Obey signs and markings

Lift and piste operators ensure safety on the pistes. Their instructions, markings and signs must be observed. Using the facilities correctly contributes to everyone’s safety.

Instructions

Instructions are usually displayed on boards and screens next to lifts. Chairlifts, for instance, might remind you that children under 125 cm height must be accompanied by an adult, and that backpacks must always be carried on your lap. On drag lifts, signs just before the exit will indicate where the get off point is.

Markings

Pistes are groomed, prepared, secured and checked. They’re categorised by difficulty (blue, red, black) and marked on both sides. The right and left edges of the piste are marked differently (e.g. with directional arrows or different heights of the tops of the marker poles in a high-visibility colour). This helps all piste users to find their way back down the mountain, even in poor visibility.

Yellow runs, which are only suitable for experienced skiers or snowboarders, are marked either at the edge or in the middle. They are secured against alpine hazards such as avalanches or rockfall, but are neither groomed nor checked (no end-of-day check).

Terrain parks (freestyle, skicross/boardercross and halfpipe) are marked in orange and separated from the pistes.

Signs

Warning signs draw attention to localised hazards and require, for instance, that you take particular care or reduce your speed. Examples of warning signs are “pistes crossing”, “narrow section” or “slow down”.

Signs or ropes show which pistes or facilities are closed during operating hours, e.g. due to avalanche risk or lack of snow. All pistes and facilities have fixed operating hours; they are closed outside these operating hours and may not be used. Between the end-of-day check and the start of operations the following day, the pistes are groomed and controlled avalanches triggered if necessary. There aren’t usually any signs to warn of these routine closures.