A German Town Takes Over Its Ski Lift. Now Its Bike Park Needs an Operator

Isny bike park, Max Wild Arena, Felderhalde, bike park Germany, Allgäu mountain biking, bike park operator, town bike park

Isny, a small town in southern Germany’s Allgäu region, is taking over its own ski lift for the next three years. The bike park on the same hill is still waiting for someone to run it in summer. The trails are there, the town is on board, and the door is wide open.

by Robert Langer

Back in May we covered the closure of the bike park at the Max Wild Arena in Isny. It is not a famous resort. It is a town hill, the kind of place where local kids learn to ski in winter and to hit their first berms in summer. Close to 3,000 people signed a petition to keep it running.

Now there is real movement. In a special session, the town council voted by a narrow majority to have the town run the ski lift itself for a three-year trial. Winter operations will continue. And for summer, there is an opening that anyone in the bike park business should hear about.

What the town decided

The Max Wild Arena told the town in spring that it wanted out of the lift business. After months of talks, the town turned down an offer to buy the lift equipment and agreed instead to rent it for a three-year winter trial. Marc Rudhart, whose family originally built the operation, will manage the lift. The local ski club, WSV Isny, is pitching in with volunteers.

Mayor Rainer Magenreuter admits it was a hard call given the town’s finances. Public pressure made the difference: a petition, a residents‘ campaign and a kids‘ initiative called „Kids for Felderhalde“ all made the same point.

„The Felderhalde is a fixed part of Isny’s identity.“Rainer Magenreuter, Mayor of Isny (translated)

Summer: the lines are still there

The previous operator does not want to keep running the bike park. That is the bad news. The good news came straight from city hall when we spoke to them on the phone: the trails are still in place. They will need some cleanup, since the hill has picked up a generous layer of cow manure. It is the Allgäu, after all. Nothing a crew with shovels cannot handle.

More importantly, the town would welcome someone leasing the hill for summer. The bike park ran without problems in recent years, which is exactly the kind of track record a new operator wants to see.

Operator wanted

The town and the previous operator are both open to serious, professional interest. There are two ways in:

Through the town administration, which will pass on inquiries: felderhalde@isny.de
Directly through Familienlifte Isny GmbH, which according to the town is also open to talks.

We also reached out to the previous operator with questions about the trails and what a successor would need. We had not received a reply by the time of publication and will update this story when we do.

Why Isny is worth it

Most bike parks sit deep in mountain valleys, a long drive and a lift ticket away. The Felderhalde sits on the edge of town. You do not plan a trip there, you just roll over after school or work. For beginners and families, that is huge. Flow Line, Pro Line and a kids‘ trail called Wilde Kerle („Wild Ones“) covered different skill levels. A bike park this close to everyday life is rare in Germany.

How you can help

The mayor has been blunt: the town needs financial support, and donations big and small are urgently needed. The donation account supports the lift operation, so winter comes first. We still say: if you have ever ridden, skied or sledded here, chip in. Every donation keeps the hill alive and shows any future summer operator that the region stands behind it.

Town of Isny donation accountVolksbank Allgäu-OberschwabenIBAN: DE27 6509 1040 0070 8480 09BIC: GENODES1LEUReference: „Förderung des Sports an der Felderhalde“Donation receipts for German tax purposes are available, according to the town.

Volunteers are welcome too. Get in touch at felderhalde@isny.de.

Does the bike park have a future?

On paper, the pieces are in place: a running lift, existing trails, a supportive town and a clean track record. What is missing is someone to take on the summer. It is a real job, but it comes with a real head start.

We will keep following the story.

Quick take: Open question: who will take over summer at the Felderhalde?

Published by Radical Life Studios / MTB Report