If you had to guess: How many igloos have you built in your life?
Built or had built, he asks mischievously. I estimate that I have built about 320 igloos in my life and have already had over 1'800 igloos built.
First igloos in Scuol
And how many nights have you spent in an igloo?
That must be over 400 nights, more than a whole year in snow and ice.
What has changed the most in 25 years of igloo building?
The igloo villages have adapted to the needs of guests. This means that some luxury has been added, in the sense of conveniences such as a hot tub and sauna. Of course, such things did not exist in the early igloo years. In the past, there were extreme mountaineers, and today people without mountain experience - which means: anyone can come.
Hot tub at the Iglu-Dorf
What influence do climate changes have?
We have to work together with nature and adapt. This means a lot more flexibility, which we need from our employees and the mountain railroads for production and snow procurement. Strategically, we have set ourselves the goal of moving further up the mountains with the igloo villages. The higher a Iglu-Dorf is built, the cooler the outside temperature and the art and the building stay beautiful even longer.
Have guests become more demanding?
Yes, it's a broader audience that we now encounter in the igloo. And more and more people are coming who are not so experienced in nature. Thanks to our guides and the good care on site, the guests feel very comfortable with us.
How does Corona influence the upcoming igloo season?
We do everything we can to ensure a safe stay for guests and staff. To this end, we have implemented all government and voluntary measures. This ensures a natural and safe experience. This winter, of course, there will be no groups mixed in the igloo, but only overnight stays in pairs or with friends and family. Each overnight room will have its own fondue pot and there will be no more stirring in the fondue together. The sleeping bags are subjected to heat inactivation or disinfection after each use. Of course, each guest receives a hygienic sleeping bag for one-time use. And of course, our employees will wear masks while working.
What has fascinated you for all these years about snow and spending the night in the snow?
That you actually think you can't spend the night in the snow - and then you can. And not only that: it's a super luxurious, comfortable and beautiful nature experience. You break out of your everyday life for a moment, leave your comfort zone and end up with a beautiful experience of ice and snow. To see the stars outside the normal, light-irradiated environment in the igloo night pure and clear - that is really a sublime feeling. And that every time anew.
Starry sky at the Iglu-Dorf
What guest feedback have you heard most often over the many years?
Most guests are surprised at how great the snowshoe hike is at night. In general, you can say that people who have never seen a Iglu-Dorf can't even imagine that such great art can be created from a natural material like snow. My absolute favorite feedback is, of course, when the morning after the igloo night the guests say that it was much warmer than expected. We have our really good expedition sleeping bags to thank for that.
What do you wish for the Iglu-Dorf in the future?
To make the natural igloo feeling available to as many more guests as possible without them having to travel far. And that they show their photos to all their friends afterwards with the sentence: "You have to experience that too. In Davos, Gstaad, Kühtai, Stockhorn, Zermatt or on the Zugspitze."