Where to Ski And Snowboard - Stubai loses 42km in remeasurement

Stubai loses 42km in remeasurement

22nd November 2013, by Abi Butcher

Stubai Glacier has shaved more than a third of its piste length by measuring the fall line

The Stubai Glacier has published new figures for the length of its pistes, losing 42km in the process. The Austrian ski area’s website now offers two measurements — the fall line which is the direct length of the route from the start of the slope to the end of the slope and the “effective” route which it describes as the length of the route covered by skiers on average.

By measuring the fall line, the Stubai Glacier has shaved 42km from its originally advertised piste length of 104km (now the “effective route”) — more than one third.

Alexandra Reinisch said the area remeasured its pistes in line with a recommendation made last month by the International Federation of Lift Operator Associations (FIANET) that all ski resorts measure their pistes directly down the middle.

The “invitation” to standardise measurements comes following a furore in Germany and then the UK, after a digital study of piste lengths by German writer Christoph Schrahe showed resorts over-state the kilometres of pistes they have by an average of 34%. With the publication of Where to Ski and Snowboard 2014 in September, editors Chris Gill and Dave Watts revealed the exaggeration to the UK, which was immediately picked up by the national press.

“There was no single recommendation for the measurement of kilometres of pistes [until this autumn], so we chose to specify the effective route, because we have estimated this the most meaningful for our guests,” said Alexandra Reinisch from the Stubai Glacier.

“But now that the indication of the fall line is recommended, we have added these and all itemised transparently on our website so that it is understandable by any guest.”

For more information, visit stubaier-gletscher.com