Moving around on closed slopes
Do you like to go ski mountaineering in the evening? Beware of snowmobiles driving on closed slopes!
Slopes are closed from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. with the exception of Hromovka I (1), which is open for evening skiing from 6:00 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Outside slope opening hours, the slopes are closed to the public. By staying on closed slopes, you expose yourselves to danger!
Risk areas
In the period after the downhill slopes are closed, snowmobiles and other equipment are used to groom the snow until late at night. Exercise caution and avoid slopes and the especially risky KILL ZONES when outdoors. These zones contain both snowmobiles and steel ropes that anchor the snowmobile to the slope, representing a poorly visible and movable source of danger. There is a risk of injury when moving around on closed slopes. Red marked KILL ZONES are the most risky areas. A collision with a rope or a snowmobile on a downhill slope can be fatal.
Areas marked in red = KILL ZONES (most risky areas with snowmobiles and where steel ropes are used, danger of fatal injury)
Orange points = anchoring points (anchoring for the snowmobile rope)
How do snowmobiles move around closed slopes?
Every day during the winter season, snowmobiles at ski resorts groom the slopes for the next day. In most cases, snowmobiles leave at 4:30 p.m. and they groom the slopes until late at night. Therefore, if you are going for an evening hike on the ski slopes, it is almost certain that you will see snowmobiles on the slopes.
A snowmobile weighs around 12 tons and is often secured with a rope attached to an anchoring point when working on slopes. The rope can be up to 1500 m long and is almost invisible at night. If a snowmobile suspended on a rope goes below the horizon during work, the rope can also cut into the snow and become invisible. In any case, there is deadly danger; if the rope tightens, you can literally lose your head.
For this reason, it is forbidden to enter the slopes when they are closed after working hours. If you find yourself in a situation where you cannot avoid entering a slope, please pay extra attention to the situation on the slope. Before entering a slope, look around carefully and do not forget to turn on a flashlight or headlamp. Check that there are no snowmobile ropes in your area and that there are no ropes hidden in the snow. If you see a rope, never come near it! Wait until the snowmobile working on the rope passes past you from below. If you are unsure, wait again for the snowmobile to pass. The presence of a snowmobile on a rope is also often highlighted by light signs installed in some places where forest paths cross the slopes or above the anchoring points. However, never rely solely on these and check your current situation with your senses - your health and your life are at stake.
