A special kind of mogul piste competition
Story 64
The Triftji ski lift was built in 1964. It led from the Findel Glacier to the ridge between Hohtälli and Stockhorn. The area, which became accessible with the T-bar lift, convinced the skiers as an El Dorado for mogul pistes and established itself as a venue for competitions.
The eighteenth Triftji Bump Bash was held in 2003. As an enthusiastic snow sportswoman, Lena was at the start together with more than 220 participants from Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, England, Spain, Japan, Australia and America.
The Stockhorn: the Red Nose (the Rote Nase)
Lena was excited and full of anticipation when she boarded the Gornergrat Railway train in wonderful weather conditions on her way to Triftji. She had arrived in Zermatt a few days earlier and had witnessed how volunteers were using five tonnes of material to shape the Triftji into an ideal competition ground. She was ready for the Red Nose race.
A world record
Lena spent an unforgettable day at Bump Bash, which even ended with a record. The Walliser Boten (Valais Herald) stated at the time: “At the third attempt, there were 37 ski freaks in the air at the same time: world record!” However, according to the newspaper, the focus was not on a world record:
The Triftji Bump Bash is an event where fun is the most important thing. Showruns are just as much part of the programme as skiers dressed up or doing downhill on lorry hoses. Special prizes, for example for the longest skis, the youngest competitor, the weirdest skiing style or the best disguise, give the Triftji Bump Bash its special charm.
The mogul piste race at Triftji no longer exists today. The Triftji T-bar lift was shut down in 2017 and has not been in operation since then.
Where the term “red nose” (Rote Nase) comes from
According to one anecdote, the middle name for the Stockhorn is due to the fact that the area is very sunny in spring. On the ski lift, the skiers look directly south and thus into the sun.
