Join us on a journey with journalist Maurizio De Matteis from Dislivelli magazine as he visits Sattel-Hochstuckli, a small Swiss ski area facing the reality of climate change. Through the lens of the upcoming BeyondSnow video narrative, Maurizio explores how this pre-alpine destination near Lucerne is transforming its tourism model – shifting from snow dependency to accessible, year-round outdoor experiences.
Sattel-Hochstuckli: A Family-Friendly Resort Just Outside the City
Sattel is a small Swiss municipality of fewer than 2,000 inhabitants in the canton of Schwyz, located just 30 minutes from Lucerne. It lies on the historic Sattel Pass, a traditional route connecting the cantons of Uri and Schwyz to the Zurich area.
The local ski area, Sattel-Hochstuckli, is a compact pre-alpine resort between 780 and 1,500 meters above sea level. It features a rotating gondola, three ski lifts, and conveyor belts, offering a total of 14 km of slopes. In recent years, however, the resort has struggled significantly with the effects of climate change, including rising temperatures and decreasing snowfall.
Artificial snowmaking was previously seen as a solution, but it comes at a high cost. Producing a single cubic meter of snow in Sattel costs 5 Swiss francs (about €5.29), and with around 6 km of slopes to cover- an average width of 25 meters and depth of 25 cm – that means producing 37,500 cubic meters of snow. This results in a snowmaking cost of 200,000 francs per season. When winters are mild, as in the last two seasons (2022/23 and 2023/24), this investment can be entirely lost.
In a typically pragmatic Swiss move, for the 2024/2025 season, Sattel-Hochstuckli has decided to limit skiing to the children’s area and beginner lift, with a reduced snowmaking budget of just 30,000 francs – seven times less than last year.
Fortunately, Sattel’s location – surrounded by lakes and gentle mountains, and close to major urban centers – makes it highly attractive for year-round tourism. The region now offers a wide range of weather-independent outdoor activities, from hiking and climbing to mountain biking and more. The focus is on proximity tourism and beginner-friendly experiences, all offered at affordable prices – by Swiss standards, of course!
