THEODORA PETER Ski lifts on your local Swiss hill will soon be a thing of the past. Take Langenbruck. Situated 700 metres above sea level in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, the village’s 73-year-old ski lift faces closure because snow is becoming increasingly rare. The lifts, which take skiers and snowboarders to an altitude of 900 metres, remained shut over the past two winters. Countless children and teenagers made their first tentative turns on the slopes above Langenbruck. One of them was the now 74-year-old architect Peter Hammer, who now runs the lifts. Hammer’s father was one of those who helped to open the facility in 1952, making Langenbruck the first-ever winter sports destination in northNo more winter snow Switzerland is finding it harder to sell itself as a picture-perfect winter destination. Its highest ski resorts are increasingly the only places offering decent snow. The national pastime of Alpine skiing, still much loved, is becoming ever more expensive. Swiss Review / January 2025 / No.1 4 Focus
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjYwNzMx