The problem of climate change

Alpine fair: Focus on change and adaptation

Once again this year, thousands of visitors are expected to attend the two days of the fair.

(Bild: Congress Messe Innsbruck)

Around 200 exhibitors will be presenting new products at the Alpinmesse in Innsbruck this weekend. In the Alpine Forum, numerous top experts will discuss the effects of climate change on the mountain world.

Messe Innsbruck will be a hotspot for the mountain sports community this Saturday and Sunday: the Alpine Trade Fair and Alpine Forum will present innovations and expert knowledge in the fields of skiing, ski touring and freeriding, climbing and mountaineering, biking, trail running, alpine travel as well as first aid and rescue systems.

Experts show the advantages of the latest avalanche transceivers

(Bild: Congress Messe Innsbruck)

Test new products for yourself on site
Whether automatic ski touring bindings, avalanche rescue drones or innovative spikes: exhibitors use the event to discuss with visitors. Visitors not only have the opportunity to take a close look at and touch the devices and equipment, but also to slip into them and try them out.

Even a world first
There is also a world first among the new products. For the first time, a simulator will be presented that can be used to test ski boots. It imitates the gradient of a ski slope and can thus help to determine the right fit. The exhibitors come from various European countries, including Finland, Bulgaria and Iceland.

The latest ski boots and (touring) ski bindings will be presented.

(Bild: Congress Messe Innsbruck)

Climbing tower to try out
A climbing tower invites visitors to make their first climbing attempts under the guidance of professionals or to improve their own technique. New products can be tested during avalanche rescue training or on the trail running course.

Facts and figures

The Alpinmesse 2024 is open on Saturday, November 16, between 10 am and 7 pm and on Sunday, November 17, from 10 am to 5 pm. The Alpine Forum starts at 9 am.

At the Alpine Forum, Tyrol's Governor Anton Mattle will speak at 9.10 am about possible new challenges for life in the Alps.

Here are further highlights of the program:

• 10 am: "Climatic changes in the Alpine region - effects in the mountains?" - Alexander Radlherr, meteorologist
• 10.30 a.m.: "Familiar routes are gone, popular climbs are becoming more difficult. And what now?" - Gerhard Mössmer, mountain guide
• 11.30 am: "Have alpine accidents and the work of the alpine police changed?" - Viktor Horvath, Head of the Tyrolean Alpine Police
• 3 p.m.: "Alpine accidents on guided tours" - Walter Würtl, expert witness
• 16.30: "Changing ski resorts - challenges and solution strategies" - Reinhard Klier, cable car operator
• 16.50: "Development of sliding snow avalanches and slope failure" - Amelie Fees and Christoph Mitterer, avalanche researchers

Specialists from leading mountain sports institutions
As part of the trade fair, the Alpine Forum will take center stage on Saturday. This time, the renowned conference of the Austrian Board of Trustees for Alpine Safety (ÖKAS) will focus on the theme of "Change & Adaptation". Specialists from leading mountain sports institutions, avalanche warning and rescue services as well as mountain guides and researchers will address issues relating to changing conditions in the Alps as a result of climate change. The Alpine Forum provides the latest research findings and invites discussion.

The topic of "Climbing" plays a major role at the Alpinmesse.

(Bild: Congress Messe Innsbruck)

Adjusting screws for equipment
Everything revolves around fascinating mountain worlds with the prominent speakers of the gripping evening and multivision presentations: Tyrol's ex-ski star Benni Raich, among others, will be discussing the key aspects of equipment and tracing the milestones in its development on Saturday from 7 pm.

Fachleute diskutieren

Fachtagung Alpinforum

On Saturday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., 15 experts from various specialist fields will be discussing what hobby alpinists, mountain guides and ski resort managers are increasingly confronted with as a result of climate change and will be even more so in the future. The presentations and discussions are primarily aimed at experts, but are open to everyone.

The problem of sliding snow avalanches
This will also deal with sliding snow avalanches, which have increased significantly due to global warming and often threaten traffic routes. One of the speakers will be Christoph Mitterer, expert and forecaster at the Tyrol Avalanche Warning Service.

Sliding snow avalanches increase every winter and are particularly insidious.

(Bild: Lawinenwarndienst Tirol)

In a sliding snow avalanche, the entire snow cover slides down to the ground and this type of avalanche is particularly unpredictable. For some time now, however, strategies have been developed to better manage the risk of this type of avalanche. These will be presented.