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PartnerNews | Patagonia event in the Rauris Valley, Salzburg

A visit to the Sonnblick Observatory high-altitude research station

by Antonia Paulus • 04/06/2024
Julian Rohn
Julian Rohn
We spent three days together with Patagonia-Europe in the Rauris Valley and, in addition to the new product presentation, we paid a visit to the Sonnblick Observatory. There, Dr. Elke Ludewig, head of the high-alpine research station, gave us interesting insights into how research has been taking place every day at an altitude of 3,106 metres since 1886. Topics on glacier degradation, sustainable materials and climate change were at the centre of the event.

The journey through Salzburgerland was a little sad. Green ski resorts with white ribbons are no longer a rarity in the Alps, but the sight is always frightening and definitely makes you think. Where will skiing go in the next 20 years? This question was also very present at our meeting in Rauris and was discussed together with meteorologist and weather research station manager Dr. Elke Ludewig.


Our home base for the Patagonia event was the Ammererhof, which offers the perfect starting point for ski tours. The farm is surrounded by mountains, without mass tourism or ski lifts. The only gondola: the private Sonnblick gondola, which has a capacity of 6 people and goes directly to the GeoSphere Austria measuring station at an altitude of 3,106 metres.  

After arriving and getting to know each other, Lenni and Philipp from Patagonia-Europe gave us a product presentation of the new Patagonia collection and an insight into the history and goals of the outdoor brand. In addition to 1% for the planet (1% of sales goes to environmental protection), Patagonia was donated in 2022 by founder Yvon Chouinard and his family to a non-profit organisation and the profits will be invested in combating the climate crisis and protecting the environment. Even if Patagonia continues to produce and sell products and this can never be 100% sustainable, the outdoor company is at least trying its best. "We're in business to save our home planet" is the current guiding principle for all Patagonia employees and this is truly a task and a challenge at the same time.

Julian Rohn
Birgit Grossmann
Julian Rohn
Birgit Grossmann

On the second day, we went on a ski tour together and a few of the participants climbed the 1600 metres in altitude to the Sonnblick on skis. The rest were allowed to take the cable car to the observatory and went on a shorter ski tour in the morning. The Rauris Valley is a tip for spring ski tours in particular! At the research station, Dr. Elke Ludewig gave us an exciting tour with explanations of measurements and background information on the data. There are 2047 monitoring systems at the research station and the data is publicly accessible worldwide. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also uses the measurement data from the high-altitude research station and relies on the data in its climate report. Here you can find the current IPCC report.

From wind measurements to microplastic measurements to bat detectors, the most exciting measuring devices can be found at the Sonnblick. When a helicopter flies near the observatory, this is immediately visible on the filters. As Ludewig and her colleagues analyse the measurements on a daily basis and are on site at the observatory at least once a week, she can say with certainty that we have already missed the 2.5 degree target. "It's incredible what we can measure and even more incredible that we humans are still alive!" is Ludewig's statement on the measurements taken in recent years. The biggest factors for global warming in the Alps are clouds, albedo, aerosols and their interaction.

After the exciting tour of the observatory, the evening centred on the topic of "Snow Activism" and even though the Patagonia Repair Shop is nothing new, this service will continue to give old outdoor products (not just from Patagonia!) a second life in the future. Patagonia supports various climate initiatives and it is possible to receive funding for a wide range of projects. The expansion of glaciers is also a thing of the past, but still more topical than ever. All ski resorts are trying to become as large as possible in order to remain competitive and to be able to offer winter tourists a holiday with guaranteed snow. The expansion of glacier ski resorts plays a major role in this and one project that is also supported by Patagonia is the construction stop of the glacier construction in the Kaunertal. Georg, an employee of the Innsbruck Alpine Association, presented us with the latest construction plans and you can find the exact information here.

Julian Rohn
Julian Rohn

Conclusion

The event was very diverse and the fusion of sport, activism, science and material testing was really exciting for us. The tour of the Sonnblick Observatory and the information and explanations about the altitude measuring station by Dr. Elke Ludewig were not only shocking, but also enlightening. Yes, according to Ludewig, the Pasterze will no longer exist in 2050, but we must learn to adapt to the climate and become active together. Climate change is omnipresent, especially when freeriding, ski touring or skiing, but it is our daily decisions that determine how our common future will develop. With the support of initiatives such as POW, NGOs, research or climate education programmes, we can actively make a difference.

 

Many thanks to PatagoniaEurope, Dr. Elke Ludewig GeoSphereAustria, the Austrian Alpine Club and all participants for the successful weekend!

Julian Rohn
Julian Rohn

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This article has been automatically translated by DeepL with subsequent editing. If you notice any spelling or grammatical errors or if the translation has lost its meaning, please write an e-mail to the editors.

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