ALPE Winter 2023/2024

ALPE Winter 2023/24

Seiser Alm Magazine

KASTELRUTH · SEIS AM SCHLERN · SEISER ALM · VÖLS AM SCHLERN · TIERS AM ROSENGARTEN

Cross-country kids Outdoor action and endless fun

Winter tourism Encouraging innovations

Taste Eggs and pasta from the Zoar Hof

SEISER ALM ORGANIC M O U N TA I N G I N

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powered by

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LOVE IN

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Photo: Helmuth Rier

Foreword & Contents

Dear readers!

If you’re holding this magazine, there’s a good chance that you’re spending a few relaxing days in the Dolomites region Seiser Alm. And it’s also quite likely that you’ve already spoken to Dagmar Mayrl—or, if not to her directly, to one of her colleagues. Manager of the skipass ticket desk team, Dagmar joined us for a chat about her working life. In another interview, cable-car entrepreneur Matthias Rabanser talks about how he sees the future of tourism: “I’m staying optimistic,” he tells us, as he explains why winter tourism is anything but on the wane.

Erich Karbon also encounters a lot of skiers, for somewhat different reasons: a ski tuner of considerable renown, Erich provides skiers with comprehensive ski and snowboard services, primarily for professional athletes. The young cross-country skiers from the Seiser Alm ski team are not at those levels yet, but are certainly well on their way. At any rate, when it comes to inspiring a love of gliding through the snow, enjoyment and the fun of physical activity are the best incentives of all for children. In-

Page 4

Valentin Hofer’s coffee universe cidentally: throughout the whole of the Alpine region, the immense cross-country paradise of the Seiser Alm is a hard place to beat.

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The Winter School in Tiers is a mecca for scientists: young researchers from all over the world come here to exchange ideas in peace and quiet, far away from the hubbub of large cities.

The history of the Laechler House marks the beginning of our new series on interesting projects designed by local architects. In our opening story, you can find out how Paul Senoner and Lukas Tammerle managed to strike the perfect balance between restoration, reconstruction and further development. The article about the ‘Church Day’ in St. Valentin, a beautiful spot below the Seiser Alm, is a little more romantic.

And last but not least, the tasty stuff: eggs from over 5,000 chickens and mouthwatering pasta from the Federer family at the Zoar Hof in Völser Aicha, and a delectable recipe for carbonara.

Matthias Rabanser on the future of winter tourism

It’s lovely to have you here! We wish you an enjoyable, restful, relaxing break in our beautiful Dolomites region Seiser Alm.

The cross-country kids from the Seiser Alm ski team Page 10

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Ansitz Laechler architectural project Page 22

At the Seiser Alm Bahn ticket desk Page 24

Church Day in St. Valentin Page 30

Erich Karbon, ski tuner to the racers Page 35

Schlern Music Festival Page 36

Medical research in Tiers am Rosengarten Page 40

Eggs and pasta from the Zoar-Hof Page 44

Recipe: Carbonara Page 46

Winter 2023/24 highlights Page 48

Helmut Mitterstieler President of Seiser Alm Marketing and the Tourist Offices of Kastelruth, Seis am Schlern, Völs am Schlern, Seiser Alm and Tiers am Rosengarten.

Summer 2024 preview Page 50

Seen & heard

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The coffee universe The Caroma roastery in Völs am Schlern offers a fascinating insight into the mesmerising world of coffee. It is also home to what is probably the world’s largest collection of coffee grinders, amassed over the years with tireless work and dedication on the part of Valentin Hofer, Qualified Coffee Expert and Chief Coffee Sommelier.

A very special journey of discovery of coffee awaits visitors in the open-view roastery and the Coffeeseum.

Text: Elisabeth Augustin Photo: Helmuth Rier

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It puts a smile on your face!

Cross-country skiing is generally considered to be a particularly challenging sport – it’s no coincidence that the majority of winter sports fans make their ascents by ski lift. Despite the effort involved, children seem to be surprisingly keen on this variety-packed winter activity.

T The skiers at the valley station of the Laurin ski lift are evidently surprised to see a group of 15 or so happy kids and teenagers dressed in green and black, gliding through the fresh spring snow of the piste and straight to the turnstiles of the ski lift, where they confidently join the short queue. Unencumbered by thick ski clothing and unwieldly equipment, they are all wearing ultra-light skis.

The group in question are the young cross-country skiers from the Seiser Alm team, whose Saturday training session begins with downhill practice on the slopes. And if you’ve ever tried tackling a ski slope on cross-country skis, you’ll know exactly how difficult this exercise in acrobatics can be, despite the fun: Cross-country skis, unlike their downhill counterparts, do not have tapered edges.

Text: Sabine Funk Photo: Helmuth Rier

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It’s not often that you bump into kids and teenagers on the Seiser Alm cross-country trails; on the rare occasion that you do encounter families with young kids who have mastered the intricacies of the skating technique while having fun, they are generally guests from Scandinavian countries.

Cross-country skiing is widely recognised as being the healthiest of all winter sports, but its sheer

fun-factor fails to get the appreciation it deserves.

And it is this aspect that is clear to be seen in the delight of the young cross-country skiers from the Seiser Alm team, who are taking full advantage of the special deal for local students, which has been running for a few years now. Like everywhere in the Alpine region, downhill skiing is, traditionally, the most popular sport. Practically every child here has started skiing by the age of five; for many, this path naturally leads on to competitive sports, which also calls for a great deal of time, money and energy. Although the popularity of cross-country skiing pales into insignificance in comparison, the club remains undaunted in its ambitious target of encouraging children to get involved in this exceptionally healthy, full-body training in the crisp winter air—and to find out why, all you need to do is try it for yourself: Cross-country skiing, quite simply, puts a smile on your face!

It was Georg Plant from Seis am Schlern who brought about the training of the ski team. A keen cross-country skier himself, when his own children began to take an interest in the sport, he began the search for facilities which would help

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Gliding over the Seiser Alm on cross-country skis.

them on their way. Since then, he and his ski team have had their work cut out in garnering meaningful support from committees; this is due to the fact that, although hundreds of children take part in downhill ski courses, only around 20 members are involved in cross-country training. Surprising, as the Seiser Alm enjoys an international reputation as one of the most beautiful cross-country skiing areas in the Alps, and, with the Moonlight Classic race, hosts an event of cult status in the cross-country scene.

Info Cross-country training for local kids begins in early December, or as soon as snow conditions permit, and ends around Easter. The ski schools on the Seiser Alm also offer lessons for children and families. Children’s equipment for both classic and skating techniques is available for rental on the Seiser Alm, where you will also find expert advice!

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One particularly ‘golden winter’ in terms of both snow conditions and numbers was the year of the pandemic, when the Seiser Alm lifts were brought to a standstill and countless winter sports fans were hunting around for alternatives. “At the end of that season, there were 40 children at the start of the club race,” recalls Lukas Kostner with a light in his eye. Many have since returned to downhill skiing: “It’s a shame. Cross-country skiing is, quite simply, the most wonderful sport there is.” With a deep tan from the winter sun and a distinctive Val Gardena accent, Kostner is one of the two coaches

of the team, and the enthusiasm that he radiates is contagious. He first began cross-country skiing at the age of nine, after which he attended the cross-country sports school and went on to become a member of the national team. He now devotes his all to cross-country skiing and to his children. Practically every weekend, he takes a small group to races and amateur events throughout South Tyrol. However, he emphasises, the competitions are not the ultimate goal of the training sessions: Cross-country skiing is good for children in so many ways, he tells us. In addition to coordination skills and balance, it also boosts general fitness and health and provides kids with the opportunity to discover the joy of activity.

For some children, this activity, propelled only by the work of their own bodies, is an even greater source of confidence than speeding down the slopes, which can often be difficult to control.

12-year-old Kunigunde from Völs am Schlern openly admits that she never felt comfortable when downhill skiing, and that she never felt fully at ease with the high speed it entailed. “Cross-coun-

“I think that cross-country skiing is the coolest sport in the whole world.”

Ronja, 11 Jahre

try skiing is a real sport,” the level-headed secondary school student says with pride, dispelling once again the unfounded belief that effort and fun are mutually exclusive.

Hubert Rier who trains the young skiers together with Kostner takes the concept a step further still: “Cross-country skiing is actually more suitable for children than downhill skiing. Skiing isn’t a real sport, at the end of the day: What do kids do when they’re outdoors and you leave them to do what they want? They run around and play—and cross-country skiing allows them to satisfy this need for exercise.” Hubert began cross-country skiing at the age of 17, and took to it immediately.

He would often spend his lunch breaks out and about on the Seiser Alm, even in the days before he became a cross-country instructor. For decades now, he has been cross-country skiing on the sunny Seiser Alm trails all winter long.

Unfortunately, the group of kids that hone their technical skills in this versatile endurance sport twice a week under the guidance of Lukas and Hubert remains small. Some of their students are already showing both talent and ambition. “I think that cross-country skiing is the coolest sport in the whole world,” says Ronja from Seis am Schlern. After a trial training session, she couldn’t wait to get started, and it was soon clear that the agile, slight 11-year-old also had the all-important ‘edge.’ Last winter, Ronja competed in eight competitions, practically every race the club took part in. Her efforts, and those of the Schlern kids, have reaped their rewards already: Much to her joy, Ronja won the title of vice-champion. This winter, she is certain that her younger brother will also opt for cross-country rather than a downhill skiing course.

And when you watch the young cross-country skiers in action, you not only feel their enthusiasm, but wonder whether many other children might not be happier on the cross-country trails than they are in their downhill courses, where the pressure to perform is high. <

The cross-country skiers from the Seiser Alm ski team - pictured above with Hubert Rier - take to the trails to hone their techniques in skating and diagonal styles.

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WINTER TOURISM:

“ I’m staying optimistic” The climate crisis has arrived in the Alps. According to forecasts, warmer winters with less snow are set to become more common - bringing with them a hard hit to winter tourism. Cable-car entrepreneur Matthias Rabanser had a chat with ALPE about the future of winter tourism.

Interview: Sabine Funk Photo: Helmuth Rier

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ALPE: Your family owns numerous lifts on the Seiser Alm. How did it all start?

Matthias Rabanser: My father

H How does a lift operator go about addressing the challenges —not unfamiliar—of climate change? What can he or she do to ensure an ecological balance? To find out, we talked to Matthias Rabanser, whose family business has managed a large share of the Seiser Alm ski lifts for 60 years.

founded the company in 1960, and I took over after he passed away in 1999. He started it all from scratch and, prior to doing so, had spent his life farming. At that time, there were single ski lifts on the Seiser Alm, like the sledge lift to the Hotel Panorama.

Farming was hard, and my father wanted to secure a second source of income; he took over a lift from an Italian company that had just been built on the Puflatsch which, as it happens, is the most unfavourable location of all for winter sports, with its south-facing sunny slopes where we had problems of snow scarcity as far back as the 1960s. For as long as I can remember, the lack of snow on the Puflatsch has been the subject of family conversation.

Which brings us to our topic – when did climate change start to become an issue for your family company?

Up until the mid-1980s, people believed that there was no problem, and that there would always be enough snow in winter. And then the winters of 1988/89 and 1989/90 arrived, with their dearth of snowfall, This ‘snow shock’ was the true pivotal point.

The Cable-car entrepreneur Matthias Rabanser: “We have expanded our snowmaking systems on practically 100% of the slopes, and are able to use artificial snow to help out in every location.”

On a technical level, were you prepared for this in any way?

We started up the first snow cannons in the mid-1980s; we didn’t make a great deal in the beginning, just the odd patch on the Puflatsch to improve the slopes. I excavated out a little makeshift reservoir for this purpose. Sometimes we used the water from the Hotel Eurotel’s drinking water reservoir, and on occasion, there

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was no water available at the hotel for a couple of hours in the mornings. You can barely imagine it nowadays. The Laurin lift was shut down for half of the winter in 1988/89 and 1989/1990, sales were extremely poor, and we nearly went bankrupt.

Does the fate of your business still depend on the weather today?

Over the past few winters, sometimes things have been better and sometimes worse. I wouldn’t say that things are that much worse than in the 1990s. But we have expanded our snowmaking systems on practically 100% of the slopes, and are able to use artificial snow to help out in every location. We have numerous reservoirs, so are relatively well kitted out.

That doesn’t solve the problem of rising temperatures—you can only make snow when the temperatures are below a certain point…

That’s true, of course. We need a

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window of time when the temperature is below freezing in order to snow the slopes quickly.

It goes without saying, of course, that the more water and the more machinery we have available, the faster we can make snow when the conditions are right.

When it’s cold and I have a lot of water, I can achieve twice the snow-cannon output as I can at threshold temperatures. That’s why the systems must always be up-to-the-minute.

The biggest worry, then, is that the weather gets too warm?

Yes, you could say that. The Seiser Alm skiing area will be opening on 7 December this year, and we’re hoping that it will be cold enough in November to lay the ground layers on the slopes. Even if there is 15 or 20 centimetres of snowfall, it is not enough for the snow-making machinery that we use. Skiers’ expectations are also different these days: In the past, if there was a lump or a bump in the slope, it was normal. Today, however, it is taken for granted

that all slopes will be perfectly groomed at the beginning of the season.

Will it be possible to plan a ski season by the calendar in the long term? In 20 years time, will we be able to ski from December through to Easter?

I have newspaper articles from the 1980s here, when people believed that they wouldn’t be able to ski in 30 years time. And yet we’re still doing it. I’m not so pessimistic about this.

So, things will carry on, despite global warming?

I don’t deny the reality of climate change, obviously. I don’t think that temperatures are rising so drastically, however, but maybe that’s just my impression. Technology is also continuing to take leaps forward: Snow cannons are becoming more efficient, and we are lucky to have the relatively good altitude of the Seiser Alm as our ski resort.

Nevertheless, would it

not be more reasonable to say to people “It might be the 8th of December, but it’s over 8 degrees on the Seiser Alm – it’s just not possible”?

Naturally, beginning the season later is an option. On some occasions in the past, we haven’t opened until around Christmas.

It’s only because of artificial snowmaking opportunities that we now aim to have the systems up and running by Sant’Ambrogio (8 December, a public holiday in Italy which, traditionally, marks the beginning of the skiing season). We manage to do it 90% of the time. In 2006, to give an example, we wanted to open the lifts on 6 December, but it was raining heavily. Two days later, the snow arrived in abundance.

But sometimes it would suffice if the skiers were a little more understanding if there is a bare patch on the slope. Expectations are, it must be said, exceptionally high, as are safety standards.

Do you never get the feeling that the main

factor in the equation in this case, nature is overlooked?

We lift operators also have a responsibility towards the accommodation providers, and we have to give them the security to plan ahead—they are the ones who have direct contact with the guests, and it is extremely unpleasant for them if a booking has to be cancelled at the last minute.

Tourism operators depend, directly or indirectly, on artificial snow…

Yes, but I would like to point out an interesting aspect here: Before artificial snowmaking was introduced on a wider scale, there was a lot of talk about moving the lifts higher up the mountains. The area around the “Rosszahnscharte” was analysed, including the stretch behind the Goldknopf towards Tschapit— this is all terrain which, to this day, remains untouched as artificial snow enabled us to continue using the lifts that had already

been built on the Seiser Alm. It can also be viewed in a positive light.

The skiing cross-country and hiking region of the Seiser Alm. Front left: The Puflatsch slopes.

Are there any new lift systems on the cards, or will the existing lifts be maintained and modernised over time?

There’s nothing in the pipeline at the moment, except for the link lift between Saltria and Monte Pana. The approval process is making such slow progress that I don’t know whether the project will ever get off the ground. We have been trying to get this approval for 20 years.

In your opinion, are environmental regulations sufficient?

I think so. The approval process takes a considerable amount of time, and we strive to carry out all of our construction works with as little impact as possible. During excavations, for example, we sometimes remove entire tiles of turf and replace them in exactly the same position when we’re done. We do our best.

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The biggest environmental factors are water and electricity – which is more important?

They’re all interrelated. Sometimes we have permission to draw water from rivers. Of course, we have to guarantee that we will leave a specified amount of residual water. But, particularly when we have to pump water uphill to a great height, it is very energy-intensive. This is why we are trying to create high-altitude reservoirs; the higher the reservoirs, the higher the pressure in the pipes which connect with the snow cannons.

The storage reservoirs remain an issue of contention; you’ve been planning a large reservoir on the Puflatsch for a long time - will it be built?

Opinion is divided on that one. The reservoir is registered in the development plan, and the property has already been purchased. The environmental impact assessment seemed to be promising, but then a series of environmental protection associations called attention to a rare species of prunella orchid which grows here. Although prunella are usually chocolate brown, in this area there are also yellow and white specimens.

It’s not just snowmaking that benefits from modern technology: The snowcats measure snow depth in real time, and transmit all data to the central computer.

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So, it’s got nothing to do with the possibility of drinking water being drawn from the Puflatsch, even though there have been water shortages in Kastelruth in recent years?

No, it’s about the orchids. The drinking water in Kastelruth has got nothing to do with snowmaking on the Seiser Alm. We only take the overflow from rivers and drinking water, and never directly from the source;

we are not allowed to do that under any circumstances. I think of it this way: We are only borrowing the water, as we don’t put any chemical additives into it whatsoever—a lot of the water we use would otherwise flow straight into the Po valley. If we use it to make snow, it will eventually melt, and go on to supply a spring again.

A ski resort consumes a lot of energy, even aside from the snowmaking aspect.

Why, for example, are there so few photovoltaic panels on the lift station roofs?

This has a lot to do with landscape protection regulations. To date, it has been extremely difficult to position photovoltaic systems on the Seiser Alm but I imagine that this will change in the near future. We would like to take some steps in this direction as soon as possible. The majority of the lifts use ‘green’ electricity and, to our immense joy, we have received certification. Producing your own electricity through photovoltaic systems would be a good idea, we have a lot of sun on the Seiser Alm. Are more advances being made in the snowmaking or lift sector?

Yes, to both. There are a lot of finer details in lift systems, from heated seats to automatic childsafety locks, like the ones on the Bamby lift—which, while we’re on the subject, has been fitted with a new, more efficient, direct drive: The motor is mounted directly on the cables; there are no gears, no energy loss through

“I always see how much fun so many people have in this relatively small outdoor area, far from any kind of screen.”

Matthias Rabanser

friction and heating, and the power consumption is, therefore, lower. The most important new development, however, is that we have fitted the snowcats with snow-depth gauges, which means we have precision-measured the terrain of the entire skiing area.

The snowcat carries out difference measurements in real time when driving over the slopes, enabling the driver to determine exactly how to manage the snow coverage. This data is transmitted to the central computer, and allows us to work out exactly how much snow is needed in every area.

tively small outdoor area, far from any kind of screen. If the same number of people went ski touring, it would be much harder on the countryside.

What projects are you planning next?

We’re replacing the Goldknopf lift at the moment. It’s 20 years old now, and takes precedence over the Laurin lift. Within the family, we’re still discussing whether we want a 6 or an 8-seater lift.

Despite all the negative outlooks, however, optimism would seem to be prevailing…

Yes, I’m optimistic, and I have to remain so. There’s no end to the investments that need to be made in more efficient snow cannons, in the pipelines, and in the lifts. If I didn’t believe in the future of this industry, I would not be able to keep investing.

And after everything I’ve experienced over the years…In the 1990s, when I was young and had just started working, I thought that the lack of snow was the end of the world. This was a difficult time for me, as all the investments were still ahead of us.

These experiences, and the challenges we’ve faced, make you more easy-going—and so I’m staying optimistic.” <

If the family talks about it together, does that mean that decisions are made together?

I talk a lot with my wife and children. One son is 21, and is starting to work in the company.

In a nutshell, do you think that skiers should have an environmental conscience?

I always see how much fun so many people have in this rela-

But ski tourism brings with it a great deal of traffic. Is enough being done to provide incentives for carbon-saving travel?

This is an area that is difficult for us to influence. Train connections seem to be very good. At this point in time, a change in mentality would certainly be desirable, and a shift away from car usage.

Matthias Rabanser has been managing the company, founded by his father, since 1999.

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A

harmonious building

In the Dolomites region Seiser Alm, there are a number of architects who have made a name for themselves both for their projects and their unique perspectives amongst them, Paul Senoner and Lukas Tammerle from the Kastelruth office bearing their names. ALPE talked to them about their project for the Laechler House.

T The Krausplatz in the centre of Kastelruth is encircled by an impressive assembly of buildings, including the St. Peter and Paul parish church with its free-standing bell tower, the town hall in the erstwhile Krausegg House, and the crenelated Laechler House.

Annexed to the town hall, the latter of the three is an imposing yet unobtrusive building at the end of the square between the Vogelweidergasse and the archway leading to the Plattenstrasse, two of the star of five streets branching off from the Krausplatz. The Laechler House, a listed building dating back to the 13th century, has recently undergone full renovation and now shines in all of its former resplendent glory, both inside and out.

Interview: Simone Treibenreif Photo: Helmuth Rier

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The building is owned by the local council of Kastelruth, who wanted to transform the attractive building into a focal point for both the village community

and for holiday guests. And to carry out the requisite works, they commissioned two architects who are exceptionally well-acquainted with the spirit of the area: Paul Senoner und Lukas Tammerle.

“Both my business partner Paul Senoner and I grew up in Kastelruth, and were familiar with this building both as local residents and as customers of the bank which it housed for many years,” says Lukas Tammerle. When the decision was taken to convert the Laechler House—formerly known as the Plunerschneider House—into a public building, “having the opportunity to ‘operate’ in the very heart of Kastelruth was a great honour.“ says Tammerle.

“During the project”, he continues, “it was important to us to strike the right balance between restoration, reconstruction and further development.”

Skilled restoration, historical reconstruction and contemporary development The Laechler House, named for its first owners, underwent multi-level ‘operations,’ during which the facades, plasterwork, vaults of the historical building were all professionally restored with skilled expertise.

Lukas Tammerle (left) and Paul Senoner in front of the Ansitz Laechler in Kastelruth village centre.

Together, the two Kastelruthers run the Senoner Tammerle Architekten architectural firm.

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In their works on the Ansitz Laechler project, it was important to Senoner and Tammerle to strike the right balance between restoration, reconstruction and further development.

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“The quirks that you find in old buildings are extremely exciting.

You have to embrace them, and transform them into feature elements by creating new, customised solutions to adapt them to their future purpose.”

Paul Senoner

The reconstruction works comprised the restoration of original features which had, at one time, been important design elements of the building. In carrying out these works, the architects first had to examine the development of the building throughout its lifetime: since it was first constructed, the Laechler House had been expanded, elevated and rebuilt in four principal stages, reaching its current size and shape at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1937, it was taken over by the Kastelruth – St. Ulrich Raiffeisenkasse bank, and became the Kastelruth premises of the bank until 2011. Numerous renovations had been carried out during the bank conversions, some of which had a severely detrimental impact on its historical nature. To cite one example, the two-flight outer staircase was moved from the Krausplatz square to the inside of the building, “most likely to resolve the problem of wet stairs,” explains Paul Senoner. “We rebuilt the staircase and reinstated the historical authenticity to return the building to its former appearance.”

The new outer staircase, however, has a few steps more than its predecessor. The reason for this is that the level of the pitch was lowered by around half a metre in the 1960s, enabling the buses that transited through the square at that time to pass

Architectural firm through the town hall archway. “One could view this as being a desecration. However, as fate would have it, this had its advantages in that it allowed us to create barrier-free access to the House from the village square,” Lukas tells us. “This would not otherwise have been possible. Now, however, we have a barrier-free entrance which is relatively close to the stairs and the main entrance.” To which Senoner adds, “The quirks that you find in old buildings are extremely exciting. You have to embrace them, and transform them into feature elements by creating new, customised solutions to adapt them to their future purpose.”

Further development with a multipurpose attic The weightiest intervention in the Laechler House was carried out in the part of the building which faces away from the Krausplatz square. “We removed all the non-original balconies, together with other add-ons and installations which were not of historic importance,” says Tammerle. They also designed a small, pillar-free multipurpose room on the attic floor. “To bring the room height to a sufficient level, we raised the roof ridge to two-thirds of the length,” explains Paul Senoner. “The length of the eaves, which has remained unchanged, together with the staggered roofing, means that this elevation is not visible from either the alley or the village square.”

Paul Senoner (born in 1972) and Lukas Tammerle (born in 1980) run the Senoner Tammerle Architecture Firm.

The duo of architects from Kastelruth have been working together since 2003, and undertake a vast array of projects ranging from spatial planning (village development and urban planning) through to architectural construction and bespoke furnishings.

The team at the Kastelruth architectural firm now counts around ten people. Although the majority of their projects are based in the Dolomites region Seiser Alm, they also operate in other parts of South Tyrol for both private and public developers.

In the historic centre of Kastelruth, Senoner Tammerle Architects have designed the Hotel Lamm, the headquarters of the Kastelruth-St. Ulrich Raiffeisenkasse bank and the Laechler House, together with a number of smaller-scale projects including a long feature boundary-line for a shop consisting of a bench and three trees.

Senoner Tammerle have also carried out works on mountain huts, including the Tierser Alpl and Santnerpass huts.

Even though the multipurpose room has been fitted with a glass facade, the white plaster of the Laechler House nevertheless appears to reach all the way up to the gable. “In order to achieve this ef-

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fect,” says Lukas Tammerle, “We positioned a fan of white wood in front of the glazing; this allows light to enter while creating the visual impression that the house is enclosed all the way up to the roof, in keeping with the other houses in the historic centre of the village. It was very important to us to take a sensitive, respectful approach to the building in its own right, and to the grouping of buildings in the village square.”

Within the walls of the building, the biggest challenge of the renovation works was ‘clearing up’ the floor plan, removing outdated fixtures, and injecting greater architectural authenticity into the interior conversions. “We did away with all non-historical partitions and ceilings and ‘unshelled’ the old construction features such as the historic wooden beam ceilings, supplementing them with new solid wood ceilings where they were missing,” explains Senoner. All features which were added during the

recent renovation works are either in grey exposed concrete—primarily the stairs—or dark-stained wood. “The contemporary staircase gives every floor full independence,” says Tammerle. “This elaborate development was one of the main challenges of the project.” In the planning phases, the chief objective was to ensure flexible, independent, barrier-free access to each of the four floors at all times of day and night: The tourist office with its info-point on the mezzanine floor, exhibition rooms, the Museum of Traditional Costumes on the third floor, and the multipurpose attic space.

The two Kastelruth architects rose to the challenges with mastery, striking the perfect balance between restoration, reconstruction and development, with sensitivity to the historical building and the ensemble in the village centre. And in confirmation, the reaction to the new-old Laechler House says it all. <

In the course of the recent restoration works, a small pillar-free events room was created in the attic of the crenelated Laechler building.

Architects Paul Senoner and Lukas Tammerle on extensions “We are very interested in working with old buildings, including listed buildings. In this day and age, when talk turns to sustainable, resource-saving and future-oriented construction, the concept of repurposing existing constructions is becoming ever more prominent.

The crux of the matter is that, in redevelopment, you don’t have to build everything from scratch, but approach the existing building with sensitivity, develop what is already there, and convert it or build around it.

You have to respect the existing construction and, simultaneously, enhance or alter it with attractive, customised solutions which will make it fit for future purpose. It’s about creating harmony between the old and the new. We always strive to find our own architectural language, and create comprehensive, practical adaptations which resolve the problems of the original building.

Developing old buildings and finding solutions for their future are inspiring tasks which suit our approach and our philosophy: We are not aiming for grandiose architectural gestures. We prefer to integrate with sensitivity, and create self-standing, classic projects that do not insist on taking centre stage.”

20 ALPE | Winter

KOMMAGraphik | Foto: Helmuth Rier

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AFFORDABLY AND SUSTAINABLE TO THE WINTER WONDERLAND SEISER ALM Benefit card for toboganists, hikers and snow shoe hikers, cross-country skiers.

Combi Card 3 in 7*

65,00 Euro

Nordic Pass 3 in 7*

80,00 Euro

In the course of 7 successive days (after first use)

Over the course of 7 successive days (after first use)

> 3 times to the Seiser Alm and back, with the Seiser Alm Aerial Cableway OR the Seiser Alm Express (Bus Routes 10) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 5, 15) around the Seiser Alm and the Almbus (Bus Routes 11) > Extra charge for the dog: 7,00 €

> on 3 days unrestricted use of the Seiser Alm Aerial Cableway OR the Seiser Alm Express (Bus Route 10), on the same 3 days unrestricted use of using the Cross-Country Ski Courses Seiser Alm / Val Gardena and the Almbus (Bus Routes 11) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 5, 15) > Extra charge for the dog: 7,00 €

Combi Card 7*

Nordic Pass 7*

84,00 Euro

107,00 Euro

Valid for 7 successive days (after first use)

Valid for 7 successive days (after first use)

> unrestricted use of the Seiser Alm Aerial Cableway or the Seiser Alm Express (Bus Route 10) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 5, 15) around the Seiser Alm and the Almbus (Bus Routes 11) > Extra charge for the dog: 14,00 €

> unrestricted use of the Cross-Country Ski Courses Seiser Alm / Val Gardena, of the Seiser Alm Aerial Cableway and the Seiser Alm Express (Bus Route 10) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 5, 15) and the Almbus (Bus Route 11) > Extra charge for the dog: 14,00 €

Combi Card 14*

Nordic Pass 14*

127,00 Euro

164,00 Euro

Valid for 14 successive days (after first use)

Valid for 14 successive days (after first use)

> unrestricted use of the Seiser Alm Aerial Cableway or the Seiser Alm Express (Bus Route 10) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 5, 15) around the Seiser Alm and the Almbus (Bus Routes 11) > Extra charge for the dog: 28,00 €

> unrestricted use of the Cross-Country Ski Courses Seiser Alm / Val Gardena, of the Seiser Alm Aerial Cableway and the Seiser Alm Express (Bus Route 10) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 5, 15) and the Almbus (Bus Route 11) > Extra charge for the dog: 28,00 €

> The Combi Card and the Nordic Pass are not transferable and are available at all cash desks of the Seiser Alm Aerial Cableway, at the Tourist Offices of Kastelruth, Seis am Schlern and Völs am Schlern and at your accommodation. > Children (born after 26/11/2015) and persons in wheelchairs ride free of charge. Juniors (born after 26/11/2007) pay only half fare. *The Guest Card “Südtirol Alto Adige Guest Pass” from Dolomites region Seiser Alm, which is not available for purchase and is issued free of charge to the guests by the accomodation, includes a price reduction for the Combi Card and for the Nordic Pass.

Seiser Alm Aerial Cableway 39040 Seis am Schlern · Schlernstr. 39 Tel. +39 0471 704 270 · www.seiseralmbahn.it · info@seiseralmbahn.it

Cash-des It’s all go at the Seiser Alm cable car ticket desks, where the capable cashiers of endless patience make sure that every passenger gets precisely the ticket that they need.

Every year, 1.5 million passengers travel on the Seiser Alm cable car. Dagmar Mayrl has been working at the ticket window of the valley station in Seis am Schlern for 12 years now. She is one of the 17 cash-desk operators at the ski-pass offices in Seis am Schlern, Kastelruth and the Seiser Alm, has been managing the cash desks and coordinating the entire team for the past two years. ALPE met up with her for a chat about her work at the ticket desk.

Interview: Elisabeth Augustin Photo: Helmuth Rier

22 ALPE | Winter

ALPE: Ms Mayrl, you are a cashier at the Seiser Alm Aerial Cableway?

Dagmar Mayrl: Yes, so my contract says. But maybe you can think of a better job title?

How long is your working day?

On a normal day, from 7.45 in the morning until 6.15 in the afternoon with a 45-minute lunch break.

How many tickets do you sell a day?

That’s a good question.

I don’t know. When the day ends, I only know what the takings are.

How many types of ticket are there?

There are 9 layers on my computer, each with 18 keys, so there are probably around 70 different types of tickets.

Our system is unbelievably complicated. Even after 12 years, I still come up against new challenges and need to think about what to do next.

A typical guest comes to buy a ticket and asks… … how everything works, so which is the best ticket for him and his family, whether it’s better to buy a day pass or if multi-day tickets are cheaper, the distance that the pass covers, and so on.

And then you explain the ins and outs of everything. Selling round trip tickets for the Seiser Alm is something we can do quickly, but ski passes can get complicated.

What are the most unpleasant situations?

When customers complain.

Most of the time, it’s about the price. People are often stressed when they come to the ticket window having got here after a long journey, with cumbersome ski equipment and children in tow…

Can tickets be bought online?

Ski passes yes—we’re selling more and more of them

online—but Seiser Alm tickets not yet. Given that there are so many different types of tickets, as I said before, a lot of holidaymakers prefer to ask for our advice. We provide a good service at the ticket windows, and give customers information that they can rely on.

What’s the longest waiting time to get to the ticket window?

In exceptional cases, people might have to stand in line for an hour. On particularly busy days, like during the Christmas or Carnival holidays, waiting time is generally 20 to 30 minutes. It can take up to 10 minutes to process a family ski pass. In high season, eleven ticket windows are open at the valley station of the Seiser Alm Aerial cableway. There is also a ticket office in Kastelruth, and one on the Seiser Alm. We don’t like to keep people waiting, but sometimes, unfortunately, there is no other option.

sk Dagmar Mayrl enjoys working with people.

On peak days, her job at the ticket office of the Seiser Alm cable car calls for a lot of concentration.

What is the funniest thing that’s happened to you at the ticket window?

There are always certain moments that stick in your memory for a long time. One that springs to mind is a 95-year-old Italian lady; when I asked her age so that I could give her a senior citizens’ discount, she insisted on paying full price rather than leaving too much money to her inheritors. Sometimes people ask us if it’s possible to go hiking on the Seiser Alm, or if there’s a mountain hut restaurant up there. They must be astounded when they get to the top and see the most beautiful, immense, mountain pasture before their eyes. One time, a passenger from Asia asked us how long it took to build the beautiful mountain scenery. I also recall a local person who waited in line at my window for 20 minutes, just to ask me to change the screen settings on his mobile phone, as he had heard that I was good with mobile phones. The list of funny questions goes on and on.

Do you remember any particularly nice encounters?

We see nice people every day.

Every meeting is unique, even if there is a pane of glass between us.

With thousands of passen­gers every year, do you ever run out of patience?

We’ve got patience to spare, and if exasperation does strike, it’s never more than once or twice a year. We are a great team and have a lot of fun together. That makes everything so much easier. <

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24 ALPE | Winter

The St. Valentin Festival St. Valentin is a scattered hamlet above Seis am Schlern.

A popular photo destination, the little St. Valentin church can be seen from far and wide.

A landmark visible from far and wide, the little church above Seis am Schlern is dedicated to Saint Valentine.

W Why was the St. Valentin church built, who built it, and why did they choose this site? Historians have drawn their conclusions from a number of prehistoric finds in the local area. The first people who laid claim to this spot were the Rhaetians who, although they did not settle in the area, demarcated ‘their’ territory through the construction of sites of worship. They were followed by the Romans, who cultivated the lands. Visible from far and wide from its hilltop vantage point overlooking Seis am Schlern, the Bolzano basin, and the mighty rock wall of the Schlern massif, the church was, in all probability, built atop an existing place of worship.

In citing the evidence of early settlements on the hilltop facing St. Valentin, historian Christoph Gasser from Seis am Schlern mentions Bronze Age

and Iron Age finds which have been discovered on the Schlern. It is therefore possible that, upon the collapse of the Roman Empire and the increasing conversion to Christianity, the local populace wanted to make a clear statement by building the church as a symbol of the new religious credo in place of a former worship site. “This has not, however, been proven,” argues Gasser; the location of the church, on a link road between the surrounding settlements, may indicate that it was a place of rest and restoration, as the many frescoes adorning its walls would seem to imply.

The market town of Kastelruth, home to over 7,000 people, is split into 12 smaller districts, or hamlets. Some of these hamlets have grown to become small village communities, while others—

Text: Rosa Maria Erlacher Photo: Helmuth Rier

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including St. Valentin—have remained scattered settlements which have, nevertheless, preserved their own distinct traditions and festivals. The entire settlement area above Seis am Schlern (1,000 metres a.s.l.) all the way up to the Hotel Gstatsch (1,480 metres a.s.l.) belongs to the district of St. Valentin. According to the most recent census, St. Valentin currently has 239 residents.

In days gone by, the long, fertile, sunny slopes provided ideal farming terrain. The St. Valentin farms were long considered to be the bread basket of the high plateau, and livestock farming, due to the climate, was confined to the higher-lying farms.

It was only in recent years, since a road was built through St. Valentin to the Seiser Alm in 1938, that agriculture began to change: accessibility and irrigation systems transformed the cornfields into a lush meadow landscape, set off to aesthetic perfection by the deep, blue skies.

The St. Valentin church with its onion dome was first mentioned in records dating to 1244. Located high above Seis am Schlern in the heart of meadows of velvety green which turn to a blanket of snow in winter, it is a popular photo destination.

The church is dedicated to St. Valentin, Bishop of Rome, who died a martyr’s death in Terni, near Rome, in the 3rd century AD for having defied Emperor Claudius II’s decree forbidding soldiers to wed; protector of lovers, he performed marriages for everybody who wished to pledge their troth.

And ever since, St. Valentin has been venerated as patron saint not only of young people, travellers and beekeepers, but also of lovers, who pay homage to him each year on the 14th of February. And this is also why many young couples choose to get married in the St. Valentin Church.

Every 14 February, the ’Pfalteners’ gather together to celebrate their Church Day, when the traditional Kastelruth doughnuts, prepared with meticulous care, are an unmissable treat.

The church is set close to a cobbled trail leading up from Seis am Schlern, and its very location is a magnificent wellspring of energy. If you take a seat beneath the shade of the walnut tree you can see the outer frescoes, some of which are well preserved, including the Adoration of the Magi, parts of the Crucifixion Scene, St. Valentin, the enthroned Virgin Mary, and the Veil of St. Veronica. The first frescoes date to the 14th century, and were the work of a master artist from Bolzano. The only part of the church which remains from that

Winter | ALPE 27

St. Valentin is considered to be a wellspring of special energy.

on the way to urge the local people to seek shelter in good time.

The ‘Pfaltener Kirchtig’. Despite the vicissitudes of time, age-old traditions continue to thrive in the form of the ‘Pfaltener Kirchtig’ festival in honour of St. Valentin. The day before the feast, the local farmers’ wives spend the day together making the famed Kastelruth “Krapfen” which, traditionally, are square in shape and filled with ‘Kloatznfülle,’ a jam made from dried local pears. Ladies from other farms help the hostess of the day to prepare the dough in the baking room, roll it out, fill it with the jam, and fry the “Krapfen” in boiling oil.

TIP The St. Valentin church is a popular hiking destination, and is within easy reach of Seis am Schlern, or from Kastelruth via the Scherer Platzl.

If you want, you can also hike onwards from the church: marked trails lead the way to the Marinzen Alm mountain pasture and Bad Ratzes.

In summer, the Seis am Schlern tourist association organises weekly guided tours of the church, offering visitors the opportunity to take a look inside the church with its late-Gothic winged altar and frescoes.

28 ALPE | Winter

time, however, is the bell tower with its Romanesque arched windows; it was not until 1811 that the onion dome was added. After the Gothic nave was renovated, the church was inaugurated once again in 1353. In the 16th century, sizeable donations gifted by the aristocratic Wolkenstein and Zwingenstein families from the nearby Hauenstein and Salegg castles made it possible to fill the interior of the chapel with artistic beauty.

The weather bell. A number of legends surround the little church. One of them, in the words of avid folklorist Josef Fulterer, “One day, a bull began to scrape the ground on a hill near the church, until it reached a bell. The local people brought this bell to the church of St. Valentin, where they hung it in the tower. As legend has it, the bell protects the area from the ravages of storms—much to the chagrin of the Schlern witches, who made mischief, cast curses, and bewitched the weather from their coven on the Schlern.” The bell warded off their curses and, still today, rings out when a storm is

For the ‘Pfalteners,’ as the residents of St. Valentin are known in the local vernacular, this day is the most important holiday of the year. The men put on their best loden attire and a hat adorned with flowers, while the women and girls wear traditional costumes or a dirndl. The church flag is raised on the bell tower, the bell is rung out to call the parishioners to prayer, and the High Mass is accompanied by local musicians, exclusively from St. Valentin, and a choir. On this church day, the sense of community amongst the ‘Pfalteners’ is stronger than on any other day. In the past, the congregation were invited to the local farms for “Krapfen” and coffee, and the event would generally continue for the whole day. Nowadays, the group make their way to the Hotel Valentinerhof to celebrate until midday or into the evening, depending on the mood. In days gone by, apparently, St. Valentin had its own brass band. Recently, a chapel flag with the inscription ‘1880’ was discovered during the renovations of a local house, and is now proudly raised when the congregation enter and leave the church. <

Foto: Helmuth Rier

The fascinating mountain scenery of the Dolomites: the Schlern

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.

The 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 and forming part of the Nature Park Schlern-Rosengar-

Euringer peaks, stands out as one of the signature landmarks of South Tyrol. The Rosengarten massif, with its numerous peaks, is also known far beyond the country’s borders. The most striking part of the massif is the Kesselkogel peak, which stands at a height of 3,002 metres. The natural park also includes the mountain forests around Seis, Völs and Tiers, and the Tschamin Valley . «

ten, the Dolomites are considered one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the world.

Nature Park Schlern-Rosengarten: South Tyrol’s oldest natural reserve, a 7,291-hectare park, is situated in the western Dolomites and was founded in 1974. The Schlern is an impressive mountain range whose emblematic outline, that includes the Santner and

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Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage 1

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5 Northern Dolomites 6 Puez-Odle 7 Schlern-Rosengarten, Latemar 8 Bletterbach 9 Brenta Dolomites

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With his skilled expertise and dedication, Erich gives every ski an unparalleled grip.

A chat with Erich the ski-tuner in Kastelruth Erich Karbon specialises in ski services for ski racers. There’s nothing that pleases him more than a good, fast ski – and his skilled hands make sure that’s exactly what you’ll get.

A ALPE met up with Erich in his workshop in his home in Kastelruth, where he carries on a family tradition and has made a career of his life’s passion. Erich is a ski tuner: in layman’s terms, the person who preps skis and gets them into top shape for the snow. “In winter, it’s a hive of activity here from dawn to beyond dusk,” he says. His wife Cornelia is at his side to help out, organise proceedings and bring order to the chaos when the small workshop is packed to the gunnels with skis.

Needless to say, skiing—and, above all, alpine ski touring—are Erich’s passions in life, and in the little free time he has, he throws himself into them with his all. Erich, with his shock of thick, dark hair and athletic physique, is a sporty guy, and spends the summer months cycling to keep fit.

Now 57 years old, Erich learned the rudiments of ski tuning from his father. “I spent a lot of time in his workshop as a kid, and helped out with grinding the edges and waxing,” he tells us. He went on to study ski servicing at the vocational school in Bruneck. In 2002, Erich took over his father’s business, and to

this day, ploughs his heart and soul into managing it. His fame now precedes him far beyond the borders of South Tyrol.

Small in size, tall in standing. Needless to say, Erich’s skills in matters of ski tuning make him the go-to man for the racing scene in South Tyrol. His customers also hail from further-flung lands, however, and include Ester Ledecká from the Czech Republic, double-Olympic champion in snowboarding and alpine skiing, and a Korean and a Russian national snowboard team. The results were not long in coming, and include a number of World Championship titles, World Cup victories, and overall World Cup winners. The long list of clients counts telemarker Raphael Mahlknecht from Völs am Schlern, practically the entire Italian snowboarding team and, by no means least, the Seiser Alm ski team. Erich particularly enjoys providing help and advice to young skiers from the local area.

Amateur local racers are no less appreciative of Erich’s expertise in tailoring their skis to their needs, and giving them a superb grip. Erich provides com-

Text: Rosa Maria Erlacher Photo: Helmuth Rier

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Ski tuner Erich Karbon is every bit as indispensable to professional skiers, snowboarders and cross-country skiers and talented young racers as he is to leisure skiers. When his hands are involved, the results are always superb.

prehensive ski services for all types of skis, from waxing to grinding, to adjusting the bindings and tuning up the bases. Although he bought a stateof-the-art grinding robot 20 years go, he continues to hand-polish each and every ski; “When all is said and done, if you want to achieve a perfect glide, and top results, the ski has to be balanced, and the base and edges have to be perfect,” Erich emphasises.

A passion spanning generations. As a second mainstay, Erich set up a ski & accessory rental and sale business. “We rarely advertise. Our customers trust us, and the word of mouth they generate ensures that my expertise is in demand,” he explains.

The top quality that Erich provides did not happen by chance alone: Erich’s father Gottfrid, now a spry 88-year-old, trained as a carpenter and went on to tune skis in a sports shop in Bolzano. “The expectations back then weren’t as high as they are today,” says Gottfried in summary. “The most important thing was for skis to look good.” At that time, natural snow was the norm; on the artificial snow of the modern skiing world, however, skis need to be tuned with far greater precision. Gottfried went on to open his own business and, 40 years later, handed over the reins to Erich, who took a different approach: Rather than working as a ski tuner alone, he carved out a niche for himself by specialising in racing skis. From its seasonal nature of the early years, this went on to become a year-round operation. As one can imagine, professional skiers have to train extensively, summer being no exception.

In like manner, Erich has passed on his love of super-fast skis to his own sons: Philipp, the eldest, has ventured into new terrain, and accompanies the Swiss alpine ski team (European Cup and World Cup) as their ski tuner and trainer. Moritz, the younger of the two, studied sports and works as a dryland trainer for the Seiser Alm ski team. He will

take over his father’s business at some point in the future, and will reap the many rewards that Erich’s hard work and unwavering success have earned.

Independent, and down to earth. Holidaymakers can also depend on an exceptionally reliable, comprehensive service. During the ski season, Erich works together with other ski rental providers. He doesn’t see himself as their competition, but as a competitor who offers more than the standard service: In his workshop, Erich also sets the edges, repairs surface damage, sharpens the tips, glues the surfaces and straightens out bent skis.

Gottfried, who laid the foundations for his son’s soar to success, has now ‘aged out’ of the business and, as a pensioner, looks with an approving eye on the new generations. He is astounded by the innovative technology that has taken up residence in ‘his’ workshop, the changes that have taken place over the years, and the new ‘miracle treatments’ that bring the skis to race-ready levels—and which, despite the odds, have not become a run-of-themill service, but a matter of detailed conversation with the customers.

“My work,” says Erich, “fills me with pride.” He is independent, can take his profession in whichever direction he chooses, and has consistently adapted to the countless innovations in ski production and exploited them to their full potential—to the immeasurable benefit of his clients. He can also regard himself as having contributed to the success of those he cares about. Ski tuner Erich wants to keep his feet on the ground, maintain his independence, and pass on his finely-honed skills and expertise in the local area. There are any number of ski rental organisations which can tune skis up well enough for everyday use—but Erich, however, has found his niche, and has become the point-person to go to for ambitious skiers. <

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Photo: SG Schlern/Hannes Weissenegger

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Erich’s favourite places In spring, the Plattkofel is one of the most popular ski-touring destinations. Early in the morning, Erich sets off for the Seiser Alm with skins on his skis, where he makes his way from Compatsch to Saltria and onwards, along a hairpin-bend route, to the Plattkofel summit. His reward for the hard work of the ascent comes in the form of a fun-packed descent.

Photo: TV Völs am Schlern / Martin Kompatscher

The Plattkofel

At home in Prösels for 20 years: The musician couple Chiara Tonelli and Philipp von Steinaecker

The Völser Weiher lake In the hot summer months, Erich drives to the “Gschlieder” (next to the campsite) in the morning or evening and walks up to the Völser Weiher lake, where he treats himself to a refreshing dip.

The Schlern

Schlern Music, set to a new score

One of Erich’s other passions is the Schlern Football Club. He worked as a football coach for 15 years, and was on the board for 25 years. The club is based at the football pitches of Völs am Schlern, Seis am Schlern “Laranz” and Kastelruth “Wasserebene”.

It’s nearly that time of year again: In May 2024, the Schlern Music will once again be putting on a veritable fireworks display of chamber music from a variety of eras and an array of ensembles in atmospheric venues in and around Völs am Schlern: Fresh, exciting impetus is guaranteed by the new artistic direction of flautist Chiara Tonelli and conductor and cellist Philipp von Steinaecker: In perfect harmony with the spirit of the festival, they too represent a bridge between Völs and the international classical music scene. Here, where they have been living for over 20 years, from 8 to 12 May 2024 they will be bringing together outstanding performers from their vast artistic network affiliated with the renowned Mahler Chamber Orchestra in a wide array of ensemble configurations. Once again, the encounter between artists and audience and spontaneous, non-academic music will take a leading role, as will the carefully selected venues and their respective culinary inflections: The atmosphere, and the personal connection between the musicians, makes every concert a unique event of electrifying exhilaration.

Text: Rosa Maria Erlacher Photo: Helmuth Rier

Schlern Music Festival from 8th to 12th May 2024 www.schlernmusic.it

Erich’s favourite mountain is the Schlern, which he loves to climb from all sides: From the Seiser Alm along the Tourist Trail to the Schlernhaus, from the Völser Weiher lake along the Prügelweg and up to the mountain plateau, and from Tiers am Rosengarten to the Tierser Alpl mountain refuge hut, to name but a few.

Schlern Soccer Association

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After his lecture on the SARS Corona Virus Nathan Leborgne (University of Bern) is bombarded with questions from the fascinated audience of experts.

Medicinal research For decades now, scientists from all corners of the world have been meeting up in Tiers am Rosengarten, where the Winter School provides a forum for researchers and, above all, young scientists.

A

Text: Katja Sanin Photo: Helmuth Rier

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At the end of the 1980s Hans Fritz and Vito Turk, two university professors from Munich and Ljubljana, came to Tiers am Rosengarten with their students for the first time. The opted for this small mountain village in the Dolomites as there was very little distraction, and nowhere to escape to— the ideal venue, therefore, for intensive academic discussion during daytime lectures and evening conversation. Over the years the event has gone from strength to strength, and now the best laboratories from all over the world meet up once a year in the beautiful Tiers am Rosengarten for the Winter School. Organised by the Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology of the University of Salzburg, it provides attendees the opportunity to create new approaches for innovative research strategies.

Since 2012, the Tiers Winter School has been coordinated by Professor Johann Brandstetter from the University of Salzburg’s Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology. “The conferences are intended to further a mechanical understanding of a variety of illness sectors such as cancer, neurodegeneration, bacterial and viral infections and so on.” ‘Mechanical understanding,’ in this instance, means the identification of key molecules, and an explanation of how they can cause disharmony in the body to the point that a disease develops. “And also, to find approaches which will reset the body’s processes to the correct rhythm,” explains Johann Brandstetter.

The 40th Tiers Winter School session was held from 1 to 5 March 2023, when around 100 researchers from the world’s leading protease research labs had a week-long opportunity to discuss their work with renowned professors. Proteases are a class of molecules which can modify other biomolecules and are, therefore, vital for developments in human health and illness. “Proteases are controlled by their respective inhibitors, which block their ability to function. In a healthy body, proteases and inhibitors are in a state of balance; if this bal-

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ance is not maintained, a variety of illnesses such as cancer or dementia arise,” explains Professor Brandstetter. The researchers are investigating the health-related aspects thereof in the fields of cancer, neurodegeneration and immunology. Areas of interest comprise not only treatment approaches which may prove effective, but also—and foremost—the improvement of diagnostic procedures which enable detection of illness in its early stages: when clinical symptoms first appear in the case of dementia, for example, damage to the proteins in the nerve cells has been taking place for over ten years, and can no longer be reversed.

Hans Brandstetter (seated) linked up online with Hans Fritz, initiator of the Tiers Winter School, and projected the call onto the screen in the background.

Hans Brandstetter (Salzburg), Klaudia Brix (Bremen) and Thomas Reinheckel (Freiburg) organise the Winter School.

The beautiful Tiers countryside is a fabulous photo spot, often shared on social media.

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Health is our greatest wealth, not to mention the highest impetus for young researchers. In 2023, three scientists from the Imperial College in London, the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, were the recipients of the prestigious Young Investigator Award from Germany’s Henner Graeff Foundation for their groundbreaking work.

In the world of science, the greatest of all accolades is the Nobel Prize, awarded on 10 December every year since 1901 in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature and Peace. In its 40 years of existence, the Winter School has also seen a Nobel Prize winner: In 1988, Robert Huber and two other researchers were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their protease research. Numerous distinguished scientists have failed to win this award and, according to Johann Brandstetter, the vast majority of scientists find their motivation in generating benefits for humanity rather than securing awards. Research into the most important class of enzymes—proteases—will lead to numerous great discoveries with significant medical applications. The Tiers Winter School, as an academic camp will, as it has done in the past, provide a significant contribution to this in the future.

In the opinion of the organisers at the University of Salzburg, the incredible success of the Winter School is, due in no small part to the beautiful countryside of the Tiers Valley, which offers the ideal setting for scientific discourse to evolve. <

Respect the Dolomites Sustainability and a mindful approach to our natural landscape are very important to us. The Dolomites region Seiser Alm is part of the Nature park Schlern-Rosengarten. It is a protected area and a part of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage.

The project aims to raise awareness of environmentally friendly conduct among visitors, locals and tourism professionals.

It seeks to encourage everyone to act respectfully and responsibly in the mountains as well as in everyday life.

Its key topics are potable water and waste prevention.

South Tyrolean tap water in the Dolomites region Seiser Alm Pure. Natural. Fresh. Precious.

Did you know… ... that tap water in our Dolomites region is drinkable and of a high quality?

Water, including our drinking water, is a rare and precious commodity. Marked refill spots in the Dolomites region Seiser Alm are available for visitors to refill their own water bottles. A careful and respectful use prevent unnecessary wastage.

Less waste – more nature Less is more.

Our mountain scenery is a delicate ecosystem. It is extremely important not to leave any rubbish behind: the climate conditions at this altitude slow down decomposition processes. Some waste, such as plastic, does not degrade at all.

The best kind of waste is waste that is not produced in the first place.

DECOMPOSITION TIMES

CAN

600 years

PLASTIC BAG 200 years

PLASTIC BOTTLE 500 years

CIGARETTE FILTER 7 years

FAECES 1 years

BANANA PEEL 3 years

PAPER TISSUE 5 years

You can find all project information and measures at: www.seiseralm.it/respectthemountain

40 ALPE | Winter

Birgit and Ernst Federer from the Zoar Hof keep around 5,500 chickens. Amongst other products, they use the eggs to produce their own pasta.

No yolking matter If thousands of eggs are laid on a farm every day, there will always be some that can’t be sold for some reason, whether they’re too big, too small, or the shell is not perfectly even. At the Zoar Hof farm, these eggs are used to make pasta. A story of success.

T The Federer family’s Zoar Hof farm in the Völs am Schlern hamlet of Völser Aicha is home to a good 3,500 hens, and the family have also housed a further 2,000 hens in a second barn above the village.

All in all, they lay over 5,000 free-range eggs every day, which are sold through a cooperative comprising six farms in the Schlern area.

The Federer family began large-scale egg production at the end of the 1990s. “My husband’s sister worked in a grocery store; one day, a man approached her, and asked where he could source 10,000 free-range eggs a week, but she was unable to help him; she mentioned it to us,” recalls farmer

Birgit Federer. Although she soon forgot the tale, her husband Ernst continued to mull over it, and to weigh up to hows and wherefores of keeping freerange hens at the Zoar Hof. “At some point, he said we should try it—and we did,” continues Birgit. To begin with, they purchased 450 chickens; as the eggs sold well, they increased production slowly but surely: they bought more hens over time and expanded the shed several times, until they came to the point where they had to build a second the premises.

From livestock and crop farming to pasta production In the days before the Zoar Hof began large-scale egg production, it was a regular mixed farm with the main focus on cattle farming. They also grew grapes and grain crops, and kept a few pigs and chickens,

Text: Simone Treibenreif Photo: Helmuth Rier

Winter | ALPE 41

Zoar-Hof pasta comes in myriad shapes and flavours, from tagliatelle to fusilli, and chili pepper to spinach.

which provided the family with enough eggs to be self-sufficient. In 2009, when their sales of freerange eggs had grown to become an overwhelming success, they stopped cattle farming and directed their full energies into poultry farming.

“Every free-range hen lays around 270 eggs a year, but not all eggs are sent for sale,” says Ernst. “Some are too big, some too small, and some shells are uneven. But customers want their eggs to be perfect.

For a long time, we gave away the eggs which weren’t fit for sale, and the time came when there were, quite simply, too many of them.” The family thought long and hard about what to do with these eggs in the long term before the plan to make pasta began to take solid shape.

It was a while, however, before the Zoar Hof could actually begin selling their pasta. In 2017, Birgit and Ernst Federer’s children bought a 3-kilo capacity pasta machine. “We—or to be more precise, our children—spent a long time testing out various blends of flour and ingredients, and drying techniques… we ate a lot of pasta at that time,” smiles Ernst.

“Making pasta is not complicated in itself, “says Bir-

42 ALPE | Winter

git, “if you get your mixture right—but drying it is. If the humidity levels in the drying room are not right, the pasta falls apart.”

At the end of the day, all the trial and error paid off, and the pasta from Völser Aicha finally went on sale in August 2020. And, just like their free-range eggs, the Zoar Hof pasta is doing very well indeed: In the first year, only 100 kilos of durum wheat semolina were made into pasta, that weight has now multiplied by a considerable factor. “Now, we need all the eggs that are not suitable for sale,” says Birgit Federer.

The pasta sold so well that the production area had to be expanded The Zoar Hof pasta is always made fresh: As soon as they receive an order, the Federers begin to make the types and quantities requested. Birgit and Ernst now dedicate three or four days a week solely to making pasta. Their children are no longer directly involved in production: Their son Valentin, in addition to his full-time job as a software developer, dries the pasta, is responsible for the technical as-

pects of the drying system and, primarily, the farm’s paperwork, while daughter Natalie is fully occupied with her job as an employment-rights advisor.

Given the success of their pasta sales, the Federers had to carry out substantial expansion to their initial production room in 2023. Ernst carried out a good deal of the extension works himself.” He’s very skilled in these things, he’s a bit of an inventor,” his wife Birgit Rosa gushes. They also bought a larger pasta machine in addition to the three-kilo original, in order to produce larger quantities in one batch.

Today, Zoar Hof pasta is available in myriad shapes and flavours, from tagliatelle and spaghetti to tulips and fusilli, and from chili pepper and mountain pine to Schüttelbrot (rye flatbread) and porcini mushrooms, to spinach and wild garlic. Their tagliatelle is also available with spelt flour rather than the traditional durum wheat semolina. “The one that sells best, however, is always the classic egg tagliatelle with turmeric,” reports Birgit Federer. Turmeric, also known as saffron root or yellow ginger, is added to the dough to give it flavour. Although they still buy in their turmeric, “we’ve already had a shot at growing it ourselves,” Birgit tells us.

“I never wanted to be a farmer but now, I wouldn’t change it for anything. You can pursue your own interests.”

Birgit Federer

At the time of writing, Zoar Hof pasta is available for purchase in a number of shops in the Schlern area, and also further afield. Customers can also buy pasta straight from the farm and a good few people avail themselves of this opportunity, including hikers on the “Oachner Höfeweg” Aicha Farm Trail, which leads directly past the Zoar Hof. “Actually”, concludes Ernst Federer, “I never wanted to be a farmer, I wanted to be a mechanic…” To which Birgit adds “I never wanted to be a farmer either—but now, I wouldn’t change it for anything.

You can pursue your own interests.”

And with their pasta production, that is exactly what the Zoar Hof farmers are doing—with the greatest of success! <

Winter | ALPE 43

Carbonara Spaghetti carbonara is one of Italy’s best-known pasta dish. There is no food in Italy that has not been combined with pasta in some shape or form—so why not pork belly and eggs?

So, was it really coal-miners of old who whipped up a mouthwatering pasta dish over a campfire with just a few ingredients to hand, or did the Americans’ daily rations of bacon and eggs spark a chef’s creativity? Well, that is a question that will probably never be answered.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

(Serves 4) 400 g spaghetti 150 g pancetta or South Tyrolean belly speck 4 fresh eggs 50 g freshly-grated parmesan Olive oil Parsley Salt Freshly-ground pepper

Dice the belly speck finely, and grate the parmesan.

Beat the eggs in a bowl, stir in the grated parmesan, and add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Cook the spaghetti in abundant salty water for the cooking time indicated on the packaging.

Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the diced speck briefly.

As soon as it turns slightly crispy, remove the pan from the heat.

Drain the al dente spaghetti in a colander, retaining a little of the cooking water.

Return the frying pan with the speck to the heat, add the pasta, and stir in the egg and parmesan. Add the cooking water until the desired consistency is reached.

Sprinkle with parsley and a grinding of pepper.

Recipe: Barbara Pichler Photo: Helmuth Rier

44 ALPE | Winter

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Winter | ALPE 45

Photo: SAM/rotwild

Photo: SAM/Alex Moling

Photo: TV Kastelruth/Helmuth Rier

Winter Highlights 2023/24

December 2023

Winter 2023/24

Winter 2023/24

CHRISTMAS MAGIC IN THE DOLOMITES REGION SEISER ALM

WINTER-ADVENTURES OFF THE SLOPES

SCHLERN-ROSENGARTEN NATURE PARK VISITOR CENTER

When the air is thick with the scent of gingerbread, cinnamon and mulled wine, you know it’s advent time here at the foot of the Schlern.

The run-up to Christmas is a meaningful time here in the Dolomites region Seiser Alm; the Christmas markets in the villages of Kastelruth, Seis, Völs and Tiers are small but incredibly beautiful, and are guaranteed to get guests and locals alike into the Christmas spirit, far from the hustle and bustle of the city.

With their traditional handcrafts, specialties of South Tyrolean cuisine and Christ-massy melodies, they warmly invite you to join them for a sociable Advent of companionship.

16th Kastelruth Mountain Christmas > 2/3 December 2023 > 8/9/10 December 2023 > 8 December 2023 Christmas concert of the Kastelruther Spatzen > 9 December 2023 Devils course > 15/16/17 December 2023 > 22/23/24 December 2023 > 26-30 December 2023 Seis on Ice Ice skating with small Christmas market and entertainment programme for young and old. > 02.12.2023 – 14.01.2024 Waiting for Baby Jesus in Völs am Schlern > 08/09/10 December 2023 > 16/17 December 2023 > 23 December 2023 > 27 December 2023 > 30 December 2023 > 3 January 2024

46 ALPE | Winter

Mountaineer’s Advent in Tiers am Rosengarten Culinary delight with local products > 8 December 2023 > 23 December 2023 Winter 2023/24

PRÖSELS CASTLE IN THE WINTER Prösels Castle is also open to visitors in winter. Winter castle tours offer a variety-packed alternative to skiing. Every Thursday from 11 January to 28 March 2024, Prösels Castle will be awakening from its winter slumber and open its doors at 3 pm. During a one-hour tour, visitors will learn a wealth of fascinating information about the castle and its former residents and, at the same time, can visit three art exhibitions and a vast weaponry collection. On three days this winter (28.12.2023, 04.01.2024 and 15.02.2024) at 3 pm, the “Winter Cuisine & Culture” event will be held once more at Prösels Castle: After the castle tour, guests will have the opportunity to sample traditional local products free of charge in the castle grounds, where local producers will be hosting an array of stands. www.schloss-proesels.it Prior booking is essential for winter guided tours, and can be reserved at the Castle up to 12pm on the day of the event: info@schloss-proesels.it

The Nature Experience programme includes full moon hike under the signs of legends in Kastelruth. In Völs, you can enjoy an exquisite gourmet experience named “in vino veritas” and guided tours in the Prösels Castle dedicated to the taste, history and culture. In Tiers, you can explore the rustic Tschamin valley on a snowshoe expedition through the untouched winter countryside and enjoy regional specialties in a hut. On full-moon nights, you have the opportunity to embark on a hike across the snowy Seiser Alm to a hut where a traditional dinner awaits. On four guided morning hikes, you can enjoy a regional breakfast in various huts on the Seiser Alm. www.seiseralm.it/winteradventure

While outside nature is resting, the Visitor Center of the Nature Park in Seis am Schlern provides an insight into the diverse and fascinating flora and fauna of the Nature Park Schlern-Rosengarten.

A special focus this winter is on the amphibians of South Tyrol. A special exhibition shows their way of life and introduces us to toads, frogs, salamanders, and newts.

The Visitor Center of the Nature Park Schlern-Rosengarten in Seis am Schlern can be visited free of charge during opening hours. nature-parks.provinz.bz.it 21st January 2024

THE KASTELRUTH FARMER’S WEDDING Over the years, it has grown to become an established tradition: The Kastelruth Farmer’s Wedding. It is an authentic reproduction of an old-fashioned farmer’s wedding as celebrated since time immemorial here at the foot of the Seiser Alm. The high point of the event is the wedding parade from St. Valentin to Kastelruth. The wedding party, dressed in traditional attire, drive to the centre of Kastelruth in a magnificently decorated horsedrawn sleigh, bringing their guests along with them on a trip back in time to the 19th century.

Photo: Helmuth Rier

Photo: Armin „Indio“ Mayr

Photo: Helmuth Rier

25 January 2024

4th February 2024

March / April 2024

March 2024

SOUTH TYROL MOONLIGHT CLASSIC SEISER ALM

TRADITIONAL SKIJÖRING ON THE SEISER ALM

EARLY BIRD SKIING WITH ALPINE BREAKFAST

16TH SWING ON SNOW WINTER MUSIC FESTIVAL

Fascinating combination of skis and horsepower! In skijoring, skiers are pulled by horses over a prepared course and engage in exciting races. A spectacular experience for participants and spectators.

Exclusive skiing experience for early risers followed by breakfast on the Seiser Alm. Weekly, three ski lifts will take turns to start running at 7 am. Early risers will have the unique opportunity to cross the freshly groomed, deserted slopes and enjoy the special morning atmosphere on Europe’s largest mountain plateau, accompanied by a ski instructor who will provide a wealth of handy tips. At 9 am, we’ll be heading to a mountain hut to enjoy a sociable Alpine breakfast.

Jazz in the mountain huts, soul on the slopes and traditional tunes in the restaurants in the evenings: From 14 - 16 and 20 - 22 March, musicians from all over the Alpine region will bring musical cheer to the Dolomites region Seiser Alm at the Swing on Snow festival from morning to night. Bands and singers will be 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 reflects 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 at the valley station of the Seiser Alm cableway and the slopes of the Seiser Alm in the mornings and afternoons in the huts and evenings in the villages of Kastelruth, Seis am Schlern, Völs am Schlern and Tiers am Rosengarten. www.swingonsnow.com

A sporting event illuminated by the glow of flickering torchlight, the chance to put your skills to the test at international level, and the magical winter backdrop of Europe’s largest mountain plateau: In 2024, the Moonlight Classic will once again be offering numerous athletes and cross-country fans the chance to spend a sensational evening on the Seiser Alm 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 8:00 pm.

Registration required: www.moonlightclassic.info

> 8 March 2024

DOLOMITES DIRNDL SKI DAY On 8 March 2024, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Dolomites Dirndl Day will take place on the Seiser Alm. Only women aged 18 and over can take part in this fun sport event in teams of two (friends, sisters, mothers/daughters). The start is in a “dirndl” (a traditional South Tyrolean dress) for a parallel slalom on the Sanon slope. The race starts at 9.30 am, a dirndl fashion show is planned for the early afternoon and musical entertainment will be provided. Part of the registration fee will be donated to the ’Donne aiutano Donne’ association..

DATES Wednesday, 6 March 2024 Wednesday, 13 March 2024 Wednesday, 20 March 2024 Wednesday, 27 March 2024 Wednesday, 3 April 2024

DATES Thursday, 14 March 2024 Friday, 15 March 2024 Saturday, 16 March 2024 Wednesday, 20 March 2024 Thursday, 21 March 2024 Friday, 22 March 2024

Winter | ALPE 47

Photo: Schloss Prösels/Helmuth Rier

Photo: OvW-Ritt/Rotwild

Photo: SAM/Helmuth Rier

Summer 2024

6 May – 29 June 2024

Summer 2024

24, 25 and 26 June 2024

14 and 15 June 2024

SEISER ALM BALANCE

PRÖSELS CASTLE IN SUMMER

KASTELRUTHER SPATZEN OPEN-AIR CONCERT

Fancy a break? When 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. A morning hike to the Tschafon mountain refuge, taking a bath in the forest or a breakfast at the Völser Weiher lake...

The Balance experiences offer movement, relaxation and well-being for body and mind.

Plenty good reasons to escape from everyday life for a brief moment. www.seiseralm.it/balance

From 1 May to 31 October, Prösels Castle, dating back to the days of Maximilian and arguably Tyrol’s most emblematic castle, is open to the public. Guided tours will offer visitors a fascinating insight into the history of the castle and the infamous Lords of Völs, so closely interwoven in the threads of time.

“Martha the Witch” will also be guiding special children tours where children can delve into a realm of fable and fairytales and discover the secrets of the healing arts in days gone by, while children embarking on tours led by Knight Friedrich von Hauenstein will step into a bygone world of knights, knaves and damsels. A series of concerts, readings and seminars round off this castle’s cultural events programme.

Prösels Castle has South Tyrol’s first ever escape room in a castle.

Children (9 years old and upwards) accompanied by their parents, young people and adults in groups of up to 5 people can put their skills to the test in intuition, creativity, team spirit, logic, maths and, above all, their ability to learn and have fun. And while the kids are having fun in the all-new play park, their parents can savour the delights of local cuisine in the castle gardens. www.schloss-proesels.it

41 OSWALD VON WOLKENSTEIN RIDING TOURNAMENT

2 – 16 June 2024

GOURMET WEEKS In the theme of “100% Dolomites Region Seiser Alm”, lovers of regional cuisine can look forward to a season-opening gourmet experience of a very special kind; over these two weeks, the star of the show is cuisine that is year-round available, healthy and 100% locally sourced. The event showcases all that is 100% local, and forges the bond between farmers, direct marketers and the local network.

The kick-off event “Bergler Harass – Picnicking at the foot of the Rosengarten mountain” on 2 June 2024 will give the starting signal for the Gourmet Weeks. On 8th June the “Völser Dorfkuchl - A Culinary Delight!” will take place, a must for all epicures and gourmets. www.seiseralm.it/genusswochen

48 ALPE | Winter

TH

3 days, 4 locations and 36 teams: In tribute to knight and minstrel Oswald von Wolkenstein, the three villages of Kastelruth, Seis am Schlern and Völs am Schlern organise a historical riding tournament at its very finest. On 24, 25 and 26 June 2024, visitors of 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 feel 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. This year, the opening ceremony and festive parade take place in the village Seis am Schlern. www.ovwritt.com

Thousands of fans make their way to Seis am Schlern to enjoy the breath-taking landscape and to experience the “Spatzen” live. They’ll be treating fans and friends to a nostalgia concert of their hits from 1993 to 2021. This coming year, as always, music bands from near and far will be providing fringe entertainment.

Summer 2024

SCHLERN-ROSENGARTEN NATURE PARK VISITOR CENTER The summer programme at the Visitor Center of the Nature Park Schlern-Rosengarten in Seis am Schlern provides variety-packed, nature-themed fun for adults and children, in the rooms of the Visitor Center as well as outside in the nature park. The rangers of the nature park will accompany you and your family on exciting nature experience hikes and at interesting lectures on, amongst others, the fascinating worlds of butterflies and mushrooms, and the geology of our mountains. nature-parks.provinz.bz.it

Photo: Helmuth Rier

Photo: TV Völs/Martin Kompatscher

Photo: IDM/Marion Lafogler

Photo: SAM/Armin Mayr

24 June – 9 September 2024

7 July 2024

7 September 2024

1 – 31 October 2024

SUMMER CLASSICS IN SEIS AM SCHLERN

11 SEISER ALM HALF MARATHON

TRADITIONAL ALM MARKET

47TH VÖLSER KUCHLKASTL KITCHEN PANTRY

Seis offers an extraordinary series of concerts for lovers of classical music.

The artists, mainly from Italy and with a wealth of international experience behind them, will be performing the works of great composers.

The concerts will be held on Mondays at 9 pm.

21 kilometres, 601 metres of elevation difference and 700 participants: These are the key statistics of the Seiser Alm Half Marathon on 2 July 2023, which will start and finish in Compatsch. Surrounded by the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage, the Seiser Alm Half Marathon is a unique experience and sporting challenge for both professional and amateur athletes.

The route leads past the majestic Schlern and Plattkofel, as it weaves up to its highest point at 2,050 metres under the Goldknopf and, from here, back to Compatsch. running.seiseralm.it

The traditional Alm Market in Compatsch is held every year on 7 September, and features live music, stalls selling a wide variety of goods, and culinary specialities.

The Völser “Kuchlkastl” Kitchen pantry event has been a culinary high point of autumn in the Dolo­ mites region Seiser Alm for 47 years and counting. Foodies and lovers of down-home cuisine can feast to their hearts’ content from 1 to 31 October, when the restaurateurs of Völs warmly welcome guests to enjoy a “Gastronomical October.”

The chefs of Völs will be cooking up traditional recipes with a sophisticated twist: Time honoured recipes reinterpreted and served with love. www.voelserkuchlkastl.com

DATES > 24 June 2024 > 1, 8 and 15 July 2024 > 19 and 26 August 2024 > 2 and 9 September 2024 Summer 2024

OPEN-AIR GOURMET EXPERIENCES Two very unusual open-air gourmet events make for an incredible culinary experience in the Seiser Alm summer: The first event will be the Bergler Harass in Tiers am Rosengarten on June 2, followed by the Berglertafel on July 18, 2024, which is also famed for its breath-taking views to the legendary Rosengarten.

TH

Autumn 2024

TRANSHUMANCE

13 July 2024

Marking the end of the season and the return of the cattle to the valleys, this festival features whip-crackers, live music and mouthwatering traditional fare.

The transhumance from the Seiser Alm to the valley will take place on 5 October and the Völs am Schlern and Tiers am Rosengarten transhumance on 6 October 2024.

7TH ROSENGARTEN SCHLERN SKY MARATHON

11 – 13 October 2024

Right in the very heart of the unique Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage, a 45-kilometre Alpine Mountain Marathon with around 3,000 m of elevation difference will set off from Tiers am Rosengarten. The Rosengarten Schlern Sky Marathon. The challenging mountain race will begin in St. Zyprian at 1,136 m asl, lead round the Rosengarten Massif, over the Schlern and the Tschafon and back to Tiers am Rosengarten. The highest point of the Sky Marathon is the Grasleiten Pass at 2,630 m. www.skymarathontiers.it

KASTELRUTHER SPATZEN MUSIC FESTIVAL Three days of celebrating, spending pleasant evenings together, experiencing the “Kastelruther Spatzen” live: the Spatzen-Festival in Kastelruth is a must for every fan. Surrounded by the unique scenery of the Dolomites the seven “Spatzen” mesmerise all lovers of traditional music.

1 September – 31 October 2024

AUTUMN PLEASURES IN THE DOLOMITES REGION SEISER ALM A very special atmosphere awaits you in the golden autumn months in the Dolomites region Seiser Alm. The Seiser Alm mountain autumn brings together outdoor experiences with a magnificent landscape and outstanding cuisine.

The programme of events features sunrise hikes to the most beautiful peaks of the Dolomites with breakfast in a mountain refuge, guided hikes, coocery courses and guided tours to local producers. www.seiseralm.it/mountainautumn

Winter | ALPE 49

Photo: IDM/Helmuth Rier

Around & about

The Schlern-Rosengarten turns 50. In 2024, South Tyrol’s first and oldest Nature park will be celebrating its 50th birthday—a momentous occasion, which will be marked by a host of events this coming summer. A documentary film about the Nature Park Schlern-Rosengarten is also in the finalisation phase at the moment; shot in August and September 2023, the documentary showcases the natural beauty of the area and narrates the lives of the people who live and work there. We will be telling you more about this unique natural treasure in the 2024 edition of ALPE.

The Dolomites region Seiser Alm has attained the Sustainability Label South Tyrol, based on the GSTC internationally-recognised criteria for sustainable tourism and awarded to destinations and accommodation providers who demonstrate commitment to sustainable tourism. It was presented to the area after a full year of intensive work targeted towards preserving the Dolomites region of the Seiser Alm as an attractive place to live for both locals and guests.

Tourism benefits from unpolluted nature, and has a responsibility to protect it. Economic and social considerations, together with the preservation of culture and customs, are also fundamental values of sustainability, and will continue to occupy their position as the Seiser Alm’s main areas of focus in the coming years, in collaboration with the local communities and tourism operators.

Aromatic, spicy and fresh In the words of the spirit tasters from Gault & Millau, it is “impressive, and outstanding in its category:” Seiser Alm Organic Mountain Gin, which currently occupies 4th place out of the top 5 in the South Tyrol gin rankings. It was two of his sponsors who inspired Raphael Mahlknecht, World Cup telemark skier from Völs am Schlern, to create a gin for his beautiful homeland in the Dolomites region Seiser Alm. Raphael got together with the Walcher distillery from Eppan to create his alpine-summer organic gin with its complex, aromatic, spicy bouquet and a zesty palate with notes of Mediterranean fruits and Alpine herbs.

Foto: Josef Obexer

Sustainable development

IMPRINT. ALPE: Reg. Court Bolzano / Bolzano, n. 9/2002 R.St. Published by: Seiser Alm Marketing, 39050 Völs am Schlern, Dorfstraße 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, Annemarie Obexer, Barbara Pichler, Helmuth Rier, Katja Sanin, Simone Treibenreif; Translations: Bonetti & Peroni. Advertising: Sabine Demetz, Christoph Trocker. Photo: Helmuth Rier. Graphic: Komma Graphik. Printing: Litopat.

50 ALPE | Winter

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