22.7.2011

Snow made by …

Claudia Mannheim and Sabine Vieweg

... two sisters who run the family ski resort of Beuerberg (GER) together with their parents.

Every year the Mannheim family would play the same waiting game – waiting for the snow. They were never really certain whether it would be possible to start operating the ski lift in Beuerberg. In 2008 the family grew tired of waiting and bought a mobile snow gun from TechnoAlpin. Since then the two sisters, Claudia and Sabine, have been making sure that there is snow in Beuerberg.

"Our ski resort is small but select. That's why we only have one fan gun", said Claudia Mannheim. The job of the two sisters is to position the mobile machine with its autonomous pump in the right place and to lay the power and water lines. The two sisters naturally drifted into what has traditionally been a man's job. "We come from a ski-mad family – our parents established the ski lift in Beuerberg. It's our second home. We have always loved being here and working here", continued Claudia Mannheim. "We grew up with the ski lift", added her sister Sabine, "our family was always obsessed with the snow, waiting and wondering whether there would be enough to use the slope. We used to shovel snow all day long in those days, moving it by hand to the places where there wasn't enough. It was really hard work. So it's a real blessing to have the security that TechnoAlpin brings of knowing for sure that there will be snow". The appeal of working outside in the fresh air and the unique atmosphere on the slope at night are what Claudia and Sabine love best.

The Beuerberg ski lift is situated to the south of Munich near the Starnberger See lake and was established in 1970 by Otto and Inge Mannheim. Their two daughters Claudia and Sabine used to ski down the slope every day when they were children. Today they are responsible for the snow coverage and also run the ski school there.

www.skilift-beuerberg.de