From idea to icon: Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug and the evolution of ski-slope snow grooming

German engineer Karl Kässbohrer had an epiphany while skiing in the Dolomites in 1967. With the wind in his face and snow all around, his mind turned to how vehicles made by his firm might one day help to clear the slopes.

Within two years his then-Ulm-based company – now called Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug – added snow groomers to its stable. By 1972 these were busy at work at the Sapporo Winter Olympics in Japan, nudging the company ahead of the competition and into global expansion as alpine tourism gained momentum. Over the next six decades, it industrialised slope grooming. In 2022, Straits Research estimated that the sector would be worth $468m (€406m) by 2030 – of which Kässbohrer’s products, seen in resorts in countries from France to Japan, account for about 60 per cent.

Pistenbully, one of Kässbohrer’s operating brands, builds its machines at its HQ in Laupheim, a short drive from Ulm. They clear the way not only for pleasant skiing but also play an important role in reducing the risk of avalanches. Monocle watches a snow-grooming operation in eastern Switzerland shortly after the pistes have closed. It’s 17.00 and growing dark; the lights of a fleet of 20 berry-red machines illuminate the slopes.

Operators work both night and morning shifts every day of the ski season to cover 97km of pistes. The fleet creates smooth, even grooves that offer the perfect grip for snow sports while redistributing reserves and creating a firmer foundation for fresh snowfall. Over time, this highly technical exercise has become increasingly precise. Since 2011, the machines have been fitted with Snowsat, a slope-grooming system that allows operators to see snow depths in 2D, as well as technology to analyse overall coverage – an important ability in milder winters and with less predictable snowfall.

What’s next for Pistenbully? “Emission-free and partially autonomous driving,” says Michael Kuhn, the company’s vice-president of vehicle development. In 2019 the firm introduced its first fully electric model to address growing concerns about the environmental impact of snow maintenance. Always moving forward, Kässbohrer continues to smooth the way for innovation.
pistenbully.com