate vicinity of the church has been acting as sacristan of the church for three generations now. »
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The captivating simplicity of the Romanesque chapel
The church’s large bell tower is known as the ‘Cyprian Bull’ and is said to have been excavated from rock debris behind the Ciamin bridge. In the past, the San Cipriano Church was located behind the Ciamin River, where the village centre lies today, until a part of the village and the church on the other side of the river were buried by a landslide. In the late middle ages, the church was built on its present site and, on the other side of the Rio Ciamin there were still so many houses that during the Corpus Christi procession, 24 pairs of bridal maidens dressed in white made their way over the Ciamin bridge to San Cipriano. The church was built in late Romanesque style in the 13th century, with barrel vault, rounded apsis and low bell tower. In 1583, it was renovated on the order of the Lords of Fiè-Colonna. The wooden roof was replaced by a vault and the windows were enlarged. The altar was also built at this time; of great cultural and historical value, the two patron saints of the little church are depicted in its centre. The tabernacle with its image of a bleeding Jesus is also worthy of note. On the south-facing outer wall, we find a fresco dating to the 17th century, depicting the miraculous rescue of the Platzliner meadow. We can see both saints, Cyprian and Justina, in this image, spreading their cloaks over the Alpine meadows to protect the grazing animals from the thunderbolts hurled down into the valley by God from a black cloud. For generations, the belief has been passed down in Tires that storms can be averted by a timely ringing of the ‘Cyprian Bull’. This belief originates in the notion that church bells are consecrated to the church and that, by ringing them, storms can be dissipated. The moment a storm front or stormy clouds appear on the horizon, the church sacristan is called upon to ring the bells. The belief is still held to this day amongst a number of the villagers, both young and old, and so the church curator is sent to ring the ‘Cyprian Bulls’, even this very year, when the Berglertafel mountaineers’ open-air banquet on the Proa meadow overlooking the Catinaccio threatened to become a washout. The event organisers and guests were lucky as, aside from a couple of drops of rain at the beginning of the evening, the guests remained dry and the storm held off. «
38 ALPE | Winter
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40 ALPE | Winter
One heart, one soul: Restaurateurs and couple Inga and Hannes Malfertheiner
A guest among friends Creatively unconventional: There’s nothing run-of-the-mill about this small restaurant in Siusi allo Sciliar, where Hannes and Inga Malfertheiner’s focus is firmly on variety. The Furscher Mill has long been known as a top venue for gourmet aficionados.
A As pretty as a picture book: The small mill nestles into a graceful willow copse below Siusi, encircled by soft green meadows. The Rio Freddo River gurgles quietly alongside, the grasses surrounding the fish pond dance in the wind and the sun, under clear blue skies, stretches its rays forth from behind the Santner Peak to this idyllic spot where Inga and Hannes Malfertheiner have made their home. The couple have been welcoming their guests to the 19th century corn mill since 2014. And now at the Furscher Mill, Inga and Hannes have found the serenity to put the last few challenging years of “haute cuisine” behind them and step forth on a new path. Hannes makes no secret of the fact that for many years he cherished the ambition to see his cuisine officially recognised. “In the past, a star would have been the crowning glory of my every endeavour,” he says. “But I’m over all that now.” Today, the
talented chef is a shade sceptical of websites such as Trip Advisor or gourmet guides. “Our stars are our guests. If a guest returns ten times, it’s a better marker of how we’re doing than an annual visit from a restaurant inspector.” He wouldn’t even want to win a star these days. “Work in the kitchen is hard-core. I want to offer a certain level of quality. And that means, and always will mean, hard graft,” the chef emphasises. “Our utmost priority is for our guests to come back,” adds Inga. The couple ran the Sassegg Restaurant in Siusi for ten years, also without a star, and built up a substantial clientele. Many regular guests have remained loyal to Inga and Hannes and are accompanying them along this new path. A guest among friends. A new era has begun for Inga and Hannes Malfertheiner in the Furscher Mill, which until a few years ago was run by owner Toni Schgaguler and his family themselves. »
Text: Elisabeth Augustin Photo: Helmuth Rier
Winter | ALPE 41
The Furscher Mill The corn mill is 150 to 200 years old and is still in operation to this day. Built directly on the Rio Freddo River, it was at one time primarily the farm mill for the Furscher Farm. Farmers from the nearby area brought their corn to the Furscher Mill to have it milled. In 1931, the mill was renovated by Anton Schgaguler, uncle of Toni Schgaguler, farmer and current owner. The mill ran right up until the mid-1960s. After a 35 year standstill, Hildegard and Toni Schgaguler decided to renovate it and bring it back to its working glory in 2003. In place of the turbine, a wooden water wheel was reinstated, and
42 ALPE | Winter
the mill now runs once more as it did in the past. The water inlet is the original, but today the channel also runs into the nearby fishpond. Grain, mainly wheat from the Zu Plun Farm in San Valentino above Siusi, is milled once or twice a week. The flour is transformed into mouth-wateringly delectable bread by the village baker, Oberprantacher. The restaurant is located in the mill itself and, with its small tables nestled around the millstone and in the corners of the three floors of the old building, offers a cosy, welcoming atmosphere.
The idyllic Furscher Mill is a magnet for gourmands.
The unusual location is the cornerstone of the couple’s new restaurant philosophy. The chef and the restaurateur, who met in Zurich in 1995 and have worked together ever since, run the business alone. Just the two of them. “Every day is a challenge,” of this they are of one mind. “But it was a conscious decision.” Now they feel free to focus on what is important to them and to do what they and they alone think is best. And on top of that, there would scarcely be enough room for more staff in the small kitchen and the tight space of the mill rooms. The six tables, spread over two floors and a splitlevel close to the wheel, seat 25-30 people at the most. In summer, tables are laid mainly on the furnished terrace in front of the house. The inside of the mill is characterised by masses of wood and simplicity, decorated tastefully by In-
ga’s skilled hands and adorned with flowers from the garden. “We have purposely kept our menu small,” explains Hannes, “and we change it every ten to fourteen days.” The menu features six dishes, accompanied by seasonal products. “I take my inspiration where I find it,” says the chef. His cuisine is Alpine-Mediterranean in style, but he will not be let himself be tied down to specifics. Hannes loves stark contrasts. And he loves surprises. “I do cook a lot of fish,” he admits. Direct contact with the farmers is also important to him: Lamb, kid, veal and beef all, whenever possible, come from the farm in and around Siusi. Vegetables and lettuce, herbs and courgette flowers are from mother Gretl’s garden. Hannes himself makes the much-loved elderflower, mint, lemon and ginger syrups. The bread is also homemade, »
»
Winter | ALPE 43
Classic simplicity: The inside of the old mill
as are the spreads. The chef loves to bring as much variety as he can into his work: “I need this stimulus,” he says, explaining that ever more customers are returning, and don’t want to eat the same thing every time. In her distinctive manner of speaking, a blend of pure German and South Tyrolean dialect, Inga, who comes from Schleswig-Holstein, adds “Once in a while guests may be disappointed if they don’t find their favourite dishes from their last visit on the menu.” But for the most part, it doesn’t take much to win them over with the other tasty dishes on the menu. Although the wine list is relatively small, the selection wants for nothing. “We started off with three whites and three reds, and we are already up to 30 whites and 30 reds,” smiles Inga, resident wine expert. “But when wines pair well with our dishes, we want to be in a position to offer them.” Inga’s philosophy in both service and cuisine is to keep it “simple and good”. There are no frills here in the Furscher Mill. Those who knew Inga from the Sassegg can see immediately that the Furscher Mill has given her the roots which she has perhaps yearned for over the years. The work day is long in the Furscher Mill, which is why guests often wonder how on earth they can manage it by themselves, says Inga. Mondays and Tuesdays are their days off. That’s when the couple head into the woods for a long walk “to clear our heads”. Apart from Sundays, the restaurant is only open in the evenings (excepting the 6 weeks in July and August when it’s high-season at the foot of the Sciliar). In June and November, Hannes and Inga enjoy a breather for a few weeks, travelling far and wide to live new experiences and discover new things. Many of the guests are locals who have known and loved Hannes’ cuisine for a long time. Left to chance, most folk would never happen upon the narrow road leading to the idyllic spot. And because so many guests return, the landlord and landlady strongly recommend booking a table in good time. «
44 ALPE | Winter
HOTEL VILLA MADONNA
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...and enjoy your meals!
gluten & lactose-free products available
Via Ibsen 29 39040 Siusi allo Sciliar (Bz) tel. +39 0471 70 88 60 info@villamadonna.it www.villamadonna.it
H O T E L V VI IL L LL AA M AMDA DOONNNN AA RESTAURANT RESTAURANT BAR &UND BAR
Photo: Moonlight/Armin Indio Mayr
Photo: Helmuth Rier
Photo: Helmuth Rier
Winter highlights 16/17
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> 10 February 2017
Christmas in the mountains in Castelrotto
Dolomite Ski Experience on the Alpe di Siusi
Traditional country wedding of Castelrotto
South Tyrol Moonlight Classic Alpe di Siusi
When the fragrant scent of gingerbread, cinnamon and mulled wine waft through the air, you know it’s Advent time at the foot of the Sciliar. The Castelrotto Christmas market welcomes everybody to come and enjoy a sociable get-together over a glass of mulled wine and a touch of Christmas spirit. The inhabitants of Castelrotto will unveil the secrets of their Christmas traditions and allow others to participate in them. Beside the little Christmas market, local farmers’ wives will offer their cookies, Christmas logs, pastries, and other authentic goodies for sale. On 9 and 10 December, the well-known „Kastelruther Spatzen“ folks music group will present songs and tunes in keeping with the „Feast of Love“.
Alpe di Siusi Ski Experience is a guarantee of skiing at its very finest. On a morning ski-run with an Alpine breakfast, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the utter peace and atmospheric dawn-glow of the Dolomites at first light. During “Cross Country Skiing Fever”, skiers can glide through the wintry landscape of the Alpe di Siusi, while wine gourmands can savour some of the finest wines of the region on a wine tour over the Alpe di Siusi. And to round off, a candlelit dinner and an outstanding meal in a rustic Alpine hut make for a perfect winter’s day. Numerous appealing offers are available to ensure that guests enjoy an unforgettable skiing holiday and have the opportunity to see the most dynamically mouthwatering side of the Alpe di Siusi.
The Country Wedding in Castelrotto has already become a tradition. It’s the authentic reproduction of a historical farmer’s wedding like those celebrated since time immemorial at the foot of the Alpe di Siusi. The throngs of participants wear their traditional garments with great pride – one of the reasons why the event has developed into one of South Tyrol’s most spectacular pageants.
Appointements 8 to 11 December 2016 16 to 18 December 2016 23/24/26 December 2016
> 10 December 2016
A sporting event illuminated by the glow of flickering torchlight, the chance to put your skills to the test at international level, and the spectacular winter backdrop of the Alpe di Siusi: In 2017, the Moonlight Classic will once again be offering numerous athletes and cross-country fans the chance to spend a sensational evening on the Alpe di Siusi by night. Participants can opt to take part in either the 30 km or the 15 km variant of the loop route. Both variants begin and end in Compatsch and are raced exclusively in classic diagonal style. The starting pistol for this cross-country spectacle will be fired at 8pm. At the start/finish area, spectators will already have gathered en-masse to enjoy the atmospheric display when the alphorn players and whip crackers take to the floor to set the scene for the evening. www.moonlightclassic.info
46 ALPE | Winter
Children’s Winter Festival with Nix the Witch The 2016-17 winter season will be getting off to a sparkling start with the second Kids’ Winter Festival on the Alpe di Siusi with Nix the Witch. Nix is calling all kids to join in the party, and will be transforming them into witches and wizards for the occasion. It will be an entire day of entertainment, games and winter fun, where children can also ski or learn to ski in a playful manner. Ski champion Peter Fill will also be there: He will be signing autographs, answering his young fans’ questions and will, of course, be happy to pose for a photo together.
> 23 – 28 January 2017
FIS World Cup Slopestyle Snowboard & Freeski At the end of January, the world’s best freestylers will be taking to their boards and skis in a gravity-defying display of choreography. The two Olympic-qualifier slopestyle World Cups will be taking place at the Alpe di Siusi Snow Park. Slopestyle, first introduced at Sochi 2014, is the most recent extreme-discipline on the Olympic scene, and sees athletes competing on a course which features a variety of jumps and obstacles. Six judges rate tricks on creativity, difficulty and execution or style, while jumps are evaluated on height, range and landing.
> 12 February 2017
Winter Golf Tournament Why does a green have to be… well, green? At the winter golf tournament, the greens give way to the white snows of the Alpe di Siusi, and golfers are treated to spectacular views as they ski or snowboard their way from one hole to the next. The 9 holes range from 61 to 150 m in length and are played with brightly-coloured golf balls, so much easier to spot against the snowy fairways. The tour starts in Compatsch, leads on to the Bullaccia, to the Laurin and Panorama lift and back towards the set-off point. Excellent catering and musical entertainment are provided along the golf course.
Photo: SAM/Helmuth Rier
Photo: SAM/Helmuth Rier
Photo: IDM/Helmuth Rier
> 21 February – 3 March 2017
> 12 March 2017
> 19 – 26 March 2017
> 26 March 2017
Family adventure in the snow
Alpe di Siusi Dolovino on Snow
Swing on Snow Winter Music Festival
Children’s Winter Festival with Nix the Witch
How do you make an igloo? How do animals survive in the snow? And what do farmers do in winter? Visitors young and old can find out all this and more on an exciting family adventure in the snow. During Igloo-Experience, young adventurers can step into the shoes of Nordic natives for an hour or two and learn some basic survival tricks. While nature-tracking in the Ciamin Valley, young nature lovers explore the wintry wood and follow the trails of hare, fox and roe. “What do farmers do in winter?” is the theme of the third family itinerary. In the Nature Park House, children will see a Venetian sawmill in action, learn how roof shingles are cut and discover any number of fascinating facts about beekeeping.
Dolovino on Snow invites you to celebrate the theme of “Top Alto Adige wines at the foot of the Dolomites” on a wine-tour across the Alpe di Siusi. South Tyrol is not just a paradise for skiers and hikers, but also an internationally renowned wine-growing area. Connoisseurs can sample outstanding wines from the local area in four bars and restaurants around the area, while the Alpine huts on the Alpe di Siusi will be serving culinary delights to round off the event to mouth-watering perfection.
Jazz in the mountain huts, soul on the slopes and traditional tunes in the restaurants in the evenings: Musicians from all over the Alpine region will be performing from morning to night in the Alpe di Siusi holiday area for the Swing on Snow festival. Bands and singers will be setting the tone on the slopes and getting old and young, winter sports visitors and music lovers alike, into the party mood. The modern interpretation of traditional folk music with jazz, soul and pop reflect the musical culture of the Alps; listeners can swerve in time to the beats and rhythms, and weave their way downhill to the sounds of the tuba, bass, dulcimer and accordion. Concerts will be played on the slopes of the Alpe di Siusi in the mornings, afternoons in the huts and evenings in the villages of Castelrotto, Siusi, Fiè allo Sciliar and Tires al Catinaccio. www.swingonsnow.com
At the end of the winter season, Nix the Witch is calling all kids to join in the party, and will be transforming them into witches and wizards for the occasion. The festival at the valley station of the Sanon lift is guaranteed to be fun: games, an arts and crafts corner, a treasure hunt, good music and masses of surprises to bring a shine to the eyes of every child. And, of course, the chance to learn how to ski or improve your technique. Nix the Witch also has a whole lot of tricks to teach for safety on the snow.
> 18 March 2017
Winter Berglertafel Mountaineers’ Banquet In 2017, the legendary summer’s Berglertafel Mountaineers’ Banquet in Tires al Catinaccio will also be featuring on the winter events’ program. The day begins with a snowshoe test session for beginners and experts during a snowshoe walk through the untouched, rustic winter countryside: Participants will have the opportunity to explore the Dolomites while determining which snowshoes best suit their needs before stopping off for the “Flying Buffet” to exchange opinions over a bowl of warming soup or a mulled wine. Like its summer counterpart, the Berglertafel Flying Buffet will be serving classic dishes with a creative twist in a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach, as participants will discover when the day draws to a close with a view over the famed Alpenglow of the Catinaccio Mountain at sunset.
Winter | ALPE 47
Photo: Moonlight/Armin Indio Mayr
Photo: IDM/Helmuth Rier
Photo: Moonlight/Armin Indio Mayr
Summer preview 2017
> 1 May – 28 June 2017
> 9 to 11 June 2017
> 2 July 2017
> 8 July 2017
Alto Adige Balance
Oswald von Wolkenstein Riding Tournament
Alpe di Siusi Half Marathon
Catinaccio-Sciliar Sky Marathon
Three days, four locations and 36 teams: In tribute to knight and minstrel Oswald von Wolkenstein, the three villages of Castelrotto, Siusi and Fiè allo Sciliar organise a historical riding tournament at its very finest. From June 9th to June 11th 2017, visitors to the Oswald von Wolkenstein Riding Tournament can leap back in time to the 14th century and experience life in the Middle Ages, admire the masterly horsemanship and the feel the warmth of the hospitality in South Tyrol. No other riding tournament has the good fortune to be able to offer this kind of culture, tradition, history, sport and folklore all rolled into one single event. www.ovwritt.com
21 kilometres, 601 metres of elevation gain and 700 participants: These are the characteristic numbers of the Alpe di Siusi Half Marathon on 2 July 2017. Surrounded by the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage, the Alpe di Siusi Half Marathon is a unique experience and sporting challenge for both professional and amateur athletes. The starter’s gun for the running event with start and finish in Compatsch is fired at 10.00am. ning.seiseralm.it
Right in the very heart of the unique UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites, an Alpine Mountain Marathon with a length of 45 km and around 3,000 m of elevation difference will be setting off from Tires al Catinaccio: the Catinaccio-Sciliar Sky Marathon. The challenging mountain race will begin in Tires, lead round the Catinaccio Massif, over the Sciliar, past the Monte Cavone Hut and back to Tires. The highest point of the Sky Marathon is the Principe Pass at 2,630 m. www.skymarathontiers.it
As the countryside awakens in spring, the urge to get out into the open air gets ever stronger and draws us out into the great outdoors and the spring air. “Active and healthy in spring” is the order of the day in South Tyrol. A variety of training sessions and workshops on the theme of health, balance, nutritious diet, optimal training techniques for runners and equipment will ensure you have all the basics you need to get the fresh air and hiking and running season off to a good start. > May – July 2017
Hikes for Flower Lovers Approximately 790 flowering plants and ferns of highly varied appearance and origin can be seen around Sciliar Mountain over the course of the year. Typical Alpine flowers but also botanical rarities flourish on the alp mats, in meadows and wheelbarrows. The nature reserve authorities organize about 30 guided hikes every year in cooperation with the tourism associations of the nature reserve communities with experienced nature reserve hiking guide Riccardo Insam.
48 ALPE | Winter
Photo: Kuchlkastl/Anneliese Kompatscher
Photo: SIMF/Photolia
Photo: IDM/Helmuth Rier
> July – August 2017
> 20 July 2017
> July 2017
> 1 – 31 October 2017
Summer Classics in Siusi allo Sciliar
Berglertafel
Semper Music International Festival
The Kuchlkastl - Culinary Festival in Fiè allo Sciliar
The Semper Music International Festival – like the previous ones – provides a unique opportunity to experience concerts by well-known and famous musicians in the Alpe di Siusi holiday area. On the festival program, besides the international competitions, master classes and workshops, there are about 35 afternoon and evening concerts with renowned music professors and young artists from North and South America, Asia and Europe participating. All concerts, master classes and workshops are open free of charge for guests and locals. Admission fees apply only for the star concerts. www.schlernmusicfestival.eu
The Kuchlkastl Culinary Festival has been the culinary highlight of autumn in the Alpe di Siusi holiday area for over 40 years now. Gourmets and lovers of good home cooking are in for a treat from October 1st to 31st, when the restaurants in Fiè allo Sciliar open their doors for the “Gastronomic October” festival. The chefs will be serving up traditional recipes with a modern flair. The theme: Old recipes reinterpreted and served with love. www. voelserkuchlkastl.com
For lovers of classical music, Siusi offers an extraordinary series of concerts. Artists will perform the works of great composers. The „Summer Classics“ of Siusi represent a high level of musical talent and have long since become an integral component of our summer cultural program. Both locals and visitors will be enchanted.
A gourmet menu with a panoramic view! The Berglertafel mountaineers’ dinner is a five-course menu of typical dishes from Tires served in a stunning setting. The venue is Proa, a mountain pasture with a view of the Catinaccio. There is arguably no other vantage point in Tires al Catinaccio from where you can see the famous alpenglow of King Laurin’s famous kingdom ... and all this while enjoying a fabulous gourmet menu. The table is more than a 100 metre long and can seat 160 gourmets who – in the form of a row – can enjoy a fabulous meal and, at the same time, this unique view of the Catinaccio.
> 6 – 8 October 2017
“Kastelruther Spatzen” Music Festival Celebrating, spending pleasant evenings together, experiencing the “Kastelruther Spatzen” live: The Spatzen-Festival in Castelrotto is a must for every fan. Surrounded by the unique scenery of the Dolomites the seven “Spatzen” enchant all friends of traditional music.
Winter | ALPE 49
Photo: SAM/Helmuth Rier
Around & about
Giro d’Italia. On May 22nd 2016, the Alpe di Siusi metamorphosed into a hotbed of cyclists and cycling fans: During the 15th stage of the Giro d’Italia, the athletes in the legendary cycle race tackled a challenging mountain time-trial from Castelrotto to Compatsch. Young cyclist Alexander Foliforov from Russia took the stage victory, while overall winner Vincenzo Nibali arrived at the stage finish later, taking the 25th spot. 25,000 spectators lined the 10.8 km stretch to cheer on their favourites.
Photo: SAM
Summer Festival at Prösels Castle Soul-stirring flamenco, swinging jazz and gospel Blues resounded within the ancient walls of Prösels Castle this August. The occasion was the first ever Summer Festival, and Spanish guitar duo Cafe del Mundo, vocalist Stefanie Boltz & Band and, last but not least, Quadro Nuevo, enthralled the audience. The musical journey will continue next year in search of mystical worlds that kindle a longing for the Dolce Vita.
During a walk to the Wuhnleger Lake and a picnic, mountaineer Reinhold Messner talked to the participants of his experiences in the mountains, his documentary film Still Alive? and of the death of the impossible. During the annual walk in Tires al Catinaccio, Reinhold Messner also talked to participants of how, when one is completely absorbed in the task in hand, the question 0f “why’” ceases to be of importance. IMPRINT. ALPE: Reg. Court Bolzano / Bolzano, n. 9/2002 R.St. Published by: Alpe di Siusi Marketing, 39050 Fiè allo Sciliar, Via del Paese, 15, Tel. +39 0471 709 600, Fax +39 0471 704 199, info@alpedisiusi.info, www.seiseralm.it. Legally responsible for the editorial content: Elisabeth Augustin Editorial Team: Elisabeth Augustin, Rosa Maria Erlacher, Sabine Funk, Barbara Pichler Rier, Katja Sanin, Michaela Baur, Daniela Kremer, Romina Glira, F-Tech; Translations: Studio Bonetti & Peroni. Advertising: Sabine Demetz, Christoph Trocker. Graphicdesign: Komma Graphik. Printing: Litopat.
50 ALPE | Winter
Photo: Prösels Castle/Mike Meyer
Out and about with Reinhold Messner
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